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Library Classification Theory Unit1 PDF
Library Classification Theory Unit1 PDF
Library Classification Theory Unit1 PDF
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Structure
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Classification Terminology: Historical Perspective
1.2.1 Relation to other Terminologies in Library Science
1.2.2 Nature of Terms
1.3 Classification Terminology: Indian School of Thought
1.4 Sources of Classification Terminology
1.5 Definitions
1.5.1 Meaning of "Classification"
1.5.2 Universe and Entity
1.5.3 Group and Class
1.5.4 Attributes and Characteristics
1.5.5 Kinds of Library Classification
1.5.6 Disciplines and Subjects
1.5.7 Categories, Facets and Isolates
1.5.8 Arrays and Chains
1.5.9 Classification Schedules
1.5.10 Species of Classification
1.5.11 Notation
1.6 Summary
1.7 Answers to Self Check Exercises
1.8 References and- Further Reading
1.0 OBJECTIVES
This Unit explains the importance of terminology for a scientific subject like
classification. It also familiarises you with the fundamental concepts/terms associated
with the discipline of classification. After reading this Unit you will he able to:
understand the importance of technical terminology in a scientific subject; and
grasp the meaning of terms and their use in the theory and practice of library classification.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
A term may be defined as a standardised name for a. given entity or concept which is precise.
Terminology, in its turn, is defined as a system of terms used to denote the classes or ranked
isolates in a scheme for classification. There should always be a one to one correspondence
between the concepts and the terms used. It means that each concept will be denoted by one
word or phrase, and conversely a word/phrase will denote one concept only.
In a scientific/academic/legal communication, precise terminology is not only important
but most essential. Effective communication cannot take place unless concepts and terns
representing them are precisely defined. Predefined words are also known as technical
terminology. Paradoxically the ordinary language that the common man speaks is both
rich and poor. It is full of homonyms, i.e., one and the same term is often used with two
or more meanings. For example, "bridge" and "cricket" have two meanings each. The
word "order" has more than 200 meanings in the Oxford English Dictionary? Further, a
word may connote different meanings in different contexts' A line of poetry has different
meanings for different people. It (language) is also full of synonyms, i.e., one concept
may be denoted by more than one word in the same language, e.g., wages, salary, and pay 5
denote the same concept. Thus ordinary language is not
Elements of Library
Classification a perfect tool of communication. If this is used without modifications in a scientific
discipline, it will lead to problems in communication and ultimately hinder the development
of the discipline. A Tower of Babel will lead only to chaos and confusion instead of any
understanding and progress. The solution is to have a precisely defined terminology. No
discipline can progress without its technical terminology.
In other words, there should be an organised attempt to:
i) delimit the vagueness of words and eliminate ambiguity;
ii) establish an agreed standard terminology free from homonyms and synonyms
for each subject-field; and
iii) lay down methodology to coin new terms, when new ideas come into being or
an old term has to be replaced.
S.R. Ranganathan (1892-1972) was of the view that scientific terminology is of dual
importance to librarians. Firstly, librarians and information scientists have to learn
the technical terminology of other disciplines to communicate with and serve library
users effectively. Secondly, we have to understand the terminology of our own
discipline to discuss technical matters with colleagues for research and, development
of our discipline and profession.
1.2 CLASSIFICATION TERMINOLOGY :
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Library classification as an academic discipline is about 125 years old. Its teaching and
research has gained momentum comparatively recently. It must be admitted, however,
that the terminology is not well settled.
One of the principal contributions of Professor S.R. Ranganathan (1892 -1972) to library
classification, besides his intuitive and intellectual contributions, is the terminology for
expression of ideas. The development of the terminology of library classification in
India came along with the development of the theory and practice of classification. It
grew at a faster pace between the sixties and eighties. This is due to intensive
developmental research in the field.
The spread of jargons in classification to an international circle can said to be fostered by
the CRG (Classification Research Group) in London. The CRG members have had very
close contact with Ranganathan and critically analysed each of his terms. They refashioned
some of them and retained many of them as such and provided explanatory notes to the
definitions and then spread them to library schools in Britain and other countries.
Textbooks began to appear using many of the concepts, which Ranganathan had
propounded.
The First International Study Conference held at Dorking principally supported by CRG
saw to it that a comprehensive glossary of terms was developed for use at the international
level. The glossary was compiled by B.C. Vickery for the benefit of the new audience.
This movement was very well complimented by the FID (International Federation for
Information and Documentation/Federation Internationaled' Information et de
Documentation) congress, and FID/CA (Committee on Classification Theory) in which
Ranganathan himself was very much involved in the propagation of ideas. The growth of
the terms in the second, third and fourth study conferences indicated a steady
improvement in classification research.
Today, we can find that the contribution of Ranganathan to classification terminology
is almost an integral part of any classification research, teaching, learning or writing.
1.2.1 Relation to other Terminologies in Library Science
Classification is a vital discipline in the field of library and information science and pervades
all the other sub-fields of library science. Thus, the terminology of library classification is an'
interactive terminology. The symbiotic nature of classification and cataloguing has taken a
common link in relation to subject indexing terms. Many of the verbal plane rules of
classification terminology can also act as rules for cataloguing terminology.
In relation to reference service, classification provides the analytic and synthetic framework
for; efficient handling of reference work and service. Many of the classification terms can be
used! in more or less the same fashion in reference and information work. Thus, a streak of
symbiosis' can be seen between the two sub-fields of library science. To a certain extent,
management aspects of libraries can be explained using classificatory terminology.
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To conclude, classificatory terminology is crucial to the development of the discipline of Basic Terminology
library science. It can be considered, so to say, that the intellectual framework of library and Historical Perspective
science lies in classificatory terminology.
1.2.2 Nature of Terms
In an analysis of classification terminology, Prasad (1986) had identified three types of
terms - normative, fundamental and associative. Normative terms are operative in nature
and prescribe the procedure and help identify the expected quality of the operations that
would result from such prescriptions. Example: Canon of Differentiation.
Fundamental terms, on the other hand, define the basic concepts which are germane
to the very nature of classification process. Examples: Division, Characteristics.
In their turn, associative terms are those which extend the, meaning of the
fundamental terms into different contextual levels for discussion and operation in
classification research. Example: Open-ended array.
This table presents a census of terms, which are grouped according to their nature:
S.No. Nature of Terms No. of Terms % of the Total No. of Terms
1) Normative terms 112 21.8
2) Fundamental terms 110 21 4
3) Associative terms 292 56.8
Thus, there are in all 514 technical terms used in the three editions of the Prolegomena.
These terns have been distributed in the three planes of work- Idea Plane (298 terms),
Verbal Plane (35 terms) and Notational Plane (181 terms). In addition to the terms, many
new terms and refinement of old terms have resulted due to the work undertaken at DRTC
(Documentation Research and Training Centre) by Ranganathan and his followers.
Further, the interdisciplinary nature of classification called for coordination of
epistemological, logical, psychological, mathematical, linguistic and sociological
concepts and terms in papers and discussion at the Third International. Study
Conference on Classification Research held at Bombay in 1975. The universality of
classification concepts, then- capability to interconnect several diversified approaches
to classification and ordering of knowledge were discussed at the conference.
"International Classification" (now called Knowledge Organisation), a periodical
publication from Frankfurt, West Germany began work pertaining to the
consolidation of terminology occurring in classification literature. Classification
vocabulary started getting refined further and made extensive use of concepts
pertaining to Systems Theory, Computer Science, Communication Theory, etc.
FID/CR (Committee on Classification Research) brought out several country reports
at this juncture and Bliss's Classification Group brought out several depth versions of
the scheme.
This standard IS: 2.550-1963, contains 23 chapters under three broad headings :
classification in general, universe for library classification, and classification of the
universe of knowledge.
Classification in Sense 2
Assortment
"The process of the division of a universe into groups plus -that of arranging the
groups in a definite sequence --- that is, of Ranking that is, assigning a Rank to each
resulting group".
The result of the assortment of a universe in the first sense.
The alternate term is classification (Second Sense: Common Use) - classification, in
the first sense and arrangement of the resulting groups in a preferred sequence.
Classification in Sense 3
It is well known that subjects should be arranged in a helpful filiatory sequence on the
basis of a scheme of successive characteristics. Further, there is a need to mechanise the
arrangement, To "mechanise". means to eliminate the need to remember or consider the
exact connotation or denotation of the classes in their mutual relation. These two aids
make the, following additional concepts necessary: 1) Terminology;, and 2) Notation.
The importance of terminology has already been highlighted in Sec-1-1.,
Number
Cardinal Number : The term "number" brings to ones mind the, ten lndo-
Arabic numerals only and the use of them as cardinal
numbers those numbers used in. counting and in
expressing measures;
Ordinal Number : The term "ordinal number'' denotes that the number
is used for fixing the position of an entity in a sequence,
Freedom in Ordinal Number : It is possible to use any digit other than Indo-
Arabic numbers as an ordinal number by defining its
ordinal, value among other digits. Examples, Roman 15
smalls, Roman capitals,
Elements of Library
Classification punctuation marks, and some other simple
characters, that is, "distinctive marks".
Use in Colon Classification : : Ordinal Numbers are used in CC.
Notational System : The term "notational system" denotes the system
of numbers used by a scheme for classification.
Notation : The term "notation" denotes any number in
the notational system.
Notational System of CC The notational system of CC consists of ordinal
numbers.
Digit : The term "digit" denotes a single, isolated,
primary symbol, that is, character, that is, a
"distinctive mark", .used in notational system
of a scheme for classification.
Substantive Digit : The "substantive digit" denotes any of the
digits - Roman small, Indo-Arabic, Roman
capital, Greek letter - enumerated in CC.
Number of Substantive Digits The total number of substantive digits used in
the notational system of CC is sixty.
Digits used in CC
Roman Small : The term "Roman small" denotes each one
of the digits a b e d e f g h j k m n p q r s t u v
w x y z.. It may be noted that i, 1 and o have
been excluded from this list, as they give
difficulty in writing, typing and printing taken
together.
Indo-Arabic Numeral :The term "Indo-Arabic numeral' denotes each
one of the digits 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.
Roman Capital : The term "Roman capital" denotes each one
of the digits A B C D E F G H I L M N 0 P Q
R S T V W Z, excluding "I" and "C' except
when used to represent the Main Subjects
"Botany" and "Literature", respectively.
Greek Letter : The only Greek letter used is `A' (Delta).
Ordinary Indicator Digit : The term "ordinary indicator digit" denotes each
one of the digits mentioned below:
) (Arrester Bracket) , (Comma)
& (Ampersand) - (Hyphen)
(Single inverted comma) (Equal to)
. (Dot) --> (Forward arrow).
: (Colon) + (Plus)
; (Semi Colon) ( (Starter Bracket)
"
Anteriorising Digit : The term anteriorising digit" denotes each 'of the
digit (Backward arrow) and " (Double inverted
comma).
Number of Indicator Digits : The total number of indicator digits used in the
notational system of CC is fourteen.
Species of Digits : The term "species of digits" denotes the digits used
in the notational system of CC.
Number of Species of Digits : The total number of species of digits used in the
notational system of CC is six.'
Base of the Notational System: The base of the notational system of CC consists of
sixty substantive digits.
Mixed Base : The notational system of CC has a mixed base, as it
16 consists of more than one species of digits.,
Capacity of the Base : The capacity of the base of the notational system of Basic Terminology
CC is sixty. and Historical Perspective
1.6 SUMMARY
In this Unit, we have discussed the importance of terminology and traced the
'historical perspective of classification terminology with emphasis on the Indian
School of Thought.
The core/basic concepts of classification discussed pertain to,: Universe and Entity;
Group and Class; Attributes and Characteristics; Kinds of Library Classification;
Disciplines and Basic Subjects; Categories, Facets and Isolates; Arrays and Chain;
Schedules for Classification; Species of Classification; and Notation. In addition,
some of the classification terms have been explained in the section `Key Words' of
Units of Course BLIS-03 : Library Classification Theory and Units of Course BLIS-
03P : Library Classification Practice.
a) Enumerative Classification
c) Faceted Classification
e) Multiplicity of languages
Ranganathan, S.R. (1987). Colon Classification. 7th ed. Edited by M.A. Gopinath.
Bangalore: Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science.
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