Library Classification Systems (Dileep K)
Classification is a tool for organization of phenomena of the universe or any of its portion.
Modern library classification is classification of knowledge as contained in documents of all
sorts. Since their modern origin in late 1870s many library classification systems have been
designed to organize and access knowledge in libraries. Some of the important general
classification systems are:
➢ Bacon’s Classification (1605)/ by Francis Bacon
➢ Harris Classification (1870) / by William TorryeHaris
➢ Dewey Decimal classification (1876)/ by Melvil Dewey
➢ Universal Decimal Classification (1905)/ Henry La Fontaine & Paul Otlet
➢ Expansive Classification (1891/1892)/ by C.A. Cutter
➢ Putnam Classification Scheme (1897) / by G H Putnam
➢ Adjustable Classification (1897) / by James Duff Brown
➢ Library of Congress Classification (1904) J C M Hanson
➢ Subject Classification (1906)/ by J.D. Brown
➢ Bibliographic Classification (1935)/ By H.E. Bliss
➢ Colon Classification (1933)/ by S.R. Ranganathan
➢ Bibliothecal Bibliographical Klassification (BBK, 1960)/ by VINITI, Russia
➢ Rider’s International Classification (1961)/ by Fremont A. Rider
➢ Information Coding Classification (ICC, 1970) by I. Dahlberg
➢ Automatic Key Word Classification for Information Retrieval (1971) Karen Sparks
Jhones
➢ BSO (1978)/ by UNISIST/ Eric Coates
Professional Associations/Committees in Classification
Knowledge Organization as a Discipline
Classification is an old age activity but only over the last century of research and studies it
has acquired the status of a nascent discipline. Some of the professional organizations
engaged in the promotion of study and research in KO are given below:
Classification Research Group (CRG)
CRG was founded in 1952 in London on a suggestion from the well-known scientist J.D.
Bernal (1901-1971) after the Royal Society Scientific Information Conference in 1948.
The CRG members came mostly from industrial, special and academic libraries and
information centers.
Many of them were actively engaged in constructing schemes for arranging and indexing
their own collections.
, Early work of CRG is contained in ‘Sayers’ Memorial Volume edited by D.J. Foskett and
Bernard Palmer in 1961. This group rejected all the existing scheme of classification as
unsatisfactory for the purpose of modern documentation.
After the initial discussion, then CRG published their manifesto “The need for a faceted
classification as the basis of all methods of information retrieval, published in Library
Association Record (LAR), July, 1955, Pages 262-268.
Ultimate aim was set to formulate a generalised information retrieval language with
vocabulary and grammar.This grant lead to the development of PRECIS by Derek
Austin(1921-2001) for use in the
CRG has made a significant contribution to classification research and theory in the field of
library and information science in the latter half of the 20th century.
International Society for Knowledge Organization (ISKO)
International Society for Knowledge Organization founded in 1989 in Frankfurt Germany.
Dr IngetrautDadhlberg was the founder president of ISKO.
Its mission is "to advance conceptual work in knowledge organization in all kinds of forms,
and for all kinds of purposes, such as databases, libraries, dictionaries and the Internet.”
The Society publishes the quarterly academic journalKnowledge Organization and holds
biennial international conferences.
ISKO is the leading organization with a truly global influence on the progress of research in
KO.
FID Committee on Classification Research (FID/CR) (1952)
It was founded in 1952 and named FID/CA. Ranganathan was its Rapporteur General. During
1951-1961 its office was in India and Ranganathan was its chairman.
Work of FID/CR was to promote and co-ordinate study and research in classification.
It also published who’s who in classification and Indexing (1983).
Its newsletter was started in 1972 which was continued from West Germany.
First conference held in 1957 in Dorking where its manifesto was approved. . Ranganathan
inaugurated this conference.
Second conference was held in 1964. (Denmark) to approve the definition of classification.
Classification is a tool for organization of phenomena of the universe or any of its portion.
Modern library classification is classification of knowledge as contained in documents of all
sorts. Since their modern origin in late 1870s many library classification systems have been
designed to organize and access knowledge in libraries. Some of the important general
classification systems are:
➢ Bacon’s Classification (1605)/ by Francis Bacon
➢ Harris Classification (1870) / by William TorryeHaris
➢ Dewey Decimal classification (1876)/ by Melvil Dewey
➢ Universal Decimal Classification (1905)/ Henry La Fontaine & Paul Otlet
➢ Expansive Classification (1891/1892)/ by C.A. Cutter
➢ Putnam Classification Scheme (1897) / by G H Putnam
➢ Adjustable Classification (1897) / by James Duff Brown
➢ Library of Congress Classification (1904) J C M Hanson
➢ Subject Classification (1906)/ by J.D. Brown
➢ Bibliographic Classification (1935)/ By H.E. Bliss
➢ Colon Classification (1933)/ by S.R. Ranganathan
➢ Bibliothecal Bibliographical Klassification (BBK, 1960)/ by VINITI, Russia
➢ Rider’s International Classification (1961)/ by Fremont A. Rider
➢ Information Coding Classification (ICC, 1970) by I. Dahlberg
➢ Automatic Key Word Classification for Information Retrieval (1971) Karen Sparks
Jhones
➢ BSO (1978)/ by UNISIST/ Eric Coates
Professional Associations/Committees in Classification
Knowledge Organization as a Discipline
Classification is an old age activity but only over the last century of research and studies it
has acquired the status of a nascent discipline. Some of the professional organizations
engaged in the promotion of study and research in KO are given below:
Classification Research Group (CRG)
CRG was founded in 1952 in London on a suggestion from the well-known scientist J.D.
Bernal (1901-1971) after the Royal Society Scientific Information Conference in 1948.
The CRG members came mostly from industrial, special and academic libraries and
information centers.
Many of them were actively engaged in constructing schemes for arranging and indexing
their own collections.
, Early work of CRG is contained in ‘Sayers’ Memorial Volume edited by D.J. Foskett and
Bernard Palmer in 1961. This group rejected all the existing scheme of classification as
unsatisfactory for the purpose of modern documentation.
After the initial discussion, then CRG published their manifesto “The need for a faceted
classification as the basis of all methods of information retrieval, published in Library
Association Record (LAR), July, 1955, Pages 262-268.
Ultimate aim was set to formulate a generalised information retrieval language with
vocabulary and grammar.This grant lead to the development of PRECIS by Derek
Austin(1921-2001) for use in the
CRG has made a significant contribution to classification research and theory in the field of
library and information science in the latter half of the 20th century.
International Society for Knowledge Organization (ISKO)
International Society for Knowledge Organization founded in 1989 in Frankfurt Germany.
Dr IngetrautDadhlberg was the founder president of ISKO.
Its mission is "to advance conceptual work in knowledge organization in all kinds of forms,
and for all kinds of purposes, such as databases, libraries, dictionaries and the Internet.”
The Society publishes the quarterly academic journalKnowledge Organization and holds
biennial international conferences.
ISKO is the leading organization with a truly global influence on the progress of research in
KO.
FID Committee on Classification Research (FID/CR) (1952)
It was founded in 1952 and named FID/CA. Ranganathan was its Rapporteur General. During
1951-1961 its office was in India and Ranganathan was its chairman.
Work of FID/CR was to promote and co-ordinate study and research in classification.
It also published who’s who in classification and Indexing (1983).
Its newsletter was started in 1972 which was continued from West Germany.
First conference held in 1957 in Dorking where its manifesto was approved. . Ranganathan
inaugurated this conference.
Second conference was held in 1964. (Denmark) to approve the definition of classification.
