Universal decimal classification

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The Universal Decimal Classification (UDK; also International Decimal Classification ) is a library classification that was further developed as a multilingual alternative to the Dewey Decimal Classification at the end of the 19th century . It is mainly used outside of the Anglo-American language area to index library collections.

Historical development

The system of decimal classification is based on a decimal classification originally devised by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) and which the American librarian Melvil Dewey (1851–1931) developed into the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC).

However, the DDC was partly so specifically American that the two Belgian librarians Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine created a European variant for international use in 1895, which they called Universal Decimal Classification .

In Germany, the German Standards Committee (DNA) introduced the UDC of the two Belgians in 1932 on the basis of the French-language second international edition under the designation Decimal Classification (DK) as a short edition containing 10% of the UDC numbers. Nevertheless, so many German libraries and documentation centers orientated themselves to this system that a complete edition could appear in 1941. The British Standards Institution (BSI) and the DNA published an international short edition in 1957, which juxtaposed French, English and German terms. This was supplemented in 1970 by the Fédération Internationale de Documentation (FID).

The German DK based on the UDC has only a very small number of users. The international licensees are also limited to fifteen, according to UDC's own information.

Basics

Illustrative example of the UDC from the Mundaneum

This representation of knowledge of all areas of human knowledge, which has grown over decades, works exclusively with digits and special characters. The digits are separated by a point in combinations of three, so that the presentation is clearer.

Letters or other characters are only permitted when specifying proper names.

A total of around 200,000 issues have currently been included in a complete work. However, this only serves as a basis for classifiers who want to open up their specific subject areas. By combining existing notations ( syntactic indexing ), the universal decimal classification allows a very compact representation of extremely complex terms.

The following may serve as examples (for an explanation of the syntax see below):

  • 621.395.6: 331.761-057.62 Specialist fitters for communication terminals who come to their workplace as commuters
  • 622.33 Horno coal mining (colliery) Horno

The DDC differs from the UDC, among other things, in that the DDC main class 400 (language and linguistics) is vacant and has instead been merged with the DDC main class 800 (literature) to form the UDC main class linguistics and literature.

Main departments

Attachment numbers

The classification is extended by general and special appendix numbers as well as relational symbols between DK numbers.

In addition, there are other options for the representation and combination of digit sequences ( descriptors ):

+ "And"
Allocation symbols (e.g. 178.1 + 33 alcoholism and economics )
: "Colon"
Relationship signs (e.g. 178.1: 33 Impact of Alcoholism on the National Economy )
/ "to"
Extension symbols of consecutive DK numbers (e.g. 592/599 Systematic Zoology: 592 up to and including 599)
'"Apostrophe"
Summary sign
= ... "same"
General appendices of the language
(0 ...) "bracket zero"
General appendix numbers of the form
(...) "bracket"
General appendix numbers of the place
(= ...) "brackets equal"
General appendix numbers of racial and popular names
"..." "Quotation marks"
General attachment numbers of the time
A / Z "Name"
Description, name in plain text
-... "dash"
Special number of attachments (depending on the DK area)
.00 ... "Point zero zero"
General appendix numbers of the point of view
.0 "point zero"
Special number of attachments (depending on the DK area)
. "Point"
Separation of three digits each
... "Dot dot dot"
Replacement for digits to be added
[] (Square brackets)
grouping

The DK numbers are listed in the order given above.

General appendices of the language

The general appendix numbers of the language are used for linguistic identification. You follow Department 80 in the UDK. In this case 80 by = replaced. Works in more than one language can be indicated by = 00 or by adding the number for each language. Translations are always marked with = 03 .

  • 803.0 German language
  • = 30 writing in German
  • 53 (021) = 20 = 30 = 40 Handbook of Physics in English, German, French
  • 53 (021) = 03.82 Handbook of Physics, translated from Russian
  • 53 (021) = 40 = 03.82 Manual of Physics in French, translated from Russian

General appendix numbers of the form

The general appendix numbers of the form are used to identify the form of a term determined by the main number. They are represented as (0 ...) (spoken brackets zero). Here are some examples:

  • (021) Extensive books. Multi-volume works (with a total of more than 1000 pages)
    • (021.1) representations understandable without specialist knowledge
      • (021.11) Low requirements. Popular representations
      • (021.13) High requirements
    • (021.5) University knowledge required
  • (042) Lectures, lectures, speeches, speeches
    • (042.3) Lectures

General appendix numbers of the place

The general appendix numbers of the place serve to identify the spatial position of a term which is indicated by the main number. The representation of the appendix numbers of the place is (...) (pronounced "brackets").

One identifies:

  1. Natural spaces
  2. specified locations / locations on the earth's surface regardless of political, geographical or topographical affiliation; for this one uses the longitude and latitude
  3. physiogeographical conditions u. a. according to physical, topographical and climatic criteria
  4. States according to political conditions

See also

literature

  • Konrad Umlauf : Introduction to library classification theory and practice. In: Berlin handouts on library science. July 20, 2003, accessed March 1, 2004 .
  • Aida Slavic, Maria Inês Cordeiro, Gerhard Riesthuis: Maintenance of the Universal Decimal Classification. Overview of the past and preparations for the future . In: International Cataloging and Bibliographic Control . tape 37 , no. 2 , 2008, ISSN  1011-8829 , p. 23-29 ( online [accessed September 10, 2014]).

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