COMPETENCY G: Cataloging/Classification

Core Competency G — demonstrate understanding of basic principles and standards involved in organizing information such as classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, metadata schemas or other systems for making information accessible to a particular clientele.

San Jose State University MLIS Core Competencies

Competency

G

Introduction

Information can be organized in many different formats, such as the Dewey Decimal Classification system or the Library of Congress Classification system. These systems are often found in libraries, places that organize information in physical and virtual spaces. Libraries serve their communities and strive to organize information in ways that are easily accessible to an individual’s information seeking needs. Today’s 21st century world is comprised of information in varying formats, physically and virtually. Information comes in many different forms, such as “Books, DVDs, database records, the products sold by a supermarket and displayed on its shelves, paper files in filling cabinets and information on a website” (Rowley & Harley, 2008, p. 4). Information is endless and valuable, because information provides knowledge. According to Rowley and Harley (2008) “Knowledge and knowing is power” and “That power may bring political, social, or economic success” (p. 4). Access to information provides “Individuals, groups, organizations, communities, societies and nations” with the knowledge to make decisions, problem solve, communicate, entertain, improve citizenship, and progress businesses (Rowley & Hartley, 2008, p. 4). This is why it is vital for information to be well organized and accessible. It is much easier for individuals to seek and retrieve information that was prepared systematically with the information seeker in mind. Knowing how valuable information is, libraries today have created classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, and metadata schemas for the 21st century information seeker.

Classification

Classification systems in the library “Facilitate subject access by allowing the user to find out what works or documents the library has on a certain subject” and “Provide a known location for the information source to be located” (New World Encyclopedia, 2014). Classifying information helps connect similar items together in order to make information retrieval easier on the seeker. Today there are two primary classification systems found in libraries, the Dewey Decimal Classifications system and the Library of Congress Classification system.

The Dewey Decimal Classification system is often used in school libraries. It is one of the first organizational systems for libraries in the United States and was founded by Melvil Dewey in 1876. The system attaches a number to each category and uses decimals in order expand each category. Figure 1 below shows how the Dewey Decimal Classification system organizes information into “Ten main classes” (New World Encyclopedia, 2014).

This Library of Congress Classification system is primarily found in research and academic libraries. This classification system was created by Herber Putnam in 1897 and later was further developed by the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress Classification system is organized in alphanumeric order. Each book is assigned up to three letters and includes decimals. Figure 2 below shows how information is labeled in the library. While Figure 3 below shows how the Library of Congress Classification system organizes information into different categories

Controlled Vocabulary

Controlled vocabulary is “Permitted terms and terms which are semantically related” (Rowley & Hartley, 2008, p. 135). When an individual searches for information they type in words related to what they are seeking. These words may come in different spellings or have different meanings. Controlled vocabulary anticipates these differences and “The requirements of various types of users” in order to provide as many related search results (Harpring, 2010, p. 144). Controlled vocabularies “May be coded into the notation of a classification schedule, where the notation translates the concepts behind the words” (Rowley & Hartley, 2008, p. 135). Controlled vocabulary systems are often related to their specific information retrieval system. For example the Library of Congress uses their own subject headings (LCSH) for library catalogs. Another example of a “Well-known set of subject headings is the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), which is used for indexing journal articles and books on medical science” (Getty, n.d.).

Cataloging Systems

Cataloging systems arrange “Similar things in some order according to some principle unites and controls information from various sources” (Britannica, n.d.). Cataloging systems are made up of items from a collection. These items include descriptions, which make it possible for those items to be retrieved when an individual searches with related terms. Every item in a cataloging system includes descriptive records. For example if someone was searching for “A particular mountain/volcano” they may search with the words “Mount Etna, Berg Etna, Monte Etna, Mt Etna, or simply Etna” (Harpring, 2010, p. 196). Cataloging systems not only include descriptors to assist with the retrieval process, but also include classification systems and controlled vocabularies.

Metadata

Metadata is data about data. Metadata “Summarizes basic information about data,” such as “Author, date created and date modified and file size are examples of very basic document metadata” (Tech Target, n.d.). In libraries metadata provides descriptions about the information retrieved. According to Rowley and Hartley (2008) metadata can be classified into the three following levels.

1. The metadata is some unstructured data found in the information package itself; this is the approach adopted on the Web with search engines that identify metadata in the content of web pages.

2. The metadata is in a structured format, using basic template for metadata creation.

3. The metadata is in rich format to support specific applications, such as those used by libraries, archives, museums. At this level, metadata elements are more detailed and may combine metadata elements with encoding and content standards (Rowley & Hartley, 2008, p. 44).

Some of the standards for metadata creation must use Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC). MARC formats “Are standards for the representation and communication of bibliographic and related information in machine-readable form (Marc21, 2016). These standards for metadata help make the information retrieved in cataloging systems decipherable by both humans and varying technological platforms.

Evidence

The following evidence includes MLIS coursework that I have completed during my time at San Jose State University.

INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design: Cataloging Exercises (1A, 1B, 1C, 2)
INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design: Group Project 1: Alpha Prototype
INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design: Group Project 2: Bibliographic Database Design

INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design: Cataloging Exercises

Instructions 1A-B

Evidence:

Each of these cataloging exercises required me to practice classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, and metadata schemas. In “Exercise 1A Part 1” I practiced creating search attributes for images on Flickr.com. I had to make sure the terms were different and distinct enough for each image as part of a larger collection. In “Exercise 1A Part 2” I created fields and values for a database based off my attributes. In “Exercise 1A Part 3” I grouped attributes together to make a database. In “Exercise 1B” I practiced the rules of card sorting. I used the card-sorting site ConceptCodify (http://conceptcodify.com/) to create a card-sorting activity. This helped me practice controlled vocabulary and classification of related terms. In “Exercise 1C” I practiced writing a rule like I would for descriptors in a cataloging system. The last exercise was “Exercise 2,” which had me identify related vocabulary for different records and then come up with descriptors for controlled vocabulary to index the records.

INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design: Group Project 1: Alpha Prototype

Evidence:

Group Project 1: Alpha Prototype

This group assignment required us to design a data structure for a database of records for non-traditional objects in a collection. As a group we created and manipulated database files, wrote a statement of purpose for our user group, beta tested the database, evaluated the design, and used WebDataPro to create the database (INFO 202 One Sheet, 2015). We met several times through Blackboard Collaborate to design, construct, beta-test, and evaluate the database. The database we created contained a collection of kid shows meant for users who fall under the category of parent.

INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design: Group Project 2: Bibliographic Database Design

Evidence:

Group Project 2: Bibliographic Database Design

As a group we designed a small controlled vocabulary list and created a database with scholarly articles as records. Our fields included descriptive information (author, title, source publication, year) and subject access (post-coordinate controlled vocabulary terms) (INFO 202 One Sheet, 2015). We used natural language and controlled vocabulary for searching the database. We evaluated the database and our results as part of the project.

Conclusion

If information is knowledge and knowledge is power, then it is vital that information be well organized and easily accessible. Librarians in the 21st century need the skills to sort information in physical and virtual spaces. It is important for librarians to have the skills necessary to systematically sort and retrieve information. These skills include understanding classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, and metadata schemas for the 21st century information seeker. The evidence below showcases my experiences creating cataloging systems and all the necessary parts, such as vocabulary and metadata. I developed strong skill sets as demonstrated in my evidence above that are important for catalog creators and information retrieval professionals.

References

Britannica. (n.d.). Library classification. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/library-classification

Getty. (n.d.).What are controlled vocabularies. Retrieved from

http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/intro_controlled_vocab/what.pdf

Harping, P. (2008). Introduction to controlled vocabularies: Terminology for art, architecture, and other cultural

works. Los Angeles, CA: Getty Research Institute.

Marc21. (2016). Marc standards. Retrieved from

https://www.loc.gov/marc/

New World Encyclopedia. (2014). Library classification. Retrieved from

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Library_classification

Rowley, J., & Hartley, J. (2008). Organizing knowledge: An introduction to managing access to information.

Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Limited.