Replies to This Forum

Permalink Reply by Siddu on March 19, 2015 at 20:27

Sir,

Honestly speaking, I feel classification is something which makes library functional, easy and efficient. Classification aids shelving books or materials in APUPA pattern -  the most convenient and useful way demonstrated so far in enhancing the utility of books in open access physical library.  

I don't deny the ability of computers finding books in library, but the very effect the organised library has on a user, cannot be proffered by a non classified chaotic library aided by computer. When the plethora of books on a subject of users interest are made available to the users in an organised way, the convenience of choice is abundant. 

If this were not the case, I believe, even in malls the world over, items would not have been seggregated (classified) item wise.  They would have been simply scattered in places available in the malls. But a shrewd businessman (librarian) knows how to enhance the saleability (usability of books in our case).  Hence he displays the items (books/materials) in a classified and organised way.

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Permalink Reply by Pintu Chakraborty on March 22, 2015 at 17:11

correct sir i am agree with u

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Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on March 19, 2015 at 21:00

Dear Sri DIlip Kumar P.J. Sir,

Many thanks for your so enchanting post! There is no denying that in the present day, the orthodox ideologies of Librarianship have undergone a sea-change and your post amply elicits the issue!! But, may I mention with all humility and due respects to the digital activities, the Classification is also a rather practical exercise to place similar materials together (in clusters)and to separate them from others which are not (similar to the previous cluster) so that the Library users can physically locate materials of same subjects together. In an Open Access Library, the impact of such "helpful sequence" is quite positive among the users.

I admit that with the introduction of computers many tedious jobs in Libraries have become quite easy, full proof and simple. The OPAC is probably the best example so also entries in catalogues. However, there are certain things which requires "old jobs" and classification is one such issue. entries can very well be tagged with "locational marks" of rack & shelve numbers but the principle of "helpful sequence" may not be achieved. The readers/users/end users/stake holders as the terminology transforms from its old form of nomenclature, the ultimate idea of usage remains mostly the same.

I understand that I may be accused of "traditional hangover" for my comments but I feel that for the users' as well as for the book sorters' perspective, the Classified order still seems to be the most useful. I admit that soon we may found Ph.Ds with advanced course works in Computer Science as book sorters but the users' community may still love to see the books of their interest together and in those cases classified orders seems to be most helpful.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

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Permalink Reply by DILIP KUMAR P J on March 19, 2015 at 22:02

I agree ... there is a charm in seeing your books neatly shelved in classified order. It makes it easier to see what you have under each subject head. Even on a computer, I would arrange my files under subdirectories arranged in the clasified order (I use Dewy). No nonsense about "all is miscellaneous" for us old fogeys!

My full article is at doingthedewey blogspot in ... I think they knocked off the link in my original post!!

Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Surajit on March 22, 2015 at 19:09

....even in our sweet homes, we try to put the things together , may be in a rack, or in a box or on the side of a wall, which are same in nature and their use.  as you mentioned the 'helpful sequence', which is also obvious in case of our homefronts.

the human  'classification' is universal and forever.... I fully agree with you sir...

surajit.

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Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on March 21, 2015 at 0:09

Dear Sir,

I don't know much more about the background of the scholar who is sketched here in statement, claiming that there is no need of classification. It is correct is that there is no need of classification, I accepted but how you get result of your searches in computer, may be in internet environment? Classification starts from an incidence to idea to information to process to give shape to deliver it for society for its consumption, means at every phase of a phenomena classification exists. Now, in the age of internet and social media the classification exists in back end. Even, electronic database follows a set of procedure to organize the information for fast and similar results delivery. 

Now the concept is changing from classification to tagging, keywords, etc. So no one should get confused about the existence of classification. I can give the best example of classification in context to the social media and professional blogs, social networking sites etc., the www.lislinks.com is domain specific place means more biased for library science professional not for others  (other domain people may join as per their interest and other), classification exists here and everywhere. In the case of internet and classification of web resources and its relations with similar result the concept 'ontology' is equally known as classification.

Hence, classification will be existing  with importance till the end of human existence.

Thanks...

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Permalink Reply by Subeesh A C on March 21, 2015 at 1:58

Respected Sir,

I will simply answer that question by saying “Saving the time of user”. As you know sir Computer Science, Electronics, Robotics…etc are vastly influencing the Library domain since its (Library) arrival into the digital medium. As an individual I constantly trying to find some order in most of the things I confronted with, to find more about it in various ways; in that stand point your curiosity and framing of your question by considering your background is appreciated.

As you know sir, Computer and the science behind it are all human invention. Without a proper order and classification the so called algorithms and its related micro controllers will never execute the arguments to get your things done through the computer but will only give you bugs and errors, in their terminology. Even in the world of robotics and Internet of Technology we need to create an ordered environment for its dutiful response. I hope you might have heard about Folksonomy, Ontology, Semantic Web, RDF, BIBFrame, Thesaurus…etc, when Information scientists researched on this technologies and standards they also dreamt about an easy retrieval of available information from a cluttered world, but they also knew that the information and its holding medium should be structured and classified in a proper manner to facilitate an easy Graphical Interface for the end user. Even when you hear that programmers are migrating from structured approach to an unstructured or object oriented structure in their programming, just see that it is in a way is more classified or allowing them to classify their codes at objects level under different classes. So what I am saying is that even in the digital medium there is a strong classification underneath to enable us to do the unthinkable, but when it comes to Library it is physically visible. And again it will take a long time for the computer algorithms  to control robots to bring the books user thinks correct for him. So until that time, I think even after that we can not keep out classification from our profession.

As for Librarians, we are using internet technologies  for providing better service whether in the physical set up or digital medium. Here I don’t need to elaborate about the use of classification in the Library aspect because it has already been beautifully done by Respected Shankar Sir, Mr. Siddu and Mr. Munesh Kumar and I am also keeping same value points in that aspect, for the services in my professional life. Above all classification brings in beauty for the environment (both syntactic and semantic) and attract the users towards their documents for their development and for the development of knowledge itself.

For a better world.

Subeesh A C

Pune

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Permalink Reply by DILIP KUMAR P J on March 22, 2015 at 18:43

Thank you for the excellent responses, which really throw light on this specialized field! Some web writers feel that as more and more material goes on to the web, there will be more dependence on tags and internet searches (Google has taken over everywhere!). Let us hope there will always be a place for subject wise classification in the future... Warm regards to all who took the time to respond!

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Permalink Reply by Srinu Katakam on March 22, 2015 at 20:00

Very good discussion and useful.

Thanks for nice post

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Permalink Reply by Vaishali Vilas Vaidya on March 27, 2015 at 0:25

Sir

I am strongly believe in subject wise classification. Initially we had subject wise arrangement in our library. Actually that time we did not have computers  and then also it was functioning well. So when we started using computers it was more easier . Not only that there is one more advantage  in this method we require less space. When we arrange classification wise , we require more space.  

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Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on March 22, 2015 at 21:33

Dear Sir,

In my previous reply, I had taken the classification part in general not in specific way as library classification.

I would like to put my views on library classification, which may be or may not be relevant here as the title of this forum is more concerned on general part of classification and importance.

Library classification is important because,

1. It helps to create community among the documents.
2. It is fixed controlled vocabulary which has a fixed purpose.
3. It helps to organize resources without taking much time.
4. No confusion for any person may be professional or non-professional.
5. It is search term or keyword for single or group of documents.
6. It is a symbolic representation of a subject specific and general.
7. It is globally accepted number of a name.

There are lot of classification scheme are made and being updated as subject grows such as DDC, CC, UDC, etc. for patent there is a separate classification scheme called patent classification scheme.

If a document being generated in electronic environment then classification may not be required because keywords and tags will be placed on classification but once it will come to the library it will be processed through the channel of classification along with those keywords and tags given.

Thanking You…

 

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Permalink Reply by JANARDANA GUPTA Y.A. on March 22, 2015 at 22:34

Dear sir,

Why always we think computers V/s Libraries?

Computer is a device, which is used for increasing our efficiency, in any field as such, May be in Library scienc, business, Medicine, etc. It should not be treated as a rival to the development of Library science.

     Classification, is a technique used in Libraries, to organise resources, It is having many advantages. computers may help in locating books/resources, that is only one function, what classification does. In the day to day life also we use classification, say eating items stored in order in kitchen, toilet items in toilet/bathroom, clothes and make up items in room, etc. If we think, there is no classification, all items are arranged in a sequence in a hall. some one get up  and wants tooth brush and paste, he has to go to computer and find out the location and retrieve these items and so. How is it.?

Which is helpful?

     So, classification is useful to every body, not only in Library, but in every day Life, those who are more favourate to use computers also like classification. Hence let us use computers too in helping Library users with Classification.

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