GENARAL THEORY OF LIB CLASSIFICATION.ppt

In any sphere of life, practice precedes theory. Life force stimulates man to improvise, design, and develop various aids - both at the physical and mental levels.
1.J.D. BROWN- SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION (1906)
2. E.W Hulme- Principles
3.S.R. RANGANATHAN - Colon Classification,FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE:, Five Fundamental Categories (FFC):

1. A Online Lecture On
(Date: 25.05.2024)
UNIT 3:
GENERAL THEORY OF LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION
By
Dr.M.ANJAIAH, Associate Professor.(Retd.)
Dept. of Library and Information Science
Dravidian University-Kuppam, A.P.
&
Library Science Counselor, Dr,BRAOU,
Study Center:
University Arts & Science College, Warangal.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile No.: 9908694950

2. INTRODUCTION
•ATheoryreferstoanorganisedsetofprinciples,whichprovidethe
basisforfurtherinvestigationinto,andthedevelopmentofasubject.
Itexplainsexistingphenomena.
•ATheorygoesthroughtheprocessofdevelopmentfromtimeto
timeandisconstantlychangingandimproving.
•Thisisequallytruewiththedevelopmentofthetheoryoflibrary
classification.
•Therearetwodistinctstagesinthedevelopmentofthegeneral
theoryoflibraryclassification.
•Instage-1,wenoticetheemergenceofthedescriptivetheory
distilledoutofthepastpracticesindesigningschemesoflibrary
classificationandtheiruse.
•Instage-2,ontheotherhand,we.find
.
thedevelopmentofa
dynamictheoryforguidanceindesigningschemeswithagreater
degreeofdetail.

3. IMPORTANCE OF A THEORY
•Attheoutset,onemustknowwhat
constitutesatheoryandhowitisimportant
fordevelopmentofasubject.
•Atheoryreferstoanorganisedsetof
principles,whichprovidesthebasisforfurther
investigationsintoandthedevelopmentofa
subject.
•Itexplainsthewhatandwhyoftheexisting
phenomena.

4. 2. Need of a Theory
•Ifwelookintothehistoryoflibrary'classification,we
findthatduringtheearlystagesofitsdevelopmentit
handledasmallnumberofsubjectsconstitutingthe
wholeofknowledge,andabroadclassificationmetthe
requirementsofthattime.
•Theschemeswerepreparedlargelyinresponsetothe
exigencyofthetime.
•Theseschemesseemtohavebeenguidedbythe
purposeonhandratherthanatheorythatwouldstand
thetestoftime.
•Theseschemessolvedtheimmediateandshort-term
problems.

5. Development of a Theory
•Inanysphereoflife,practiceprecedestheory.Life
forcestimulatesmantoimprovise,design,and
developvariousaids-bothatthephysicaland
mentallevels.
•Afteralongexperienceisgainedwithanimprovised
aid,atheoryisdevelopedinordertounderstand
the,aiddeeplyandtosystematise,improve,refine
anddevelopit.Soalsoithasbeenwith
classification.
•Withinfiftyyears:afterthedesignofDecimal
Classification,RichardsonaddSayersmade
comparativestudiesofthethenknownschemesfor
classification;andtheyalsoevolvedaTheoryof
Classification.

6. DESCRIPTIVE THEORY OF LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION
•Thedescriptivetheorywasthefirststageinthe
developmentoflibraryclassification.
•Thistheorywasable.tomeettherequirementsofthe
universeofsubjects(thetotalityofsubjectscomprising
knowledge),asitexistedatthattime.
•Thedescriptivetheorywasbasedonthepracticesin
voguebasedondifferentschemesofclassificationthen
available.
•Thedescriptivetheory,distilledoutofthecontemporary-
schemes,helditsswayuntiltheearly1950s.
•Theschemesdesignedbeforethe1950swerebasedon
`theflairornaturalgiftofthedesignersandnotonany
objectivelyworkedouttheoryoflibraryclassification.

7. 1. J.D. BROWN-SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION (1906)
•J.D.BrownwasanEnglishlibrarian,whosecontributiontotheGeneral
Theory_ofLibraryClassificationwassmallbutsignificant.Hebroughtout
threedifferentschemesofclassification.
•In1894jointlywithJ.H.QuinnandwasknownasGuinn-BrownScheme.This
schemedidnotmakemuchimpact.
•In1897,Brownindependentlybroughtoutanotherschemeandcalledit
AdjustableClassification.Thisschemealsoprovedinadequateeveninthose
days.
•Intheyear1906,BrownpublishedthefirsteditionofhisSubject
Classification,theschemeforwhichheismostlyknown.Itssecondedition
wasbroughtoutin1914andthe-third;
,
editedbyJ.D.Stewart;in1939.
•Brown'sSubjectClassificationwasfoundedontheprinciplethatevery
scienceandartspringfromsome
.
definitesource.
•Intheorderofthings,therewerefirsttwofactors,viz.,matterandforce.
These,inturn,gaveplacetolife.Life,incourseoftime,ledtothemind,
whichinturngavebirthtorecords.

8. 2. E.C Richardson (1860-9939)
•E.C.RichardsonwasthefirstlibrarianofHartford
TheologicalSeminary,USA,andlatertookoveras
librarianofthePrincetonUniversityLibrary.
•Richardsonisregardedasthefirstclassificationiststo
havemakeasystematicattempttosetdownatheoryof
libraryclassification.
•In1910,hepublishedhisBookClassification,Theoretical
andPractical.Itwasthefirsttextbookonclassification,
whichlaterinfluencedW.C.B.Sayers.
•Intheintroductiontothiswork,heenumeratedbasic
lawsandprinciplesmeanttoguidetheworkofdesigning
aschemeofclassification.Theseprinciples,calledas
CriteriaofClassification,areasfollows:

9. •Divisionofclassesshouldbeminute.
•Arrangethingsaccordingtolikenessand
unlikeness.
•Booksarecollectedforuse;theyare
administeredforuse,andhence,itistheuse,
whichisthemotivebehindclassification.
•Aschemeofclassificationshouldbeprovided
withanotation.
Thenotationshouldbeamenabletoindefinite
sub-divisionspreferablyusingamixedsymbol
withdecimalbaseandwithmnemonicfeatures.

10. E.W Hulme (9659-1954):
Principles of Book Classification
•HulmewasthelibrarianofthePatentOfficeLibrary,
London.
•In1911-1912,hepublishedhisbookPrinciplesofBook
ClassificationintheLibraryAssociationRecord.
•Theseprinciplesinfluencedthelatertheoriesofbook-
classification.
•InthewordsofW.C.B.Sayers,thecontributionofHulme
was"AValuableLead-upto
,
themorecompleteand
satisfactorytheoriestoday".
•AccordingtoHulme,allclassificationscouldbearranged
intotwogroups
-
(categories):
1. Mechanical
2. Philosophical

11. Accordingtothiscategorisation,book
classificationismechanicalHulme'sPrinciplesof
BookClassificationareasfollows:
1.BookClassificationistheplottingofareaspre-
existinginliterature,andcoincidencewitha
philosophicalorderisnoguaranteeofaccuracy.
2.BookClassification-ismechanicalassemblyof
materialintoclasses.
3.Thedivisionandcoordination-ofclassesin
literatureisdeterminedmainlyuponformaland
non-philosophicallines.
4.Classificationshouldbebasedliterarywarrant.

12. 4.W.C.B . Sayers (1881-1960)
•WilliamCharlesBerwickSayers,
anEnglishlibrarianandteacher
ofS.R.Ranganathanmadea
remarkablecontributiontothe
DevelopmentoftheTheoryof
Classification.
•HeisreferredtoastheFirst
grammarian ofLibrary
classification.
•Heisresponsiblefor
interpretingandsystematising
theIDEASOFOTHER
THEORETICIANS.

13. 5. H.E. BLISS (1370-1955):
•HeEvelynBlissdevotedhisentireactivelifeto
theintensivestudyoftheArtandScienceof
Classification.
•HistheoriesandPrinciplesofClassification
wereexpandedinhisfirstwork,titled
OrganisationofKnowledgeandtheSystemof
Science(1929).
•Inthiswork,heformulatedScientific,
PhilosophicalandLogicalgroundsforthestudy
ofBibliographicClassification.

14. •Thisworkisregardedasoneofthebasictexts
onthetheoryoforganisationofknowledge.
•Hepublishedanotherbasicworkonthe
theoryoflibraryclassificationtitled
OrganisationofKnowledgeinLibrariesandthe
SubjectApproachtoBooks(1933,2nded.
1939).

15. 6. S.R. RANGANATHAN
•Hewasinstrumentalinrevolutionizingthe
TheoryofClassification.
•Hepropoundedcertainfundamentalideasand
concepts,whicharethebasisforthe
developmentoftheTheoryofClassification.
•141-consistentlyadvocatedthatlibrary
classificationshouldconformtotheLawsof
LibraryScience.

16. •Hetotallyrejectedtheearlierschemes,based
purelyonenumeration.
•Hislaws,canonsandprinciplesoflibrary
classificationhavebeenpresentedinhis
ProlegomenatoLibraryClassification.
•ThisisregardedastheTheoryofLibrary
Classification.
•Heworkedvigorouslytowardsthemosthelpful
andfiliatorysequenceofclassesinaschemeof
classificationbasedontheconceptofFacet
AnalysisandFundamentalCategories.

17. Mapping of Universe of Knowledge
•RanganathanformulatedtheGeneralTheoryof
Classification,whichwasguidedbyBasic
Laws,LawsofLibraryScience,Canons,
PrinciplesandPostulates.
•WiththehelpoftheseLaws,CanonsAnd
Principles,themappingoftheUNIVERSEOF
KNOWLEDGE inaschemeofclassification
couldbesuccessfullyrepresented.
•Detailsoftheselawsaresummarisedinthe
followingpages.

18. BASIC LAWS:
RanganathanFormulated Six Basic Laws
1) Law of Interpretation
2) Law of Impartiality
3) Law of Symmetry
4) Law of Parsimony
5) Law of Local Variation
6) Law of Osmosis
TheseareinfluencedTwoorMoreLawsof
LibraryScienceorCanonsforClassification
leadtoconflictingorequallyvaliddifferent
decisions.

19. FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE:
1. Books Are For Use.
2. Every Reader His/Her
Book.
3. Every Book its Reader.
4. Save the Time of the
Reader.
5. A Library is a Growing
Organism.

20. •Thesewereformulatedin1928andwerefirst
publishedinthebookTheFiveLawsofLibrary
Science(1931).
•Theselawshaveanimpactonlibraryfunctions
andareinvokedwhentwoormorecanonsor
principlesofclassificationleadtoconflictingor
equallyvalidalternatedecisions.
•Theseareusefulineverybranchoflibraryand
informationscience.
•PostulatesforFacets:Themostsignificant
contributiontotheTheoryofClassificationisthe
enunciationofpostulatesdealingwiththe
conceptofFACET-ANALYSISandFUNDAMENTAL
CATEGORIES.(PMEST).

21. Five Fundamental Categories (FFC):
•Asubjectmaymanifestitselfinanyoneorall
ofthefundamentalcategories.
•Hepostulatedthat"Therearefiveandonly
fivefundamentalcategories,namelyTime,
Space,Energy,MatterandPersonality"PMEST.
•FacetSequence:TheFIVEFUNDAMENTAL
categoriesformthefollowingsequence,when
theyarearrangedaccordingPMEST.

22. CONCLUSION
•ATheoryreferstoanorganisedsetof
principles,whichprovidethebasisforfurther
investigationsinto,andthedevelopmentofa
subject.Thisisequallytrueoflibrary
classification.
•Therehavebeentwostagesinthe
developmentoftheGeneralTheoryofLibrary
Classification.Instage-1,thereemergedthe
descriptivetheorybasedonthepractices
followedinthecontemporaryschemesof
classification.

23. •Theemergenceofthedescriptivetheorywas
theresultoftheeffortsandcontributions
madebyBrown,Richardson,Hulme,Sayers,
Bliss,Ranganathan.
•Thesestalwartsintheirwritings,andsomeof
themthroughtheirschemesofclassification,
propoundedcertainbasicprinciplesand
canons,whichgovernedthedesignof
schemes.
•Thepersonprimarilyresponsibleforthe
genesisanddevelopmentofthisdynamic
theorywasS.R.Ranganathan.

24. •Fromthislesson,youarenowinaposition
toappreciatethe-needforaGeneral
TheoryofLibraryClassification,andits
developmentthroughthecontributionsof
personalitieslikeBrown,Richardson,
Hulme,Sayers,BlissandRanganathan.
•Youshouldnowbeabletounderstand
betterthethreeschemesofclassification,
namely,DeweyDecimalClassification,
UniversalDecimal,ClassificationandColon
Classification.

25. ANY QUESTION……
??????