1. Introduction
All modern schemes of classification are faceted to a certain degree: e.g., they provide tables of constant numbers of divisions relating to time or to space. A classification scheme which allows the classifier to build up the class number for a particular document from various schedules is called a faceted classification.
In classification scheme, the term facet refers to the whole group of divisions, produced when a subject is divided according to a single characteristic. Faceted notation is a notation which represents the classification of a book in which a distinctive symbol has been used to separate the facets which comprise it.
Facet indicator refers to a symbol which separates parts of a notation of a scheme of a classification and indicates exactly what facet is to follow. According to A. Neelameghan a facet indicator is ‘a digit that indicates the interrelation between the two components in a subject’.
A faceted classification scheme consists of schedules of basic classes, common auxiliaries, and special auxiliaries. Such a scheme does not make available readymade class numbers for compound or complex subjects. The facet indicator helps to join the different schedules to form a variety of compound or complex subjects. It possesses ordinal value, but does not have semantic value. The term facet indicator is also known by a variety of names like auxiliary number, connecting apparatus, connecting digit, connecting symbol, conjunction, connection, division figure, indicator digit, fence, operator, separating digit, sign post and signal digit.
2. Objectives
The objectives of the study are
as follows:
- To identify the notation of facet indicators of classification schemes;
- To be familiar with the role of facet indicators of classification schemes;
3. Role of the Facet Indicators
The roles of facet indicator are as follows:
- It enables a scheme of classification to achieve the number one helpful sequence of subjects in a linear arrangement;
- It can easily accommodate new subjects in an array or chain without disturbing the basic structure of the scheme;
- It enables the construction of a class number in a faceted scheme for classification of any possible subjects;
- It indicates relationship among subjects;
- It avoids homonyms of class number;
- It provides relief to the eye, as these digits help to break the number into parts;
- It serves as an assist to memory.
4. Non-Faceted and Faceted Notation
A non-faceted notation is one in which the digits constituting the class number forms one block only. Alternatively, this is named as uni-partite notation. A non-faceted notation is found in Library of Congress classification, and Bibliographic Classification.
In a faceted notation the digits used in a class number are separated into blocks, by the help of connecting digits, thus forming a multi-partite notation. However, all multipartite notations cannot be called as faceted notations, unless the connecting digits are made meaningful and indicate the distinctive character of the succeeding building block of digits.
5. Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)
The Dewey decimal classification was invented in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It is widely used in school and public libraries around the world. It has used the only one facet indicator, i.e. zero (0) to connect standard subdivisions with a main class number to form class number of compound and complex subjects. It has not been able to provide class numbers for many compound and complex subjects due to the limited facet indicators.
The facet indicators used by DDC can be categorized by two ways. Firstly, it is used to construct class number of compound subjects. These are zero (0), double zero (00), triple zero (000), zero nine (09), double zero nine (009), and triple zero nine (0009). These are also called standard subdivisions which are never used alone. These are used as needed with a number taken from the main class number.
Secondly, it is used to indicate the relationship between two subjects. These are zero one five (015), zero one nine (019) and zero two four (024) are also standard subdivisions which are never used alone, but used as required with a number from the main class number.
355.0095496 History of military science in Nepal
510.2462 Mathematics for engineers
Here, 009 connects Military
science (355) and Nepal (5496). Similarly, 024 links mathematics (510) with
engineer (62).
6. Universal Decimal
Classification (UDC)
The
Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) was adapted by Paul Otlet and Nobel
Prizewinner Henri La Fontaine from the DDC and first published (in French) from
1904 to 1907. Since then, it has been extensively revised and developed, and
has become a highly flexible and effective system for organizing bibliographic
records for all kinds of information in any medium. It is structured in such a
way that new developments and new fields of knowledge can be readily included. It
has used notations independent of any particular language or script consisting
of Arabic numerals and common punctuation marks. It has provided a large
number of facet indicators. So, it has been able to provide class numbers for
many compound and complex subjects. Therefore UDC is called an almost faceted
scheme for classification. The Facet indicators and its uses are as follows:
i. Plus or and
The coordination or addition sign
+ (plus) is used to connect two or more separated (non-consecutive) UDC numbers
to denote a compound subject for which no single number exists, e. g.
(541.35+548.7)
ii. Slash or Stroke
The Consecutive Extension sign / (slash
or stroke) is used to connect the first and last of a series of consecutive UDC
numbers to form a range number denoting a broad subject or range of concepts, e.g.
=1/=2 Indo-European languages
iii.
The relation sign : (colon)
indicates relationships between two or more subjects by connecting their UDC
numbers. Unlike the plus and slash the colon restricts rather than extends the
subjects it connects, e. g.
17:7 Ethics in
relation to art
iv. Equals
The common auxiliaries of language
sign = (equals) denote the language or linguistic form of a document; the
subject is denoted by a main UDC number.
53=214.43 Physics in Nepali
v. Brackets nought
The common auxiliaries of form
sign (0…) denote the form or presentation of documents. They are not use to
denote the subject matter of documents.
53(035) Handbook of physics
vi. Brackets one to nine
The common auxiliaries of place
sign (1/9) indicate the geographical range, locality or other spatial aspect of
a subject denoted by a main UDC number, e.g.
94(541.35) History of
vii. Brackets equals
The common auxiliaries of race,
ethnic grouping and nationality sign (=…) denote the nationality of ethnic
aspects of a subject represented by a main UDC number, e.g.
(=214.43) Nepali speaking peoples
viii. Double quotation marks
The common auxiliaries of time
sign “ …” denote the date, point of time or range of time of a subject
represented by a main UDC number. They do not indicate the date of publication,
which is a cataloging matter.
Dates are denoted by citing the
ordinary calendar notation in the order year-month-day, enclosed in quotation
marks and separated by point, e.g.
94(541.35) “1898.12.01” History of
ix. Hyphen nought two
The common auxiliaries of properties sign -02
denote general properties or attributes of entities. They are not to be used
independently always suffixed to a main number.
070.48-028.22 Illustrated newspapers
x. Hyphen nought three
The common auxiliaries of materials sign -03
denote the materials or constituents of which objects or products are made.
They are not to be used independently always suffixed to a main number.
-032.1 Air
xi. Hyphen nought five
The common auxiliaries of persons sign -05
denote the persons concerned or their characteristics.
347.9-055.2 Female lawyers
xii. Point nought
The sign .0 denote special
auxiliaries, unlike the common auxiliaries are not all listed in one place. They
occur at various places in the tables, and express concepts that occur in a
limited subject range.
531.05 Observation and recording of mechanical phenomena
xiii. Hyphen
The sign – denote special
auxiliaries, unlike the common auxiliaries are not all listed in one place.
They occur at various places in the tables, and express concepts that occur in
a limited subject range.
531-1 One-dimensional mechanics
xiv. Apostrophe
The sign ‘ denote special
auxiliaries, unlike the common auxiliaries are not all listed in one place.
They occur at various places in the tables, and express concepts that occur in
a limited subject range.
546.62’32’226 Potassium aluminium sulphate
xv. Non-UDC Codes
The sign # denote or represent
the non-UDC numbers.
546.26.027#14 Carbon 14
7.
Colon Classification (CC) is an analytico-synthetic scheme which was prepared by S. R. Ranganathan in 1933. It does not enumerate or attempt to enumerate all possible classes in a single schedule as most schemes do. In an analytico synthetic classification, subjects are divided into facets (aspects), and class numbers are synthesized from the classifications. Analytico-synthetic method is much more powerful than more traditional schemes such as the Library of Congress classification, DDC, but can result in much longer class numbers. It has been a major theoretical influence to classification researchers. Its name "colon classification" comes from the use of colons to separate facets in class numbers.
It has provided a large number of facet indicators than other schemes. So, it has been able to provide class numbers for any compound and complex subjects. Therefore CC is called a freely faceted scheme for classification. According to the Ranganathan school of thought, there are five and only five fundamental categories, i.e. personality, matter, energy, space, and time.
The Facet indicators and its uses are
i. Comma
The sign , (comma) is used for the
fundamental categories of personality facet.
O1595,1 Nepali poems
ii. Semicolon
The sign ; (semicolon) is used
for the fundamental categories of matter facet.
2;44:6 Circulation of newspapers
iii.
The sign : (colon) is used for
the fundamental categories of energy facet.
2:51P04 Octadecimal Classification
iv. Dot
The fundamental categories of space
sign . (dot) denote the forms of geographical areas like continents, countries
and districts; water formations like oceans, seas and rivers; physiographical
formations like deserts, mountains; population clusters such as cities, towns
and villages. It occurs in every subject forming a local description or local
history of any subject.
J.4445 Agriculture in
v. Inverted comma
The fundamental categories of
time sign ‘ (inverted comma) denote the forms of usual times isolate idea, such
as millennium, century, decade, year, dya, night, seasons, weather etc. Time
occurs in every subject forming a local description or local history of any
subject.
Y‘N Sociology in 20th
century
vi. Zero 0
The symbol 0 (zero) is used for the phase relation, intra-facet, and intra-array relations of subjects.
The notation 0a, 0b, 0c, 0d, 0g
are used to represent general, bias, comparison, difference and influencing
phase relations; he notation 0a, 0b, 0c, 0d, 0g are used to represent general,
bias, comparison, difference and influencing phase relations; similarly the notations 0j, 0k, 0m, 0n, 0r are
used to represent general, bias, comparison, difference and influencing intra-facet
relations; likewise
0t, 0u, 0v, 0w, 0y are used to represent general, bias, comparison, difference
and influencing intra-array relations.
W0aX Relation between Political Science and Economics
S0bL Psychology for doctors
vii. Hyphen
The facet indicator hyphen has
been used to indicate second or later component of compound isolate/compound
basic subject.
viii. Small Bracket
The sign (…) (small bracket) is
used for subject device number.
2:51(W) Library classification of political science
ix. Backward Arrow
The sign ← (backward arrow) is
used for interval of time.
N←J 16th century to 20th century
x. Forward Arrow
The sign → (forward arrow) is
used for future time.
22‘N→ Future of public libraries
xi. Equal To
The facet indicator equal has
been used for attaching the speciator of kind 2 (i.e. non-conventional
specialtor or special component kind 2)
xii. Plus
The symbol + (plus) is used for
connecting abbreviated components of a multinomial, while applying alphabetical
device.
xiii. Asterisk
The symbol * (asterisk) is used
for an empty-emptying digit with interiorizing quality. It has been adopted for
agglomerate device meant for assigning numbers to agglomerates. Thus it would
enable interpolation of new basic subjects.
8. Octadecimal classification
Octadecimal classification (OC) is formulated by Manoj Kumar Sah in the beginning of 2004 when he was studying Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from T. U. Nepal. OC is designed as a standard scheme for classification to suit the purpose of the large number of users by introducing simple notational system to provide wide coverage, and has emerged into this modern world of many novel areas of knowledge.
It has provided a large number of simple facet indicators. So, it has been able to provide class numbers for many compound and complex subjects. Therefore OC is called an almost faceted scheme for classification. The Facet indicators and its uses are as follows:
i. Dot
The special
auxiliary is denoted by sign ‘.’ dot. The special auxiliaries, unlike the
common auxiliaries are not listed in one place, and do not have such extensive
applicability. They occur at various places in the schedules, and express
concepts that are recurrent, but in a more limited subject range.
56E5.1 Nepali poems
ii. Roman Capital J
The Roman capital symbol ‘J’ is used for an empty digit. It is a method used for increasing the capacity of an array with the help of an empty digit. It becomes possible to add infinite numbers to represent coordinate subjects. An empty digit is a digit with ordinal value but without semantic value.
Let us consider the following sequences of OC:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F G H J0 J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J6 J7 J8 J9 JA JB JC JD JE … JH JJ0 JJ1 JJ2 …JJH and so on.
Let us assume that J is an empty digit. In that case it would have ordinal value but no semantic value. In other words, J by itself has no meaning. But J0 is meaningful. Similarly, other numbers beginning with a single, double J or triple J and so on are meaningful numbers.
3J1 Kirat religion
iii. Roman Capital K
The Roman capital symbol ‘K’ is used to indicate the
common auxiliaries of kasto. The word kasto is derived from Nepali word which
means ‘what kind’ or ‘what type’ of any documents. It is argued that these
include forms of presentation and modes of treatment taken collectively. The notation Zero “0” is added
before first auxiliaries only while combining the two or more auxiliaries in a
simple subject.
320K1 Philosophy
of Hindu religion
iv. Roman Capital L
The common auxiliary of language
symbol ‘L’ is used for the language or linguistic form of a document; the
subject is denoted by a main OC number.
E5H0L6E5 Modern Physics in Nepali language
v. Roman Capital M
The common auxiliary of materials
symbol ‘M’ is used for the materials or constituents of which objects or
products are made; the subject is denoted by a main OC number.
vi. Roman Capital P
The common auxiliary of Person symbol
‘P’ is used for the personal aspect is secondary to the subject.
56E5.90P40.22 Nepali letters for girl friends
vii. Roman Capital Q
The common auxiliary of quality
symbol ‘Q’ is used for the quality form of a document; the subject is denoted
by a main OC number.
viii. Roman Capital R & S
The Roman capitals ‘R’ and ‘S’
are used to indicate relationships between two or more subjects. OC has provided six kinds of relationship,
these are general, comparison / difference, bias, fused, tool and influence.
E2RD5 Statistics for Physicists
8S0A Geopolitics
ix. Roman Capital T
The common auxiliary of time
symbol ‘T’ is used for the form of usual times, like millennium, century,
decade, year etc, of a document; the subject is denoted by a main OC number.
9860TB8 History
of
x. Roman Capital U
The Roman Capital ‘U’ is used to combine schedule to
schedule, and is known as subject device. A full schedule developed at one place is repeated by parallel at
other places or some classes of materials are given the same development as the
whole classification. It is used
GUF Medical
technology
3C0WU32 Christianity in Hindu areas
xi. Roman Capital W
The common auxiliary of area
symbol ‘W’ is used for the form of geographical areas like subcontinents,
countries and districts of a
document; the subject is denoted by a main OC number.
H0W86.17 Agricultural in mountains of
xii. Roman Capital X, Y, and Z
Roman capitals “X”, “Y”, and “Z”
can be employed as emptying digits. An emptying digit deprives the preceding
digit of its semantic value in a digit group, but retains the ordinal value
allotted to it. It helps in interpolation between two consecutive ordinal
numbers if there is no gap available between them. The Roman capital
"X" is known as forward interpolation, the Roman capital "Y"
is known as central interpolation and Roman capital "Z" is known as
backward interpolation in array. It can be easily interpolated three subjects
at the coordinate level between two consecutive main classes with the help of
emptying digits.
9. Conclusion
The role of facet indicators in any faceted scheme is extremely important. It helps to meet the challenges of the multi-dimensionality of a growing universe of subjects. In addition, these digits break the block in the form of a class number into sub-blocks. As a result, it would become more helpful to remember a class number of a subject. The punctuation marks and mathematical symbols used by UDC and CC make some complexity in a scheme. It makes confusion in ordinal value for both librarian as well as users at the time of shelving and retrieving documents. Since the facet indicator should be simple and easily remembered to distinguish or separate the character of the ideas represented by facets. So OC has very simple or easily remembered notation i.e. Roman Capitals (no mathematical symbols and punctuation marks) for facet indicator. This type of notation for facet indicator is easy to distinguish the idea and shelving books or filling catalogue cards also.
References
- Corea, Ishvari; Ojuando, Gad David; Farugi, Khalid Kamal (Ed.) (1993), Encyclopedia of information and library science, Akashdeep Publishing House, New Delhi.
- Dewey, Melvil (1996), Dewey decimal classification and relative
index, Mitchell, Joan S. (Ed.), 21st ed.,
- Kent, Allen; Lancour, Harold (1971), Encyclopedia of library and information science, Marcel Dekker,
- Krishan Kumar (1979), Theory
of classification, 4th rev. ed., Vikas Publishing House,
- Ranganathan, S. R. (1960),
- Ranganathan, S. R. (1979), Prolegomena
to library classification, 3rd ed., Asia Publishing House,
- Sah, Manoj Kumar
(2006), Octadecimal Classification: A New Approach in Library Classification.
TULSSAA Journal, Vol 5, No. 1,
- Sah, Manoj Kumar (2005), Coding of Inorganic substances basing upon octadecimal classification
(This article is published in INFOLIB magzine published by LISSA in 2010 Vol. 3, No. 3, May 2010)
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