Updating subject headings is much more important than what number is assigned to a
particular work, or even broad category. I've seen libraries where materials are
shelved by accession number. That makes browsing difficult, but the OPAC does that
for you. Print out the list and go down the aisles.
The big problem with updating the subject headings is that our patrons' brains
aren't always updated. Consider those Americans whose distant ancestors came from
Africa. At various times they have been listed as Negroes, Blacks,
African-Americans, Black Americans, and probably others that I've forgotten. What
happens when a student comes in and searches on the old term right after we've
updated to the new term? Will they find what they are looking for? We probably need
to keep the old terms and simply add the new ones.
I'm old enough to remember typing individual cards for new books. Since each
subject heading meant another card, I tried to pick subjects that were fairly
broad, so that patrons would have more books to look for, rather than fewer. Today,
with the computer, it is very easy to give one book 10 subject headings, if one so
desired. That way, a searcher will find the book even if they haven't updated their
brains.
One other thing to remember: Dear Old Dewey created a system for his day and place.
Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that people all over the world
would be trying to use his system. I suspect that he would even be amazed to see
the detail with which we catalog books (seven numbers to the right of the decimal
point!). Computers have allowed us to do things that Dewey never thought of, and we
shouldn't blame him for not seeing a century into the future.
David Lininger, kb0zke,
MS/HS Librarian
Hickory County R-1 Schools
Urbana, MO 65767
d l i n i n g e r at S k y l i n e. k12. m o. us
________________________________
From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Mary Peterson
Sent: Mon 12-Nov-07 12:23
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Bias in Dewey
I haven't read the archives, but isn't it just as important to make sure the
subject headings (which are updated on a regular basis) are correct. For example,
in our library, our Head Librarian and cataloger have agreed (more or less) to
classify all Native American historical material under 970.004, with Native
American art, dance, mythology, religion, etc. in their particular categories.
Most of our religion titles are in the 200s, but we also have them in the 800s
(e.g., the Bible as literature) and Fiction. The important point is that the
subject cataloging is correct.
Dewey Classification may have been biased in its day, but continual updates help to
clarify these issues. Regular review of the collection and subject headings are
just as important, if not more so, than the individual numbers.
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