PRINCTPLES OF ROOK CLASSIFICATION. Bv E. WyNouelvr
Transkript
PRINCTPLES OF ROOK CLASSIFICATION. Bv E. WyNouelvr
PRINCTPLESOF ROOK CLASSIFICATION. Bv E. WyNouelvrHrrlrae. lntroduction, LL classificationis a meansto an end. The objectsof a classificationmust be definedbefore its construction can be attempted,and conversery the pri;;ipi;s of construction must be serectedrvith direct ,ef.rence to the objects which the classification is intendedto subserve. Before,, we gin to build we must first survey the prot," i.e. lve must have the whole pran of the buirding cl.ariy set beforeus. what then are the objects of a book crassification ? what its principresof construction ? To thesequestionswe can find no adequateor consistent answer in the literature of the subject. only treatisedearingwith the theory .The of bookcrassification is the weil-known i'"nu"l of Dr. B. c. Richardson, with lvhom we regret to find ourselves in serious disagreement. This writer starts from the assumptionthat book classificationis mereryan adaptationof the theoreticarorder. of the sciences-the iiffer.n." betrveenthe trvo systemsbe_ ing adjustmentsin the ratter necessitated by the concreteor indivisiblestructure of books. And his concrusionis that " the closera crassilication can get to the true order of the sciencesand the croserit can keep to it, the betterthe sys_ tem rvill be and the longerit rvill last,, Cp Ogll To this theorv there are two objection. ,l(A) It attachesto co-ordination (i.e. to the orderof the classes)an importa.nceincompatibre with tn"iyp. of classilicationto which bookcrassirication berongs.Ail classifications may be divided"into two groups,(a) mechanical,(e) philosophical. The former, to *t,i.i-, booi .tr*uin."tion berongs, Principles of Booh Classif'cation. 355 deal with the mechanical assembling of material objects into classes,while the latter are'concernedwith the ordering of our ideasof things. As a rule mechanicalclassifications *r" l"ft unco-ordinated:but rvhen, as in the case of book classification,a systematicco-ordinationof classesis introduced,this operationmust alwaysbe of secondaryimportance. If, therefore,we were in agreementwith Dr. Richardson, that the co-ordinationof book classificationsshould follow the true order of the sciences,we should still be unable to acquiescein his dictum that the test of the efficiencyand permanent value of such classificationswas to be found in the degreein which the order of their classesapproximated to those of the higher tyPe. (B) If the sequenceof classesin book classificationis to be determinedmainty by that of the true order of the sciences, it must befor the reasonthat the functions of the two orders are identical, or at any rate, closely allied ; for we have started from the axiom that function and order are intimately connected. But this is a propositionwhich no one attempts to defend. Philosophicalclassificationaims at teaching the essential relations between classes of things: while book classification,according to Dr. Richardson,is " the having the most-usedbooks together (i.e. the books most used together) in the classesin which they are used together" (p. 55). The functions of the two orders,therefore,are essentially distinct, and this being so there will be a strong prima facie casefor believingthat the ordersof the two systemswill also be divergent. our position,therefore,may be statedas follows : hitherto the definition of book classification has not been accurately formulated. The confusion of its type with that of philosophical classification has not only obscuredits real nature but has materially hindered the formationof soundcanonsof constructionand criticism. Hence systemsabound,while as yet no sound theory of construction has been formulated. Until this has beendone no consistentteaching of the subject is possible and the advent of any scheme of universal classificationindefinitely deferred. Holding theseviervswe now begleaveto introducea brief 356 The Library Association Ilecord. outline of the theory of book crassification rvith the fo,or,ving definitionz viz. that book classitrcationis a mechanical tirne-saving operationfor the discovery of knorvledge in litera_ ture. Ilooks are our therne : and the discov knowledge in booksby the s'ortest ,our. our aim -"0 "";:$ ChapterI._The principtes of Classification. '\ll crassification is trreassembring oi things,or our ideas of things, by reasonof their commoncharacteristics, resemblances,or attributes i.e. by ; selectedfeaturesdistinctive of the units severailyand thereior. .o**", i"',rre crasscoilectively. 'rhus the test of membership ;i; ;;"., is rhe possession of the attribute or attributes common -,f", to the crass. The simprestform of crassification i. rvhich has for its objectthe bringingtogether of Iike mat"riat in burk with a view to the economyof it, s-ubsequent Jirtribution and consumption. This is effected indusiri;tr;iy uurio,,. me_ chanicalsorting,sifting,separat ing,o, ng processes familiar to us alr. tn Jtrese inauslriar"on".itrati p;;;;.;s crassification results from the redistribution of particresof the original H|]::ffi;: *.t.rial intof.oup*or standard compo.il;;: Distinct in methodbut rerated in type to theseindustrial processes are the firing methods.o**olr-,o ,t * businessor record side of Administration or Commerce. l..i- of ao.ur.n**i,t, ui.*io ,ff::ffi;rlti; ".r"nging their storage, " location,anclexamination. ifr"y may be described as administrative index systems. Their efficiency dependsupon the bringing together of a' rerated matters into a common,file. A."a !.n.r.f rule the filer in a num"rt"*t,,o.::tf,.. artinci"t f.,?.iy ora.it;T il::r-:l which is to faciritate ,.f"r.nc. to the fires. iiut in certain cases-such as tha.! of Jiblary classification-it is desirabre to assertsomedefinitererationlhip betw.*n *" firesor crasses of matters,and in such ."r..-ii-,. system becomesa co-ordinated index system. In library administration the above types are both represented-the unco-ordinatedin the arpha_ betical subjectcatarogue, the co-ordinateoin ihe 'or crasscataIogue' The sup.rioJty t'" tutter sysi*.on.irts sorely Principles of Booh Classifcatiott' 357 on the shelves in this-that it admits of a partial reproduction catalogue' class the in of the order of the books as set forth substanare But apart from this efficiencythe two systems Th: ,i"tty'identical, and their methanism interchangeable' index order and alphabeticalcataloguepresentsits classesin The securesthereby the advantageof immediate"reference' a rela' class cataloguesacrificesthis advantage,but.asserts order' class in them presenting tionship betweenclassesby ttll' the of plotting the by But whatever efficiencyis secureil verbally asserted well tionship betweenclassescan be equally construction ff ***rr* of references. Hence the rules for the one and oi tt. alphabeticaland class catalogueare-logically the the same. Both systems are concernedin classifying purpose' same the for attributes same material by the same rests in The differencebetweenthe two is merely formal, and with use. public for the method of presentingthe results the of detail in this prefacewe may pass to an examination methods of book classification' Booksmaybeclassifiedintwoways_directlyonthe catalogue' shelves; intliiectly by their titles in the class the same are they extent, in differ Although the two *y*i.** to applying as read be may here in hini, and our remark. either system indifferentlY. Book classificationconsistsessentially of four operations' r. Definition, or the formulation of class headings. books 2. Registration,i.e. the rnechanicalassemblingof in classesin accordancewith their definition. of these headings in 3. co-ordination,i.e. the tabulation relationship. common an Jrder indicative of some of the classes, 4. Notalion, i.e. a shorthandsymbolization without the system locaiing their relative position in the recital of the class headings Definition provides a standard of comparison by which .*"ri.ined, and acceptedor rejected as membersof books "r. the class in process of formation. Definition may b.e compared to Stalute Law and Registration to the executive acts two ivhich make the Statute operative' The result of these index simple its is books of operationsappliedto a coliection classification,the effectof which is to impart to a collection 35s Tht l-ibrar], Assocjcf;oil itrrt,r.ri. an efficiencywhich it did not belbre posscss. For resenrch which was hither:topossibleonry, by the examinationof each work separaterv r:ntrres;her"-es i* irow rimiteJ ;o the examination of one or rnorectrasses of books. The econornyis purery one of time' It may be summarized as the shorteningof distancest' he traveiled*a recruction or *y* strain*of consequentmental fatigueas rvell as of the ih.vsical labour of locomction. 'l'o rvhat condition,if any, is this erficiency subject? obviously,unless the atiributes by which a coilectionis . classifiedcorrespondwith those of ivhich the reader is in search,no increaseof efficie'cy resurts. Trre arrangement, for instance,of incunaburaunder the tor,vnsin which they y/erepublishedis of ncl assistance to searchersin questof incunabula on a gi'en subject,and an alphabeticararrangenrent by authors r,voulcrr be equaily i'efficient ; rbr in either casethe entire list must be examinecl befbrethe r,rbject of the inquiry is attained. And, secondly,assumingthat the attributes uponwhich a classificationis based.o....pond in substance rvith those of rvhich a reader is in *.ur.h, it is crear that trre degreeof efficiencyobtainedunder a given crassification is conditioned by the principleson rvhicrrirre classificatio' has been constructed. We have,therefore,to ask ourselves:* (o) l3,r;rvhat attributesshould booksbe classified? (6) on rvhat prirrcipreis trre definition of crassheadings to be determined? Itoth these questionsare of consicrerabre importanceand lequire carefuland separateexamination. (To be cantinued,.\ PRINCIPLES OF BOOK CLASSIFICATION. Bv E. Wyuoneu Hulup. Ghapterll,-Principles of Division in Book Classification, -f HEORETICALLY the choice of attributes by which I bookscan be classiliedis unlimited ; for the possession of any attribute, however trifling, ffi&y be made a principle of division (principium d,iaisionis)by the simple process of dividing all booksinto two classes,(a) possessing,(b) wanting the particular attribute. In practice,however,this unlimited power of selectionis possessedonly by the bibliographer; while the library classifier is restricted in practice to a few essential attributes of books. The relationship between the two arts, however, is so close that we propose to devote a chapter to its elucidation. This can best be shown by a systematicclassificationof the principles of division employed in book classification,distinguishing those which are peculiar to bibliography from those common to bibliography and library classification. Some valuablepioneerwork has been done in this direction by Prof. Ferguson in his " Some Aspects of Bibliography " (Edinburgh, rgoo). In this work Prof. Ferguson groups under 16 headingsthe leading principles of division employedby bibliographersin the constructionof their class bibliographies. They are : (r) date; (a) place; (g) printer; (4) material; (S)type; (6) size; (7)illustration ; (8) language; (9) subject; (ro) group of authors; (rr) individual authors; (rz) single books; (rS) anonymous books; (t+) suppressed books; (rS) rare books; (16) general b ibliographies. Each of these classesis illustrated by descriptions of recent examplesof bibliographiescompiledon the aboveprinciples. 3go The Li,braryt Association Record. To the studentrvho has masteredthe contents of the above essay,and who has further famili arized himself with the constructionand use of the'principal bibliogr"pni.. io commonuse, we now submit the followingsystematic classificationof the principlesof book crassificaiion. we begin by dividing book attributes into two primary classes.A. Accidentalattributes, acquiredby books subsequent to their issue. B Inseparabre attributes, i.e. attributes inherent in booksprior to such issue. Attributes in crassA wilr l..:::"riry be founded upon circumstancesarising out;of the rife-historyof books,and thesewe shall further divideinto attributes:_ A (r) commonto an editionor portion of an edition. A (e) peculiar to single copiesof works. A (r) will comprisethe history of editions or portions of editions,and will includeevents out of the relation of "ii.ing an edition to its environment, e.g. 1i; rrre state or other authority (Fergu19n14); Natural forces,e.g. destruction Q) by fire, etc.; (3) variation in the reration of suppryand demand-e.g. rarity-market value,.etc. (Ferguson r5), e.g. book auctioneers, booksellers'catarogue.,aniother registers of book-prices. A (e), though numericalrya much stronger crass,is not representedin Ferguson's list. Broadly it"comprises the entire history of book tradition, or the successivr;*;.;i; of books, including the modifications una.rgon. by books during such ownership. To this classthereforeberong(a) afi administrativecataloguesand registersof libraries,pubric and private ; (&)attributes founded on modifications effected in books by their owners' e.g. extra annotation(books annotatedby colertdg.); extra illustration (county histories, etc.); inl"ying size; methodsof attachmentin librari.-i;.g:;;ained t" l;;g;; books); style of rebinding (e..g.booksbound by Roger payne). To this classificationthe student may i.,ou, that many cataloguesincluded in A (z) arcaccepted in practice as standard works of referencein nationar, literary, or subject bib- Principlesof Booh Classif'eation' 39r liography. This of course is the case. Nevertheless,all prop.i"t"ry cataloguesprimarily assert,and are consequently subject to this ownership limitation. A class list or class bibliographymay be approximatelycompletein respect of a given ctass of literature-the correspondinglibrary publicaiion n.uer can be so. The librarian may know of the past existenceof booksrecorded,but not transmitted to his timeof unique copies preservedelsewhere-of long lists of desideratawhich he hopes to acquire; but none of these can be recordedin his class list or class bibliography without materially altering its scopeand definition. We now passto class B which comprisesattributes inherent in booksat their date of issue. This classwill be again divideclinto:(r) Physical. (e) Non-physicalattributes. B (r) wili consistof attributesderivedfrom the mechanical constitution and make-up of books (Ferguson, Class 2'7). The facts forming the basis of this class are the foundation of bibliography,or the natural the scienceof mechanico-historical history of books-a sciencewhich classifiesliterature by the mechanicalcharacteristicsof its typography.andexecutionin so far as these throw light upon its common origin or provenance. This sciencetherefore covers the history of the genesisand distribution of printing and the generalplotting of the output of the printing press accordingto date, printerpublisher,and place of origin. These characteristicsare for ihe most part peculiar to this branch of systematic biblio' .graphy. In the purely utilitarian schemesof library classification, the physical characteristics of books are admitted as principlesof division only in the case of MSS. which are ,often treated as a separatecollection, and of siee characteristics which necessarily determine the primary division of every shelf classification. We may therefore pass to our final class B (z), viz. the inseparableand non-physicalattributes of books. These are common both to the bibliographer and library classifier. Being somewhatnumerousit wilt be convenientin placeof a .simpleenumerationto group the principal attributes accord- J92 fhe l.ibrary Association .Rccord. ing to the fu'ction and prace rvhi.c_h they are found to occupy in general schernesof book classifications. Bookidcntification marks [*lt Subject. f Primarv Principles | - f r,?[f it,,tffiffi3:fiaehy) 1 , ::" t;[:: (Poetrv'-i niciLi,'etc' Secondary Principlei Formal Principles t r::?'"X'J" ibrrn area' { ffi5;lttical ). I Language. { :t'U1t",i::1lg.j:"'t t-xtension \ of treit Final order or I Work-mark f ^;;;T$":i,tffr' ( pf (svstematic-atphabetic, chronorogicar- medium, short). ofaccession. {ate chronoro$car { lil-*:: I iiffiix}ll#: As a discussionof the different principresof book crassification and arrangement cannot be adequatery <lealtwith rvithin the limits oiou, *p".", we shat .onfin, ourserves a few generat remarks to on the above ,.rr"'o., which merery representsthe order in which various prin.ipl.s are custom_ arily appriedin generar book .ru.rifi."ii";'.t";.mes. It wilr be seen that cert"in- prin.ifr.. or stagesof the act of classification. division appearat several Exact crassification 1i.e.classificationcarried out to its fullest extent) emproys u"riou, combinations of the above principles,the particuia. .orbin";i;;;;;,ns with the crass of literature dealt with ;;h; function which the crassification is intendedto uub..rv1. For the primary requirements seentwo distinct classifications of library serviceit w'r be are needed:_ A' An arrangement of rvorks ry **. which w'r best to their ready identification, i.e. by their authors or fii:fr" ts' A crassificationbased upon the most important characteristicsot noot, ,-viz.their *0,. or literary ;;fi:-tr A' The primary function of the authorand titre catarogue is that of a finding list. i,-*",u be descrin.J a hybrid index crassification'baseo ,*"" the arte;;;; ",of entering Prhrciples of Booh Classi'ficati'an. 393 works underthe namesof their authors,if ascertainable(or disclosed),or under some portion of their titles if not thus ascertainable. Its secondaryfunction is the assertion of authorship. tsoth functionsare adequatelysecuredby codes of cataloguerules, though the codes vary considerablyaccording to the relative importance attached to the two functions. Cataloguing practice, however, concerns us here only in so far as it indicatesthe extent to which the function of the topical classcatalogueis satisfiedor has been usurped by the author and title catalogue. At first sight it wctultl appearimpossiblethat the two should conflict. The line of division between authorship or title, and topic or literary form is so clear that confusion of function seemsout of the question. So far from this being the case, it is generally that the author and title catalogueis an efficient "d*itt.d classcataloguein respectof certain classesof literature, and that here will this class of literature be studied by preference by the students to whom it appeals. Now let us see how this has come about. The tendencyof modern cataloguingpractice has beento almanacs, breakup the old classor form headings(academies, to suband etc.), anonymousworks, catalogues,dictionaries, At the headings. stituie direct entry under authorship or title sametime a practicehasgrown up of supplementingand completing the literature of headings and entries by the formaiion of special class appendicesdirectly bearing upon their subjectmatter. Thus under Homerwe find not only editions, translations,and commentariesof the poems,but appendices dealing with their lexicograPhy, archeology, geography, appendiceson the life, and authorship. Under Shakespeare, characteristics,and celebrationsof the poet; under Bible and Liturgies a conspectusof the entire literature of biblical and liturgical study. The rules regulating this duplication of entry and consequentformation of topical headings have been left intentionally vague and discretionary(cfl Ltnnenv AssocregoN RBcono, Feb. 19o6,where an extensionof the practice is suggested). All that can be said of the practice is have crystallized around certain headings ih*t "l".sifications of individual or personalinterest,leavingin solutionthe whole 394 Th.e Library Association Record,. of general subject-matterto be crassified elsewhere. There is thereforeno sharp line of demarcation betweenthe generar (author and title) the general topicJ .i".rincation of a library. so far Td tL. formJr possessesan efficient crassificair tion of individualsubject-matter,the only additionarefficiency obtained by transferring these headings and appendicesto the general topical crassificationis that on tie shelvesthese classesare brought into existenceand co-ordinatedin some convenientorder' p-u!ror the purposes of research,inasmuch as these classeswil be *ori conveniently studied in the author and title catarogue,the printing of ther" crassesin the class catarogue *itt be uneconomicar, and the two systems must be brought ihto rine by direct reference from the classto the author and title cataiogue. (To be continued.)