Decimal Classification

International Institute of BibliographyProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 28K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Decimal Classification by International Institute of BibliographyAuthor: International Institute of Bibliography,Language: French, Class: Z: Bibliography, Library science, Release Date: Mar 16, 2019

Editor's review

Compiled by the International Institute of Bibliography and originally published in French, this work falls within the Z class of bibliography and library science and has been prepared by Project Gutenberg as a free electronic text. It presents the systematic framework and organizing principles of an early decimal classification scheme, making it a primary document for tracing the evolution of library classification thought. For researchers in library science, information organization, and the history of document classification, its value lies in offering a point of comparison with the classification systems in general use today, illuminating how classification numbers arise from the division of disciplines and how category hierarchies expand. General readers who wish to understand how books are organized and retrieved can also gain foundational knowledge from it, though a degree of professional patience is required. It should be read as a historical document rather than a modern operational manual, with attention to the differences between its French terminology and contemporary classification standards. Reading it alongside a general history of library science or comparative classification materials is recommended for best results.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students and researchers in library science and information management
Scholars interested in the history of document classification and the evolution of knowledge organization
Library practitioners who need to understand the basic principles of decimal classification
Readers interested in French-language professional literature and early bibliographic tools

Not a good fit for

Practical beginners hoping for a directly usable modern guide to book classification
General readers who cannot read French and are unwilling to use translation tools
Non-specialist readers expecting light popular science or an introductory primer

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and the main schedule of classes to build an overall framework before reading specific categories in detail.
Read against a modern decimal classification schedule, noting similarities and differences in category arrangement and number construction.
Prepare a glossary of French terminology; look up specialized terms before continuing to avoid misreading.
Treat it as a historical source rather than a manual, and read it alongside general histories of library science.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book written in French, and how demanding is it to read?

Sources indicate the book is in French. The difficulty comes mainly from two sources: French professional terminology and the systematic exposition of the classification scheme. Readers with French reading ability, or those willing to use dictionaries and translation tools, can work through it; readers of Chinese only are advised to start with relevant Chinese introductory materials.

How does it relate to modern library classification?

The book presents an early decimal classification system and is one link in the development of classification schemes. Modern classifications have undergone extensive revisions in category arrangement, number construction, and disciplinary coverage, so the book is better suited as historical comparative material for understanding how classification thought evolved than as an operational standard to apply directly.

Is it worth reading for readers outside library science?

If you simply want to know how books are classified and shelved, a modern introductory book is more efficient. The value of this work lies more in its professional and historical dimensions, making it suitable for readers with a clear interest in the principles of knowledge organization and the history of classification. General readers with limited time might read only the main schedule to get a sense of its systematic structure.

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About the author

International Institute of Bibliography Author

The International Institute of Bibliography appears as an author under an institutional name; public information about its individual members, founding date, location, and history is limited. Judging from its name, the institute was devoted to the international coordination of bibliography, document classification, and bibliographical methods, and was a specialized body in the field of documentation work. The library holds one work by it, Decimal Classification, which indicates that its compiling and publishing efforts focused on organizing and promoting book classification systems. The work deals with decimal classification and serves the cataloging practice of libraries and documentation institutions, reflecting the body's concern with classification standards and bibliographic control. Given the limited information, its specific functions and scope of influence require further verification, and readers may consult the work itself to understand its classificatory ideas and practical value.