Overview

Human knowledge is growing while we conquer new horizons. New fields emerge as we conceive innovative ideas, improve our scientific methods, and invent new technologies. Are the main library classification systems adequately and systematically cover contemporary human knowledge?

The study. This study explores how the main library classification systems cover human knowledge. It was launched in September 2008 during Chaim Zins' stay in Brazil, as a visiting professor.  Dr. Zins was invited by the Department of Information Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), in Marilia, to present his work. The visit resulted in a cooperation among Dr. Zins, the author of 10 Pillars of Knowledge: Map of Human Knowledge, and a group of four researchers from the university headed by Dr. Placida L.V.A.C. Santos. 

Raison d'être. The digital informational environments include knowledge structured in formats that go beyond the structures implemented by the main library classification systems. This was the reason for the comparative study of the three main classification tools adopted by libraries (i.e., LCC, DDC, and UDC) and the 10 Pillars of Knowledge, which reflects the way we conceive the structure of contemporary human knowledge. 10 Pillars of Knowledge is a systematic and comprehensive map of human knowledge. Its apparent simplicity, on one hand, and its comprehensiveness, on the other hand, is invaluable for developing digital libraries. Users of digital collections need a comprehensive and systematic categorization that meet two challenges. It facilitates an efficient retrieval of the stored contents by providing logical access points, and it facilitates a better understanding of the structure of the knowledge domain and the logical relations among its main parts.

The study was designed at evaluating the functionality of LCC, DDC, and UDC to adequately represent contemporary human knowledge, and at mapping the knowledge they cover. Since we successfully mapped all the relevant classes and sub-classes, as a by product,  the study re-evaluated the adequacy of the 10 Pillars knowledge map to represent human knowledge.  

Methodology. The study was composed of three steps. First, we mapped the knowledge covered by the three main systems, the Library of Congress Classification (LCC), the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), and the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC). We used the 10 Pillars knowledge tree as an evaluative model. We mapped all the classes and subclasses that are part of the first two levels of the hierarchical structures of LCC, DDC, and UDC. These are 21 LCC's main classes (1st level) and 216 LCC's main subclasses (2nd level), 10 DDC's main classes and 100 DDC's main subclasses, and 10 UDC's main classes and 70 UDC's main subclasses; a total of 41 classes and 386 subclasses. 

Then, based on the mapping, we zoomed into the 10 pillars and analyzed how each of the three systems covers the 10 knowledge domains. Finally, we focused on the three library systems. Based on the way each one of them covers the 10 knowledge domains we formulated grounded conclusions on its overall representation of human knowledge.

Conclusions. Evidently, the three great library classification systems, LCC, DDC, and UDC fail to adequately and systematically present contemporary human knowledge. They are incomplete,  unsystematic, and biased. They suffer from critical problems that can not be resolved by revisions. The time has come to abandon these seminal classifications and construct new constructions. We expect to publish the full report by mid 2009.

Subject guides. The 15 knowledge maps are useful for facilitating subject access to LCC, DDC, and UDC. 

Forum. If you have critical reflections or practical suggestions, or if you wish to translate the website into your language please let us know. Thanks.

Chaim, Placida, Silvana, Maria Jose, Elizabeth