Dewey Decimal Classification

The Dewey Decimal Classification ( engl. Dewey Decimal Classification, DDC short ) is the internationally most widely used classification for content indexing of library materials. It is mainly used in the Anglo - American world. In the U.S., they use about 85% of the libraries, especially public and school libraries, and partly also college and university libraries.

The organization OCLC has the license for the system and react flexibly to scientific changes and globalization. The DDC has been translated into many languages. Currently, the 22nd edition is up to date.

In October 2005, by the German Research Foundation ( DFG) appeared supported German translation of DDC used, since January 2006 by the German National Library (DNB ). The DNB had before this project, between 2002 and 2005, together with the Fachhochschule Köln developed. The illustrated in MelvilSearch part of the Dewey Decimal Classification ( DDC) since February 2010 under the Creative Commons license "CC -BY -NC -ND 3.0" freely available.

The DDC is based on a decimal classification, originally developed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) was devised and the American librarian Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) has evolved.

Outside the Anglo-American language area still exists the Universal Decimal Classification ( UDC), which was created by the Belgian librarians Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine 1895 as a European variant ( used in Germany by the German Standards Committee / DIN as DK ) because the DDC for the international use was specifically American part. There are therefore two systems, the DDC and the UDC. The American David A. Mundie developed the system CyberDewey for the Internet. In Japan, it is used as the basis of the Nippon Decimal Classification (NDC ), in the 9th edition is current as of August 1995.

The DDC is different from the UDC, among others in the following respects:

  • The DDC uses trailing zeros to get on the top two outline levels three-digit notations
  • The top outline level differs in the treatment of literature and linguistics: DDC: 4 = Language / Linguistics; 8 = Literature
  • UDC: 4 = unoccupied; 8 = Linguistics & Literature ( UDC provides for the separation of literature and linguistics as inadmissible on )
Library classification Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Project Gutenberg Integrated Authority File
233887
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