On the Razor’s Edge Between Local and Overall Needs in Knowledge Organization

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 2 K.U.Leuven University Library

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 3 LIBIS Net K.U.Leuven University Library Central Library Department Libraries other LIBIS partners

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 4 Overall vs. local Local - needs - solutions Overall - needs - solutions

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 5 Subject indexing Overall level: - UDC - LCSH - MeSH Local level (“local keywords”): - local classifications - local subject headings

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 6 Local level: Problems - Variety in content - Variety in application - Only locally visible

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 7 Overall level: Problems - Low rate of catalogued documents - Problematic interface

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 8 Other problems - Time-consuming for librarians - Overall solutions not flexible enough

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 9Consequence Librarians choose local solutions

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 10 New policy … with the same subject cataloging schemes: - MeSH - LCSH - UDC

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 11 Why UDC? - Universal - Flexible - Faceted - Multilingual, customizable AF Flexibility in use of UDC will be encouraged

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 12 The idea behind Virtual library shelves: - Subject categories rather than subject terms - Less effort - Efficient subject-search

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 13 New Interface E-sources - Local input - Hidden UDC - Easily accessible growing conscious- ness of overall ánd local needs

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16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 16 New Interface OPAC - Thesaurus-like search - Visible UDC structure - Refining by UDC class - Search by UDC Maximal accessi- bility

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 17 be/ipacbin/Connect

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16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 20 The idea behind Combine the advantages of word system and classification

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 21 Important advantages - Easy search on words - Hierarchical overview of search terms - Multilingual potential - Faceted and flexible - Algorithm applicable to other KOS

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 22 Fine feathers … … don’t make fine birds

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 23 Many other things to do … - Further development of the interface - Update UDC authority file - Translation of UDC authority file

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 24 Parallel projects - Linking local subject methods to UDC - Linking shelf numbers to UDC - Experiments with (semi) automatic classification

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 25 New library system (Aleph 500) … … new perspectives: - Stress on word search - UDC authority file > UDC authority records (MARC21) - UDC hierarchy

16 July 2004ISKO London – Wouter Schallier 26 Balance between local and global needs - Constant challenge - Essential for good service of our library

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