Examensarbete.

In this two years masters thesis in Library and Information Studies, the Russian Library-Bibliographical Classification (LBC/BBK) and the Chinese Library Classification (CLC) are analyzed with regard to their historical and ideological backgrounds and their respective evolutions. The structure of these classifications is compared with the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), as well as three chosen subjects (History, Politics and Religion). A qualitative comparative textual method is used.The study shows that these classification schemes, created at different times, different parts of the world, and different political systems, have different biases but give priority to the European before other foreign views. Otherwise, they often use a proximity principle. The CLC and the LBC were originally based on Marxist materialist principles but built in totally different ways. The CLC is closer to the DDC in the idealistic outline of the main groups of classes. The Chinese scheme, influenced by Maoism, shows the clearest ideological purpose, while the current LBC shows less bias than the others in the studied subjects. The dramatic political changes that Russia experienced after the fall of the Soviet Union necessitated the renewal of the scheme, which was not the case with the other two schemes. Despite this, the original structure of the LBC and also the Chinese Library Classification has been, with a few exceptions, retained, but the subdivisions have changed much more substantially. The LBC has lost its original Marxist content and the CLC has followed the regimes official guidelines which do not really acknowledge the major changes in Chinese society over the last few decades properly. History can explain many aspects of library classification schemes.

This master's thesis examines the possibilities of correction and change in a classification scheme, with regard to the changes that occur in the world the classification system intends to describe. Applying a comparative method and classification theory, the classification of the example of the former Yugoslavia (1918-1941, 1945-1991), its republics and successor states, and the languages, formerly known as Serbo-Croatian are examined through a comparison of the main classes and divisions of language, geography, and history, in Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), and Klassifikationssystem för svenska bibliotek [Classification for Swedish Libraries] (SAB). Eight editions of DDC, from 1876 to 2014, are compared to seven editions of SAB, from 1921 to 2013. The editions have been selected in order to show the changes prior to, and following, the First World War, changes after the Second World War, and changes following the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991. The examination shows that both systems have updated their editions according to the changes in former Yugoslavia over the years. DDC has well constructed facet schedules, especially Table 2 concerning geography, but fails, in some cases, to construct a logic and hierarchical structure for the republics and languages of Yugoslavia, partly due to the fixed classes and divisions that survive from the very first edition of DDC from 1876, but also as a result of the decimal notation, and its limitations, itself. SAB seeks to construct a hierarchically logic and equal scheme for the languages, areas, and states of the former Yugoslavia. Although the facets for geography and chronology aren't as developed as the ones in DDC, the overall result is that of a logically consistent and hierarchically clear classification, with short notation codes, thanks to the alphabetic mixed notation, which allows more subdivisions than the numerals and the pure notation of DDC. This study is a two years master's thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.

In November 2008, the National Library of Sweden decided to change their standard classification system from the Swedish Library Classification System (SAB) to the american Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). One of the main reasons to this transition was the assumption of gaining the possibility to exchange and import catalogue posts by using an outspread international classification system. Throughout the years, it has been disputed whether DDC’s treatment of music has been the most suitable. The system has been criticized for being biased in favor of Western music and not being updated with the growth of new music. The purpose of this study is to examine the opinions among librarians connected to the music area on how this classification transition went, and how it has affected their work. The primary questions concerned with this study are if the interviewees perceive that there is a problem by using DDC for music and if so, how? Additionally, does this change also affect the library users, or is it only the librarians? The method I am using to examine these questions is qualitative interviews based on Steinar Kvale and Svend Brinkmann’s thoughts in their book Den kvalitativa forskningsintervjun. The theories that will be used for this thesis are theories concerning functional requirements of classification systems. The results show that the interviewees’ opinions are that DDC’s notation tends to be long, which affects the usability of the system. The interviewees’ perception is that DDC is also lacking in its treatment regarding musical recordings and the popular music area. One of the main reasons for this shortage is because there is basically no other library outside of Sweden that is classifying such material with DDC, which means that the information exchange with countries abroad has so far been rather exiguous.