Cataloging Department
     University Libraries @ The University of Akron

Curriculum Center Reclassification Project

Project Overview | Procedures | Background (Proposal)

Project Overview

To increase accessibility to the materials in the Curriculum Center, Cataloging is instituting a number of changes to both description and classification of the materials. We will use Dewey Decimal Classification to organize this collection, with a local modification that adds grade levels to the classification number. To further enhance the bibliographic records, we will be adding brief summary statements and tables of contents to each record as needed. We will also closely examine the assignment of subject headings, using both traditional Library of Congress headings as well as developing and using a local subject heading scheme based on K-12 educational standards documents.

The most obvious change to the user centers on integrating the various portions of the collection into a single range. In this way, juvenile fiction and nonfiction will sit side-by-side with textbooks, activity books, and other teacher resources in the same subject area. Our hope is that this integrated approach will help our users find all relevant materials on a topic as they browse the shelves.

This revised classification and description plan was developed in consultation with representatives of the University of Akron College of Education. As new materials enter the collection, they are immediately classified using the new scheme and retrospective conversion of the existing collection will be phased in as the new scheme is perfected.

Procedures

New Materials: As of January 2, 2002 when new materials arrive in the Cataloging Department, they are cataloged using the updated procedures for description and classification located at http://www3.uakron.edu/ul/depts/cataloging/curriculum-materials.html.

Retrospective Conversion: As of December 1, 2002 a concerted effort to reclassify and update cataloging for the existing curriculum center collection will begin. Following the description and classification procedures located at http://www3.uakron.edu/ul/depts/cataloging/curriculum-materials.html, materials will be gathered from the Curriculum Center and processed through cataloging by Karen Plummer and Valerie Jenkins.

Areas of responsibility:

Proposal for Cataloging Procedure Changes for the Curriculum Center at Bierce Library

by Karen A. Plummer
Draft: 11/01/2001

Introduction

Beginning with the Bierce Library Curriculum Center, we propose a revision to cataloging policies and procedures as well as a complete reclassification of the collection. The current classification systems are complex and confusing for many of our users. Subject heading access is limited and for many titles, we have not taken full advantage of the possibilities inherent in the indexing and searching functionality of the online environment. Thus, contents notes are often lacking, as are summary statements that provide an overview of the content, pedagogy, and components of the materials described. These fields, if present, would be searchable in the online catalog and would provide significantly improved access to the materials in the Curriculum Center.

The Current Classification Systems

Juvenile is classified using the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) scheme, with the code "j" preceding the number to indicate that the materials are to be shelved in a specific section of the Curriculum Center. Juvenile fiction is classified using "F" for "fiction" and cuttered by author. Picture books are classified using "E" for "easy" and cuttered by author. Juvenile biography is again handled differently. Individual biographies are classified using a "B" for biography, then cutter numbers are assigned; one for the subject of the biography and one for the author of the biography.

Curriculum materials (textbooks, activity guides, games, and so forth) are classified using a modified, multi-tier Dewey system which divides materials first by grade grouping: 370.7 (K-12), 371-9 (Special), 372.21 (Early: PreK, K, Early primary), 372.24 (Elementary: K-6 and middle school), 373.07 (Secondary: 7-12), and 374.07 (Adult) while teaching devices are classified 371.3 regardless of grade level. The second tier of this system is by subject area and type of material, for example, 5165 would be a geometry textbook while 5164 would be a geometry teaching device. The third tier includes a cutter number for the publisher of the material. The fourth tier may include any of the following: the year of publication; volume; specific range of grades; and/or codes indicating type of materials. Examples of this classification with explanation follow:

Example 1: A Kindergarten reading level book on fire prevention and safety [NOTE: This text could fall into two different grade level designations in our current system of numbering]

Cur Cent -- Shelving location
372.21 -- Early OR 372.25 Elementary
3635 -- Safety (subject) + text
Si39t -- Publisher: Silver Burdette ["t" is first letter in title of work]
Kt -- Kindergarten teacher's edition

Example 2: A set of manipulatives to help students visualize algebra problems

Cur Cent -- Shelving location
371.3 -- Teaching device
5124 -- Algebra (subject) + teaching device
C924a -- Publisher: Cuisenaire ["a" is first letter in title of work]
7-9 -- Grades 7-9

Proposal for Reclassification

We would like to propose changing the multitude of current classification schemes to a single classification scheme using the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system, cutter numbers based on the publisher name (exceptions: Juvenile fiction and Biography - see below for further information), and a grade level designation. For example, the safety activity text used in example 1 above could be classified more specifically as follows:

Cur Cent -- Shelving location
363.277 -- Subj: Fire hazards; measures to prevent, protect against, limit effects
A813t -- Author: Ascher
Gr.K -- For Grade K

Using this system, we could also classify Juvenile nonfiction and/or fiction titles in the same area as this activity book then integrating the juvenile materials into the collection. This system would greatly simplify work for the Cataloging staff, increase the browse-ability of the collection, and ease user's confusions about where to find the various types of materials on the shelf.

Juvenile fiction could be classified according to primary subject matter of the book or classified in the 800-899 (Literature) range of DDC. Cutter numbers would more logically be assigned for the primary author of the work rather than the publisher so that all the works by Dickens or Faulkner, etc. would stand together on the shelf.

Juvenile biography would be classified across the spectrum of DDC. Collective biographies (biographies about multiple persons not associated with a single discipline) would be classified in the 920s with a cutter number for the publisher while collective biographies about persons in a specific discipline would be classified in the subject area number range. For example, a biographical dictionary of geographers would be classified at 910.92 while a biographical dictionary of philosophers would be classified as 100.92.

Individual biographies would be classified with the subject disciplines he/she is primarily associated with. For example, a biography of a physicist would be classified as 540.92 (Physics, Biography) then the cutter number would be devised for the last name of the person the biography is about including a workmark for the author of the biography. Thus a biography of Marie Curie written by Smith for grades K-4 would be classified:

Cur Cent -- Shelving location
540.92 -- Physics (540), biography (.92)
C9754s -- Curie (C9754), Smith (s)
Gr.K-4 -- For grades K-4

Additional Changes in Cataloging of Curriculum Materials

Additional access points will be needed in the catalog record to facilitate searching success. Some sort of keyword or local subject access should be added that would include common terms used in K-12 teaching and learning standards documents as well as pedagogy terms in current usage. Summary statements and contents notes should be added to all records as well.

Background
In general, records currently include subject headings from the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) volumes. In many cases, the terms used in LSCH do not reflect the same language used by teachers, education professionals, or students; particularly in the realm of pedagogical terminology. LCSH does not reflect the terminology in the major K-12 teaching and learning standards. For example in mathematics, the concept of "measurement" is a critical teaching issue at all levels of instruction. If a person wanted to find activity books dealing with measurement, a search in ZipLINK would reveal well over 1000 records, but when examining the search results closely, you find that what you have produced is a list of all the records in which "Measurement" is used as a subdivision rather than as a main subject heading so you have materials on "Air pollution-United States-Measurement," "Light speed-Measurement," "Soils-Density-Measurement," and "Winds-United States-Measurement." The user who wants information on instructing elementary students in measurement thus has great difficulty in finding what he/she needs, which leads to frustration.

Since "Measurement" is used as a subdivision, what is the word that LCSH uses for the concept? The word used is "Mensuration" but even searching for "Mensuration" has its difficulties. The user is directed to a number of more specific "see also" references such as "Area measurement," "Length measurement," "Measuring instruments," "Physical measurements," "Thickness measurement," and "Weights and measures." Clicking on the term "Length measurement" the user finally discovers an activity book described as follows:

This supplementary workbook contains games, puzzles, projects, and drills focused on basic measurement skills. Topics include dimensions, graphing, the history of measurement, time, decimals, patterns, vocabulary, metric measures, perimeter, area, volume, conversion charts, and measurement devices. Each activity includes teacher directions and reproducible student pages.

This is a long and circuitous route to finding resources that a user needs that needs to be addressed.

Other Resources
There are other acceptable sources of subject headings for children's literature, including Subject Headings for Children : A List of Subject Headings Used by the Library of Congress with Dewey Numbers Added (ed. Lois Winkel, 1994, 2 v.) and Sears List of Subject Headings (Minnie E. Sears; ed. B.M. Westby, multiple editions). While the language is simplified, these thesauri were designed for children as the end-user rather than teachers, teacher educators, or teachers-in-training, thus current pedagogical terminology is not reflected in these resources.

For Education terminology, there are additional resources for subject headings and descriptors, including the ERIC Thesaurus and the subject lists from the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC) (available online at http://enc.org/resources/browse/). ENC's subject identifiers are limited in focus to mathematics, science, educational technology, and general education, but otherwise are more user-friendly. The subject identifiers are based on terms used in the national math and science teaching and learning standards. Additional resources in other content areas (language arts, social studies, etc.) are available and should also be examined.