Helsinki, November 16, 2009

Conspectus Method – implementations into library

processes: experiences in the National

Library of the Czech Republic

Marie BalíkováSvětlana Knollová

Jindřiška Pospíšilová

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Bohdana Stoklasová Helsinki 2005

Conclusion:• Czech experience: Conspectus is not an

ideal tool, but it is a very powerful and flexible tool, useful even for areas you can not predict – once you decide for it (or any other tool), it is just here to make the integration of different projects possible and the life of librarians and mainly users much easier

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Outline

Conspectus method (aquisition, subject cataloging, services)

Conspectus Categorization Scheme

Conspectus Categorization Scheme used in Czechia

Application of Conspectus Categorization Scheme in Czechia

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Conspectus method

• An overview, summary, a description of collection strength and collecting intensities

• Arranged by – subject– classification scheme– combination of both

• Containing standardized codes for collection or collecting levels and languages of materials collected

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• Set of Conspectus reports, which include all appropriate collection information

• Collection descriptions may take a form of – unstructured textual documents– set of reports– structured open and standardized formats (database files)

The most libraries prefer database files Czech libraries prefer a set of reports

Preferred presentation of Conspectus model

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Advantages of the Conspectus method

Detailed library collection descriptions• Collections and collecting patterns are described in

comparable terms• Conspectus values are accessible nationally (and

internationally) online or in paper format• Cooperative collecting or preservation policies can

be developed using the Conspectus as an instrument to map collection strengths

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Disadvantages of Conspectus method

• A labour intensive method• A time consuming method• Based to a considerable extent on subjective

judgments• Application of conspectus method requires

conversion between classifications, e.g. to DDC; not all of the libraries' collections are classified in Library of Congress Classification or DDC

• Conspectus categories and subjects may be unsatisfactory for certain subject areas– CCS is too detailed in some areas, and not

sufficiently detailed in others

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Conspectus method applied in Czechia

• Discussion at the end of 1990s• Translation of documents concerning the

conspectus method • Serious doubts about its applicability for our

national archival collection among Czech University libraries and other research and public libraries

• In 2000 the National Library of the Czech Republic decided to carry out an evaluation of the strength of its collection in particular subject areas

• The collections of NLCR have been divided in three main branches: National Archive Collection, Universal Library Collection, and Study Collection

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Foreign acquisition policy

NL collection development policy is based on the Conspectus model. The majority of the Conspectus subject categories should be covered in much detail that is expressed by the indicator 4 designating research level and by the language code W – wide selection of languages (mainly Czech and related documents).

The mission of the NL in foreign literature acquisitions is to become the main information and documentary centre in humanities, natural and social sciences, culture and arts. The collections of the National Library serve the readers on undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

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Foreign acquisition policy

cooperation with other Prague libraries for some branches - e.g. agriculture, technical branches, law, medicine

AgricultureCL – what we already have

2a BASIC INFORMATION LEVEL, INTRODUCTORYAC – what we acquire

1a MINIMAL INFORMATION LEVEL, UNEVEN COVERAGEGL – collection development strategy – 2a

L - Selected other language material included in addition to the primary language

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Conspectus Categorization Scheme Background materials/Basic documents

WLN Conspectus Scheme

Dewey Decimal Classification, Edition 21 (DDC 21)

UDC-MRF Version 2002

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GUIDELINES FOR A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICYUSING THE CONSPECTUS MODEL

International Federation of Library Associations and InstitutionsSection on Acquisition and Collection Development 2001

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WLN Conspectus Scheme – 2nd level

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Dewey decimal classification and relative index / devised by Melvil Dewey. -- 21th ed. / edited by Joan S. Mitchell... [et al.].

-- Albany : Forest Press, 1996.

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Comments on Conspectus categorization scheme

• Is based on the shape of the North American Academic world from the middle of the 20th century

• The shape of the scholarly world has changed since then• The context of our country and the surrounding Central Europe

is specific and different comparing with North America especially in subject domains such as– Education– Law– Politics, politology– European (small) languages, literatures– History– Auxiliary history sciences– Juvenile literature– Belles-lettres and literary criticism

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Organization of information in Conspectus Categorization Scheme

• In conspectus categorization scheme information are organized by discipline (like in DDC or UDC)

• For example the topic “death” or documents containing information on death may appear in several conspectus categories, e.g. – 210 Philosophy and theory of religion – 230 Christian theology, christian doctrinal theology – 296 Judaism – 297 Islam – 393 Death customs – 122-129 Special metaphysics – 346 Private law – 612 Human physiology – 616 Diseases. Clinical medicine

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Conspectus Categorization Scheme used in Czechia

• Library resources are divided into 24 broad subject divisions

• Within these divisions subject is further divided into 584 conspectus categories

• And then into conspectus subjects – subject controlled terms – 31165 (topical terms – czenas)

• Original conspectus is based on LCC, DDC• UDC widely used among Czech libraries• Concordances between UDC-DDC necessary

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Conspectus Divisions - the first hierarchical level

• Original WLN conspectus categorization scheme recommended by IFLA is respected

• The main objective of the first level is to provide an overview of library collections from subject´s viewpoint

• Among the libraries of the same type, e.g. national libraries of Central Europe, research libraries in humanities etc.

• The Conspectus divisions are not tied to any universal classification scheme: it is not possible because the traditional classifications like DDC or UDC are decimal; the whole knowledge is organized in ten main classes

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First level of Conspectus Categorization scheme

• 1. Anthropology • 2. Biological sciences • 3. Performing Arts• 4. Business and economics • 5. Philosophy and religion • 6. Physical sciences • 7. Geography and earth sciences • 8. History and auxiliary sciences • 9. Music • 10. Chemistry • 11. Language, linguistics and

literature • 12. Library science, generalities

and references

• 13. Mathematics • 14. Medicine • 15. Political science • 16. Law • 17. Psychology • 18. Sociology • 19. Engineering and

technology • 20. Physical education and

recreation • 21. Art and architecture • 22. Education • 23. Computer sciences • 24. Agriculture

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Differences between Conspectus Scheme, DDC and UDC at the first hierarchical level

• Conspectus divisions structure - 24 main subject categories - are more convenient for an inexperienced user; the important disciplines are enumerated at the first hierarchical level, e. g. medicine, chemistry, mathematics

• One Conspectus division contains data originating from various main classes of DDC/UDC, e.g. Conspectus division “Business and economics” contains data from class 300/3 – Social sciences and 600/6 Technology

• In DDC and UDC classifications, philosophy and psychology are included in one main class, the religion is located in a separate main class (2),

• In Conspectus scheme, the religion and the philosophy are together in one division, the psychology forms a separate main division

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Division 4 „Business and economics“ contains data from class 300/3 – Social sciences and 600/6 Technology

Division 5 „Philosophy and religion - are together in one division

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Conspectus Categorization Scheme - principles of mapping

A decision has been accepted

• The first level must stay unchanged• At the second level all necessary information must be included

• The third level is created by systems of controlled terms used in Czechia

• In the institutions that are responsible for subject analysis in their discipline, e.g. – National Technical Library for techniques, technology and related

subjects, – National Library of Medicine for medicine and related topics, – NLCR responsible for universal controlled system called CZENAS

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UDC – DDC mapping

Main principles:

• To establish a connection between DDC Conspectus Category and UDC Conspectus Category

• It means that only Conspectus Categories are mapped

• Subject headings and classification numbers entered in individual BIB records are not mapped

• The mapping is carried out in one direction only, from the UDC to the DDC

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2nd hierarchical level of Conspectus Scheme • All mappings between DDC and UDC were realized at

this level only• Our intention was to create such a mapping tool

which enables both • To compare library collections at institutional,

national and – regarding Conspectus Scheme –international level as well

• To create such an organizing tool which is able to meet all (almost all) criteria of Czech libraries of all types

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DDC in Czech Conspectus scheme

• To adapt the captions of the system to general end-users

• To support end-users understanding and web browsing

• To add the name of a discipline when the DDC caption is not “complete”

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Different point of view on European history and philosophy, unusual for Europeans

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More Conspectus categories 1

• Subject areas heavily represented in Czech environment and missing in DDC Conspectus scheme are included in Czech Conspectus scheme, e.g.

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More Conspectus categories 2

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Where is the Conspectus categorization scheme applied

The most important characteristic of the conspectus scheme - access to information resources through content characteristics - was used when creating and developing

Universaly subject-oriented gateway (UIG – Uniform information gateway),

Subject information gateways (KIV /library and information science/, MUS, TECH, ART)

Subject access – WebArchiv project

Topic map of the Czech National Library Collection

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E.g.

Library management.

Library services.

Organization of the library collections. Collection structure.

Cataloguing. Information retrieval language.

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Topic map of library collections

• Can serve as an user friendly subject access for inexperienced library users and for those who prefer to get information on documents location directly and without the use of library catalogue.

• The main objective is to provide high quality services and improve information sharing. Topic map presents subject information in a systematic way and helps patrons use the portal through a simple interface.

• In order to achieve this navigation and search function information resources are connected to the topics through the Conspectus categories data entered in bibliographic records.

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Conspectus categories can be displayed: without DDC notations according to DDC notations

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According to DDC notations

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In alphabetical order

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Search term: Albatros = name of publishing house

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Search is limited to the Czech production

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Conspectus Category applied in BIB record

072 7 |a 821-93 |x Literatura pro děti a mládež |2 Konspekt|9 11072 7 |a 58 |x Botanika |2 Konspekt|9 2

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Authority record of Conspectus Division

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Authority record of Conspectus Category

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Index of Conspectus Categories applied in BIB records

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Navigation by Conspectus Categories

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Conspectus Categorization Scheme

our experiences• Is not an ideal tool, but it is a very powerful

and flexible tool which can be used for organization of heterogenous information resources

• It can improve subject access• It can serve as navigation tool• It can serve as crosswalk between two widely

used classification schemes DDC and UDC

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Thank you for your attention.

marie.balikova@nkp.cz

svetlana.knollova@nkp.cz

jindriska.pospisilova@nkp.cz