Introduction to Classification Web

 

 

 

Basics

Browse Classification Schedules

Search Templates

LC Subject Headings

SH & Class no. Correlations

Exercices

 

 

 

Basics

 

Use Internet Explorer or Netscape

 

URL:  http://classificationweb.net/Auto/

 

Menu

 

Return to “Menu” for:

 

·      Selecting new search or return to browser as necessary (i.e., if no browser window is still open from a previous search)

·      Outline: entire LC schedule outline linked to schedules (another way to access the various schedules).

·      Bookmarks: should be called “Temporary preferences”. Can change some preferences for the limit of the session. For example, limiting searching to particular schedules, etc., but most useful: number of records per page displayed while browsing the schedules (i.e., the length of the page displayed)

·      Subsets: to limit searches to particular classification schedules (as with Bookmarks)

·      Preferences: lists current account settings

 

Extended Menu

 

Try different browsers. Always recommend Hierarchy Browser.

 

Logging out

 

Our subscription is limited to 15 users, thus it is important to logout when going to lunch, break, leaving for the day, or when you will not be using ClassWeb for a while. It has an inactivity automatic logout of 1 hour.

 

It is possible to log out and leave the browser at the resulting “You have logged out” page, and later click on the link “Return to the main menu…”, or clicking the “back” button of the browser will return the user to the point at which he/she was working in the schedules.

 

 

Browse Classification Schedules

 

Hierarchy Browser

 

·      Able to navigate through expandable layers of hierarchy.

 

·      Top window shows level of hierarchy in the schedules.

 

·      Expanded v. unexpanded hierarchy: Clicking an expandable call number range hierarchy either expands or contracts a given range; weather expanded or not, the range still appears as an active link.

 

[HRBLSC]: These are offered throughout the searching process of ClassWeb and will be of varying value depending on the context.

 

H=Hierarchy: shows hierarchy in top window and changes point of user’s focus in the schedule.

R=Displays the Classification record (MARC record for class no.?)

B=Searches HT OPAC and others under the selected class number (browse search). Sometimes useful for shelflisting and to see what is in the HT collection under a given call number.

L=Searches only the LCSH for a given call number or subject heading. It executes a browse search (many call numbers may not have usefully matching LCSH). The user can navigate backwards and forwards in search results in call no. order).

S=Searches for potentially useful “correlations” between SH and call nos. (some call numbers or subject headings may not have useful correlations). 

C=Displays call number in Classification Browser (this appears in Search screens, not in browser).

 

 

(IE: hold cursor over almost any link and text appear in bottom left-hand corner of browser indicating the link’s function)

 

Schedule Search/Browse Procedure:

 

  1.  
    1. Type call number in “LC Call #” window (e.g., DD89) and check hierarchy for correct placement OR
    2. Type in base schedule letters in “LC Call #” window (e.g., DD, F, JN, D, etc.) to enter schedule at the most general point and navigate to appropriate call number OR
    3. start with outline and follow hierarchy to desired number

 

e.g.,  find general number for periodicals focusing on Mexico (F1201): F – History: America\ F1201-3799 Latin America. Spanish America\ F1201-1392 Mexico

 

  1. For next search, type in new call number in “LC Class #” search window.

 

Navigation:

 

Arrow buttons:

Single arrow=1/2 page up/down

Double arrow=next/previous page

(recommend not using “Last page” buttons)

 

There appear to be no keyboard commands (except those related to IE and Netscape)

 

 

Search Templates

 

 

Basics:

 

·      “Search-Type” Links provide help topics.

·      Click on “browse” or “search” buttons after typing in search terms. Do not press “enter” key (default is set at “reset”).

·      Search template re-appears at bottom of screen after execution of search

·      Searching opens new windows

·      Clicking on call number links goes to schedules in hierarchy browser (opens new window)

·      Problems: if a search isn’t working as it should or if errors are occurring, selecting “Menu” and re-entering the LC Subject Headings; also try loging out and log back in.

·      Always logout at the end of a session.

·      After a browse search the user can browser backwards and forwards in the document.

 

Classification Search

 

Search possibilities:

 

Caption: Most specific term in Class record/hierarchy (see [..H…] in [HRBLS].

 

Keyword: Searches most text fields in class records. Retrieves more hits than desired. Search of last resort?

 

Index term:  More useful for subject terms? Cross referenced via Classification record (see [..R...] in [HRBLS] E.g. Boot industry directs the user to

“Footwear and shoes”.

 

Caption or Index Term: Searches caption and index term with one search.

 

Classification number: Same as using the Standard Classification Browser.

 

Always confirm call numbers in schedules via browser.

 

e.g.: History of Arkhangel’sk

DK651.A65

 

 

LC Subject Headings

 

URL for LCSH: http://classweb.loc.gov/min/minaret?app=Auth&mod=Search&menu=/Auto/&auto=1

 

Library Web page link via: Digital Library Resources/Reference Sources/Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Thesauri

 

Basics:

 

·      “Search-Type” Links provide help topics.

·      Click on “browse” or “search” buttons after typing in search terms. Generally, do not press “enter” key (default is set at “reset”).

·      Search template re-appears at bottom of screen after execution of search

·      Searching opens new windows

·      Clicking on call number links goes to schedules in hierarchy browser (opens new window)

·      Return to “Menu” to change search type (i.e., either to return to LCSH if you “get lost” in another part of Classification Web, or to select another part of Classification Web)

·      Problems: if a search isn’t working as it should or if errors are occurring, selecting “Menu” and re-entering the LC Subject Headings; also try loging out and log back in.

·      Always logout at the end of a session.

 

Browse v. Search: Search queries allow Boolean searching and wildcard operators; browsing allows the user to input a starting value and jump to that place in the chosen index (Index browsing is almost always faster and easier than running queries, so it is recommended that you start by browsing and move onto queries as necessary).

 

Indexes/Search Types

 

Structured subject heading: All of a given subject heading’s subdivisions file before next heading (hierarchical order; most similar to print LCSH). Need the “—“ in the search. (i.e., need to know how subject is subdivided to more easily find the heading).

 

Railroads--Zaire
Railroads--Zambia [R S]
Railroads--Zimbabwe [R S]
Railroads, Aerial
Railroads and earthquakes
Railroads and state (May Subd Geog)

 

e.g., Germany—History

 

Unstructured subject heading: sorts in dictionary order. 

 

Railroads--Advertising
Railroads, Aerial
Railroads--Africa, East
Railroads--Africa, Northeast
Railroads--Air-brakes
Railroads--Airspace utilization
Railroads and earthquakes
Railroads and state

 

In structured and unstructured searches, terms may appear anywhere in the authority record (i.e., in main heading (1XX) or references (4XX or 5XX)

 

Structured free-floating subdivisions: subdivisions’ subdivisions file before next heading; include “—“ as necessary. Includes only subdivisions that are “free-floating”.

 

Examples:

 

Buildings

Influence

Influences—Western…

 

Unstructured free-floating subdivisions: sorted in dictionary order.

 

Keyword:

 

·      Searches 1XX-5XX, the headings textual fields (i.e., no note fields, etc.), from Subject Heading and Subdivision authority records.

·      Do not use Boolean operators in search query: select either the “all matching terms (AND search)” option or the “any matching term (OR search)”.

·      Phrase searching not supported.

 

Classification numbers: index of classification numbers from each record that has one (i.e., in LCSH not all subject headings have call numbers). Can use “[…B…]” to search any call number in HT or other OPAC.  This is not searching the LC Classification Schedules.

 

Boolean Searching (Search queries):

 

·     Select Boolean search option

·     In structured and unstructured search entries use quotes around search terms (e.g., “germany” and “unification”)

·     Results returned in no particular order.

 

·     Keyword searching does not require the Boolean search option to be selected; for Boolean operators, select either the “all matching terms (AND search)” option or the “any matching term (OR search)”

 

Browse buttons:  Back=  <   Forward=  >     Beginning of LCSH=  |<    End of LCSH=   >|

 

Subject Heading entry letters:

 

R

Displays the underlying subject authority record in a separate window.

B

Searches for and displays any bibliographic records with this classification number in a separate window.

S

Runs a subject correlation search in a separate window for this classification number.

L

Index browses for any subject records that use this classification number. 

 

 

Subject Heading & Classification Number Correlations

 

Main uses for catalogers

 

If searching  by classification number:

·      To find the subject headings most frequently used with a specific LC classification number (“LC classification number” field).

e.g., DD89

If searching  by subject heading:

·      To find the LC classification numbers most frequently used with a specific subject heading or subject heading string (“Subject heading” field).

 

When typing in search queries, these are equivalent searches:

 

Guilds -- Germany -- History.

Guilds Germany History

guilds -- germany – history

guilds.germany.history

 

 

Exercises:

 

Browser

 

1) Book on St. Sophia Cathedral, in Kiev, Ukraine

 

  1. Start in Architecture … NA (type in search window)
  2. page down to “Special classes of buildings” hierarchy (NA4100-8480) and select (click)
  3. select “Classed by use”
  4. select “Public buildings
  5. select “Religious buildings …”
  6. select “Religious architecture of special countries” (tells you that table N5 is being applied and the command to add country number in table to NA5200; and to class special buildings by city in which located)
  7. select “Europe”
  8. select “Special countries”
  9. ½ page down
  10. select “Other regions…”
  11. select “Ukraine” (NA5955.U47-.U473) (tells you that Table N15 is being applied)
  12. Final number range: NA5955.U472A-.U472Z   Local, A-Z
  13. Can click on […B…] to check shelflist Kiev cutter in use OR search in Cataloging (Ranges are formatted properly for call number search—no space after “.U472” in this case)
  14. Final number: NA5955.U472 K54…?

 

2) Dimensions of German unification (book on German re-unification (1990))

 

Verifying call number: DD290.25 .D56 1995

 

  1. type in DD290.25 and check if hierarchy is appropriate
  2. click […B…] or search in Cataloging to: see if other books dealing with German unification have been assigned here; and shelflisting

 

3) Losing Mogadishu : testing U.S. policy in Somalia (book on U.S. relations with Somalia in the ‘90s)

 

  1. type in “e” in search window
  2. follow United States \ History to the correct period
  3. Diplmatic history. Foreign and general rel…
  4. Note sends you to E183.8A-Z
  5. Search catalog and cutter as above…

 

 

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Updated :  8/22/2005