Factors in the Selection of a Classification Scheme for a Large General Library

摘要

This paper concerns the British Library; by now it is wellknown that the British Library consists of more than one large library. One ofits components, the British Museum Library, is among the largest in theworld; two others, the Science Reference Library in London, and the LendingDivision in Yorkshire, both have collections sizable enough to raise problemsregarding classification. In fact, however, the Lending Division has long sincerejected classification as an operational tool in any other than peripheral uses,and is not a component which enters into the considerations I am makingtoday.In addition to these, there is the Bibliographical Services Division, whichis evolving from the formerly separate entity, the British National Bibliography(BNB). This division is the most significant user of classification at thepresent time. Not only is the British National Bibliography primarilydependent on classification for its arrangement and articulation, but theclassification data supplied by BNB is a substantial element of the centralizedcataloging service which it gives to all kinds of libraries in Great Britain. Oneof the functions of the Bibliographical Services Division is to extend thisservice to cover the needs of in-house bibliographic processing within theBritish Library itself.