What an enjoyable subject! Before beginning this subject, I really thought I had a handle on how our library’s classification system worked and could be used. Yet again, I was to find that what we don’t know that we don’t know is what it is all about. I have a new appreciation for subject headings and ScOT terms, a clearer (though admittedly still a little cloudy) idea of how Dewey Classifications are developed and how resource description can be.. I was going to write helpful, but really so very useful when done fully and correctly.

My students are also benefiting already. Because I understand not only what the information in the catalogue means, but how it was created and what other options there were (indicating not only what it is, but what it is not) I can help students to find or identify – in the non-FRBR sense – what it is that they need. I have a new appreciation for authority files and what can go wrong when they are constructed inexpertly. Having a look at the series classifications that come from SCIS now, compared with those that were downloaded a few years ago is one example of how these can be used effectively.

I find the SCIS website easy to use and the subject headings etc really quite simple. As long as one follows the rules, it is a straightforward enough process to identify what goes where and why. WebDewey, on the otherhand, I am still trying to wrap my head around. The concept of assigning a numerical representation to the topics or subjects of a resource seems simple enough, but when it comes to drilling down into the various options within each classification, I still get a little lost. The example of the motorbike repair given in the modules was a really good example. If you don’t know that there is a better option than the obvious one, how do you know to look for it? When should I spend time looking for other choices when what appears immediately seems an ok fit? This I am still pondering and I suspect the answer will lie in the realm of experience and becoming increasingly more familiar with the content.

I have very much enjoyed using the workbooks in this subject. I like that there is one correct answer and, if I understand well enough, I will be able to find it. And if I don’t find it, I can tell immediately that I have not fully understood and need to revise that topic. The practical nature of the subject, ie that it has to do with how the library actually works and is something I can put into practise right now, is an aspect of this type of learning that I have found very appealing.