Some Arguments against the Suitability of Library of Congress Classification for Spanish Libraries

This paper introduces the history of library classifications application in Spanish libraries and discusses the validity of criteria followed in the recent adoption of the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) by some Spanish university libraries. The suitability of the scheme for subject indexing and retrieval is analysed contrasting advantages and disadvantages from several viewpoints: practical aspects of implementation, value as a knowledge organization system, efficacy for subject representation and retrieval, user friendliness and adequacy to functionalities required in Web OPACs. From the theoretical perspective, the lack of adherence of LCC to some fundamental canons for building library classifications defined by Ranganathan is also pointed out. On the overall, the paper argues in favour of decimal classification systems.

Some Arguments against the Suitability of Library of Congress Classification for Spanish Libraries Articles