An atlas of classification. Signage between open shelves, the Web and the catalogue
| Main Author: | Fabbrizzi, Andrea |
|---|---|
| Format: | Proceeding NonPeerReviewed Book |
| Bahasa: | eng |
| Terbitan: |
, 2014
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
http://eprints.rclis.org/22812/1/An%20atlas%20of%20classification.pdf http://eprints.rclis.org/22812/ |
Daftar Isi:
- This paper intends to present the in-progress project for the signage system of the Dewey classified shelves in the Library of Social Sciences at the University of Florence. The aim of classified arrangement in open access shelves is not only to direct users to works on a particular subject, but also to encourage them to browse works which are shelved in close proximity in the context of the same discipline, according to the hierarchic logic of classification. Classified arrangement in open access shelves can be effective if the characteristics, the fundamental elements and therefore all the potentials of class indexing can be expressed and presented to users in a visible and understandable way. In the case of the Dewey Decimal Classification these characteristics are the organization by disciplines, the principle of hierarchy expressed through both the structure of classified subjects and the notation, and the decimal notation, which expresses the coordination and the subordination of subjects. The signage system for the classified arrangement in open access shelves in the Library of Social Sciences aims to make clear to users the criteria with which the documents are organized, to indicate the position of the shelves in the physical context of the library as well as in the conceptual context of the Dewey Classification, and to display effectively all the classified subjects of the works contained on each shelf. The project for the signage system of the Dewey classified shelves at the Library of Social Sciences dates back to 2005: http://www.aib.it/aib/contr/fabbrizzi1.htm. In order to achieve its aims, this signage system integrates the library’s communication means at various levels, both in the context of the same medium and between different media: between the information signs at the head of the shelves, between these information signs and the library website, between the library website and the catalogue; the cross-media nature of this signage suggested also the use of the QR code. The initial project was to get the signs to interact with the library’s or the users’ computers, which, for the particular architecture of the Library of Social Sciences - a completely open environment - are generally in close proximity to the open shelves; nowadays, mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, due to their portability, seem to be even more suitable for this integrated system. The possibility to access the Web while moving from shelf to shelf allows this project to be put into practice even in environments which are structurally different from the one for which it was designed. This signage system creates a close relationship between the Dewey classified shelves and the catalogue: because of their material presence, the open shelves could be considered in turn signage for the electronic catalogue.