The System of Versions of the Library Bibliographic Classification: Evolution and Modernisation

Abstract

The Library Bibliographic Classification (LBC) is the national classification sistem of the Russian Federation. Its support is one of the priority areas of activity of the Russian State Library. The LBC is used in most libraries of the country, fully covering the most numerous groups — public and school libraries, all central libraries of the entities of the Russian Federation, libraries for children and youth, special libraries for the blind and visually impaired persons, libraries of higher educational institutions, libraries of the armed forces of the Russian Federation as well as part of the libraries of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), other systems and authorities.The work with the LBC involves its development as a system of versions and publications (maintaining the standard of the LBC schedules in machine-readable form; timely updating the content and structure of the LBC; preparation, publishing, and distribution of the Abridged, Medium and Complete LBC schedules in printed and machine-readable forms, immediate changes and corrections to the schedules). There is a need for methods to systematise documents on the basis of the LBC, provision of consulting work to the library network of the country (conducting training seminars, publishing recommendations and practical guide-books, conducting operational consulting, using available communication channels); maintaining the system of training and professional development of personnel, etc.Since the 2000s, all areas of scientific and practical activity on the management of the LBC have focused on the task of modernising the national classification system. The paper analyses the system of versions of the LBC which was implemented in the form of various versions of the classification schedules. The identifying features are the title and the year of publication. The main schedules are Complete, Medium, and Abridged schedules which are supplemented with Special ones. The article presents the historical evolution of the system of BC versions depending on the conditions of its functioning. The theoretical justification is given and the problems of practical implementation of the modernisation of the schedules are considered.