VHSO - On September 19-20, 2024, in Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province, the "Conference - Workshop: Application of the Dewey Decimal Classification 23 (DDC 23) in the Professional Activities of Vietnamese Libraries (2014 - 2023)" took place, organized by the National Library of Vietnam.

Overview of the Conference - Workshop: Application of the Dewey Decimal Classification 23 (DDC 23) in the Professional Activities of Vietnamese Libraries (2014 - 2023)

The conference was attended by Ms. Kiều Thúy Nga, Director of the Library Department; Mr. Nguyễn Xuân Dũng, Director of the National Library of Vietnam; Mr. Vũ Hồng Minh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh; as well as representatives of leadership and professional staff from provincial and municipal libraries, specialized libraries, university libraries, and information-library training institutions nationwide. The University of Culture in Ho Chi Minh City was represented by M.A. Nguyễn Hải Gian, Director of the Information and Library Center; M.A. Nguyễn Mạnh Kiêm, Deputy Head of the Library and Information Department; and two professional staff members.

Ms. Kiều Thúy Nga, Director of the Library Department, delivered a directive speech at the Conference - Workshop.

At the conference, the National Library of Vietnam presented a report assessing the 10-year implementation of the Vietnamese edition of the DDC 23 classification, contributing significantly to standardizing professional activities and promoting the integration of Vietnamese libraries with the global community. Based on surveys, the National Library of Vietnam collected 257 responses from public, specialized, multi-sector, university, and school libraries. This provided a comprehensive overview of the application of DDC 23 in Vietnamese libraries over the years. The presentations highlighted both the advantages and challenges in applying the Vietnamese edition of DDC 23 and proposed solutions and recommendations for the future.

Delegates engaged in group discussions on issues related to the application of the DDC classification framework in the professional activities of libraries at the Conference - Workshop.

According to the National Library of Vietnam, the current usage rate of the DDC framework across libraries nationwide exceeds 80%, with nearly 70% applying DDC 23. In the public library system, 100% of provincial/city libraries use DDC, with 45 out of 63 libraries using DDC 23, achieving a rate of 71.4%. University libraries have an 89.1% DDC application rate, with 65.9% using DDC 23. In specialized and multi-sector libraries, 60% of units use the DDC framework, with 100% using the Vietnamese edition of DDC 23.

Delegates at the Conference - Workshop listened to the report evaluating the 10-year implementation of DDC 23 in the Vietnamese edition.

Document classification is a crucial task in the professional process of information-library agencies. In addition to supporting the systematic and scientific organization and management of information resources, enhancing accessibility, and improving user experience, classification serves as the foundation for a variety of library products and services. It also contributes to the exploitation and exchange of information resources at both national and international levels, particularly in the new context.

Delegates at the Conference - Workshop paid tribute to King Đinh Tiên Hoàng at the Hoa Lư Ancient Capital Special National Monument in Ninh Binh Province.

Since its early years, the Information and Library Center of the University of Culture in Ho Chi Minh City has used the BBK classification system with 19 classes as a tool for document classification. In 2007, the center switched from the BBK and 19 classes system to the abridged version 14 of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). The DDC provides detailed, comprehensive content and is more regularly updated than BBK and the 19 classes system. However, the abridged version 14 of DDC did not fully reflect the content of documents during the classification process. To address this issue, on November 29, 2013, the National Library of Vietnam published the full Vietnamese edition of DDC 23. In 2014, the Information and Library Center of the University of Culture in Ho Chi Minh City adopted the full Vietnamese edition of DDC 23 for document classification, continuing to use it to this day.

Delegates took commemorative photos at the Conference - Workshop.

The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system was created by the famous American library innovator Melvil Dewey (1851 - 1931) in the 1870s. The DDC uses 10 Arabic numerals to organize an entire collection of documents and libraries. The DDC was first published in 1876 with 10 main classes and 1,000 topics. It is the most widely used classification system in libraries worldwide. Currently, over 200,000 libraries in 140 countries use the DDC. The DDC classification numbers are widely used in the national bibliographies of more than 60 countries, including 15 in the Asia-Pacific region, 13 in the Americas, 8 in Europe, and 7 in the Middle East. The DDC has been translated into over 30 languages worldwide. One of its strengths is that it is continuously updated, revised, and republished. In 1988, the DDC became the property of OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), which was founded in 1967 in Ohio, USA. OCLC is a global library cooperative that provides shared technology services, original research, and community programs to its members and the broader library community. With thousands of member libraries in over 100 countries, OCLC helps make information more accessible and useful.

Hoàng Hải

Website Editorial Team of the University of Culture in Ho Chi Minh City

Source: https://hcmuc.edu.vn/bolg/hoi-nghi-hoi-thao-ung-dung-khung-phan-loai-thap-phan-dewey-23-trong-hoat-dong-nghiep-vu-cua-cac-thu-vien-viet-nam-2014-2023.html