Organizing Information: From the Shelf to the Web

Tomorrow's LIS professionals will have to be conversant with all the tools and techniques for organizing information in different domains - from the library's shelves to the web and digital libraries. This core text covers the organization of the entire spectrum of information, and the principles, tools and techniques needed to do this effectively. The most up-to-date textbook yet available on this subject, this comprehensive book covers everything from traditional cat & class, through to metadata, information architecture and the semantic web. Written by experienced lecturers in the subject, who have authored several other successful textbooks, this book provides both an overview of the whole field of information organization, as well as an easy-to-understand introduction to each of the individual topics, which can be followed up with further study by following the references at the end of each chapter. The chapters cover: • cataloguing • bibliographic format • classification • subject indexing and vocabulary control • organization of digital information • metadata • mark-up languages • ontology • information architecture • the semantic web • current research, issues and trends. Readership: A key student text for all information and library studies courses, the book is also useful for practising LIS professionals who need an understanding of the various tools and techniques they need to master to effectively organize information.

Table of Contents:
1. Organizing information: what it means Organization of information: what and why? Classification Purpose of classification Cataloguing Purpose of cataloguing Library approaches to organizing information About this book: why this book and for whom Summary Review questions References 2. Information organization in different non-library environments Introduction The online database approach The DBMS approach The expert systems approach Organization of information on the internet New approaches to organizing information on the intranet and web The semantic web Summary Review questions References 3. Cataloguing Introduction What is a library catalogue? AACR2 The process of cataloguing Subject access to catalogues Implications of basic cataloguing rules on OPACs Cataloguing of internet resources FRBR (Functional Requirements of Bibliographic Records) Entities and their relationships Importance of the FRBR Model Summary Review Questions References 4. Bibliographic formats: MARC21 and others Bibliographic formats ISO 2709: format for bibliographic information interchange MARC format MARC 21 UNIMARC format CCF Summary Review questions References 5. Library classification What is library classification and why? Classification schemes Types of bibliographic classification schemes Major library classification schemes Dewey main classes Classification of electronic resources Summary Review questions References 6. Subject heading lists and thesauri in information organization Vocabulary control tools Subject heading lists and thesauri Thesauri Subject headings lists and thesauri in the organization of internet resources Summary Review Questions References 7. Organization of internet information resources Typical characteristics of web information resources Metadata: why not bibliographic formats? Bibliographic classification schemes: are they suitable for organizing the web? Subject heading lists: limitations for indexing internet resources New tools and standards for managing internet information The semantic web Summary Review questions References 8. Metadata Metadata – what? Metadata – why? Metadata – types Metadata standards Dublin Core Other metadata standards ISAD and EAD TEI Metadata management Summary Review questions References 9. Markup languages SGML HTML XML: origin and meaning XML: what for? HTML vs XML Characteristics of XML XML documents DTD and XML Schema Summary Review questions References 10. Ontology Ontology: origin and meaning Ontology, taxonomy, and thesaurus Some common examples of ontology Ontologies: what do they do? Building an ontology: guidelines and methods Tools for building ontology Ontology languages: DAML+OIL and OWL OWL Ontology: role in information organization and management Summary Review questions References 11. Information architecture What is IA? Why do we need an IA? IA: what does it involve? How to Build an IA? Building an IA: approaches and stages Outcome of an IA exercise Summary Review questions References 12. The Semantic web What is the Semantic Web? How does the Semantic web differ from the conventional web? The semantic web technologies URI – uniform resource identifier RDF Semantic web applications Semantic web and information access Summary Review questions References 13. Information organization: issues and trends Cataloguing: FRBR and semantic catalogue network Metadata Classification in the digital age Ontologies Semantic portals and ontologies Semantic web technologies and digital libraries User-driven classification of web resources Conclusion References

About the Author :
G.G. Chowdhury BSc MLISc PhD FCLIP is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Strathclyde.Sudatta Chowdhury BSc MLISc MPhil is a Researcher at the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Strathclyde.

Review :
"This is a very thorough review of the area, and currency is very good." "The Chowdhury's have provided a detailed and up-to-date text book on organizing information in the digital era. The content is of immense practical value for librarians and information professionals involved in both traditional and digital libraries."