Conference - Workshop "Application of Dewey Decimal Classification 23 (DDC 23)"

Hội nghị - Hội thảo “Ứng dụng Khung phân loại thập phân Dewey 23 (DDC 23) trong hoạt động nghiệp vụ của các thư viện Việt Nam (2014 - 2023) — Overview of the Conference - Workshop

Attending the Conference - Workshop, on the side of the delegates were Ms. Kieu Thuy Nga - Director of the Library Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Vu Hong Minh - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh province; Dr. Vu Duong Thuy Nga - Former Director of the Library Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Hung Cuong - Director of the Institute of Social Science Information - Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; MSc. Nguyen Huu Gioi - Chairman of the Vietnam Library Association; Dr. Nguyen Huy Chuong - Director of the Institute for Research and Development of Digital Knowledge, Chairman of the Northern University and College Library Association; MSc. Tran Thi Hong Xiem - Chairman of the Southern University and College Library Association, together with representatives of leaders and officials working in the professional fields of provincial/municipal libraries, specialized libraries, armed forces libraries, university libraries, and information and library training institutions nationwide; leaders and experts from IDT, UC Vietnam, Slib and D&L companies.

Document classification is an important step in the business process of information agencies - libraries. Besides its effective supporting role in organizing and managing information resources systematically and scientifically, enhancing accessibility, improving user experience, and at the same time being the foundation for diverse library products and services, document classification contributes to promoting the exploitation and exchange of information resources at national and international levels, especially in the new context.

Stemming from the need to use a unified classification framework nationwide, aiming to standardize the stages of library operations for the purpose of integration, exchange, and sharing between domestic and international libraries, the National Library has gradually researched and translated the DDC Classification Framework - one of the most widely used document classification frameworks in the world into Vietnamese.

The Conference - Workshop "Application of Dewey Decimal Classification 23 (DDC 23) in the professional activities of Vietnamese libraries (2014 - 2023)" was held with the aim of summarizing and evaluating the achievements and limitations after 10 years of applying DDC 23 - Vietnamese Edition; grasping the actual situation of applying DDC 23 nationwide; creating a forum for libraries to share and exchange practical experiences and effective methods to improve the quality of professional work, and at the same time agreeing on solutions to remove existing difficulties and challenges.

The Conference - Workshop program opened with a summary report in the form of a documentary report that truly and fully reflected the situation of DDC application in the Vietnamese library system. Since approaching the DDC Classification Framework, especially after the application of DDC 23, document classification in the Vietnamese library system has had positive changes, contributing to supporting the process of organizing the warehouse, helping to search for documents easily, quickly and accurately, facilitating the exchange, sharing and exploitation of information between libraries, saving operating costs. Up to now, the Dewey Decimal Classification Framework has been widely disseminated nationwide, and is the first choice for units to apply and develop application plans when conditions for conversion are available.

During the preparation for the Conference - Workshop, the Organizing Committee received many presentations from libraries and information centers across the country. These are all high-quality presentations, addressing the most core contents in the application and implementation of the DDC 23 Classification Framework.

At the Conference - Workshop, the delegates listened to a number of presentations by leading experts in the library field and representatives directly involved in document classification and cataloging. The presentations focused on studying theoretical and practical issues in applying the DDC 23 Classification Framework; the advantages, difficulties and requirements for document classification using DDC 23; the role of "new cataloging" human resources in the context of technological impact, digital transformation of library activities...

Also within the framework of this Scientific Conference - Workshop, the exchange, discussion and group work sections were included in the official working program to create a forum for exchanging and sharing issues surrounding the application of the Dewey Decimal Classification Framework in an effective and practical manner.

With a frank, democratic and scientific spirit, the Conference - Workshop recorded many opinions and shared experiences, truly becoming a common forum for experts and officials directly responsible for document classification.

After a serious and responsible working program, the Conference - Workshop was a great success and achieved the set goals:

(1) The conference agreed with the synthesis and assessment of the National Library of Vietnam on the application of DDC 23 in the professional activities of Vietnamese libraries in recent times. After 10 years, the application of DDC 23 in the professional activities of Vietnamese libraries has achieved remarkable achievements:

- The policy of applying DDC 23 in the entire library sector has received attention from leaders and managers of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, relevant departments and branches, and professional guidance and support from the National Library of Vietnam.

- DDC 23 is well received by libraries, with high consensus on the application policy. Currently, DDC 23 is a classification framework commonly applied in information agencies and libraries in the country.

- Training and coaching on the use of DDC 23 has been promptly implemented by the National Library in many diverse forms. Schools specializing in library and information technology have also included DDC 23 in their official curriculum.

- DDC 23 has overcome the limitations of the shortened edition DDC 14, updating new scientific and technological issues, geographical, political and historical changes of the world in general and of Vietnam in particular.

- Promote the role as a platform to enhance the ability to connect and share documents between information and library units to save effort, time, and costs, meeting the requirements of the interconnection trend between libraries in the same system, in the same country, and around the world.

- DDC 23 supports many library operations, especially in organizing and arranging library warehouses, helping to search for documents easily, quickly and accurately.

(2) Besides the outstanding achievements, the Conference pointed out the remaining limitations in the application of DDC 23:

- Documents applying common professional standards, including DDC 23 in the entire library system of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are currently of a recommendation nature. Inter-sectoral documents guiding the application and conversion of other classification frameworks to the DDC 23 Classification Framework have not been issued.

- Currently, the national library system still uses many different classification frameworks. Many libraries have not or do not apply DDC 23, mainly specialized and multidisciplinary library systems and a few public and university libraries.

- There are still some problems in the process of using DDC 23 in document classification that need to be resolved in the near future.

- Training and retraining are not organized regularly; advanced training courses are not organized with attention.

- Forums have not been created to exchange and share experiences on applying DDC 23. National conferences and seminars on DDC 23 have only stopped at organizing according to the implementation roadmap every 5 years.

(3) The conference also agreed to propose specific directions and solutions to promote the achievements gained in recent years and promote the application of DDC 23 throughout the system in the coming time:

- Propose the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant authorities to strengthen the role of state management in library activities, including professional activities. Issue directive documents, specifying issues related to standardizing professional activities, and unifying the application of DDC 23. Issue directive documents from the state management agency in charge on thoroughly disseminating book publishing units nationwide to participate in pre-publication cataloging.

- Coordinate with other sectors to develop documents and policies for the operations of specialized libraries, university libraries in general and data processing in particular.

- Optimize and utilize existing resources by collaborating, sharing resources, directory data, etc.

- Promote cataloging work on publications, share centralized cataloging databases to save costs, time and effort in the process of classifying documents.

- There is a plan to provide a Vietnamese version of DDC 23 on a web platform (WebDewey), ensuring updates, flexibility and ease of use for libraries nationwide.

- Actively apply new science and technology such as artificial intelligence to support document classification.

- Create online discussion groups on social networking platforms to discuss issues arising in the practical application of DDC 23. Build a group of experts to monitor, update, and supplement new content of the DDC Classification Framework, while actively and effectively contributing to the continuous development of DDC.

It can be affirmed that the policy of applying DDC 23 to the Vietnamese library system is a correct decision, in line with the development trend. The process of 01 decade of implementation has shown that the application of the DDC Classification Framework has achieved many achievements but also encountered many difficulties and problems. Based on the results obtained from this Conference - Workshop, it is believed that the application of the Dewey Decimal Classification Framework 23 (DDC 23) in the professional activities of Vietnamese libraries will continue to be promoted and become increasingly effective.

Group discussion program

News: Hong Van compiled; Photos: Hong Van, Ngoc Phuong

Source: https://toquoc.vn/hoi-nghi-hoi-thao-ung-dung-khung-phan-loai-thap-phan-dewey-23-ddc-23-trong-hoat-dong-nghiep-vu-cua-cac-thu-vien-viet-nam-2014-2023-20240920165611142.htm