Reflecting and Shaping World Views: Historical Treatments in Classification

Abstract

Examples of historical treatments in classification and categorization are abundant in our lives. In American pop culture, we often use decades as a framework to define, understand and interpret fashions, ideas, events, and issues. The 1960s, for example, represent to many Americans a time commonly associated with youth and rebellion and the first vivid images from the decade that come to mind include rock â n roll music and hippies. Another example is the simple categorizations applied by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) on their Website (http://www.nmwa.org/collection/) to organize its permanent collection into: the 16th-17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. In todayâ s widely used library classifications (e.g., Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification), historical treatments have always been a standard feature, seen throughout the schedules (e.g., 372.904 for â elementary education in the 20th centuryâ in DDC and PN720 for â literary history in Renaissanceâ in LCC).