Enhancement of UDC data for use and sharing in a networked environment

Abstract

The authors give an overview of the present context of the development and use of Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) and describe the current work towards enrichment and improvement of the UDC data. UDC is a classification system used worldwide for organization and information access in various kinds of collections and information services. From 1993 UDC has been available for distribution to publishers and users as a database file which has initially improved the classification's potential for online use. From 1993 to 2007 the UDC vocabulary has been extensively revised and 14 updated UDC files have been distributed, on an annual basis. In order to take full advantage of this electronic availability, new developments should be carried out to support a better alignment between the forms and formats in which the UDC scheme is distributed and the classification's practical use in networked information services. The authors discuss different aspects that may concur with this aim, at the data structure, data content and data transmission levels. Examples include the possible provision of: an enhanced UDC data format; UDC multilingual data and UDC mappings to other subject indexing systems; UDC data exports in various other data formats that can be easily implemented, updated, shared or exchanged. In this context, a summary of current initiatives of the UDC Consortium is provided, notably in terms of renovation of the UDC technological management.