The Intellectual Foundation of Information Organization

Citation

Nicholson, D. (2003), "The Intellectual Foundation of Information Organization", Library Review, Vol. 52 No. 3, pp. 132-133. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530310465942

This is a significant work that anyone involved in the design of systems for organising information, or the academic study of its underlying principles, will find worthy of their time and attention, regardless of whether or not they regard themselves as professional information scientists or librarians (groups to whom it will be of particular value). Although the claim made on the cover notes – that the book is written at a level that makes it understandable to those outside the discipline of library and information science – is perhaps slightly overstated, it is fair to say that the work is generally accessible and should not present difficulties to anyone with a serious intention to study the issues addressed.

Elaine Svenonius, Professor Emeritus of Library Information Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, writes in a clear, concise, and controlled style indicative of a mastery of her subject area. This is further illustrated in the body of a work that examines the principles that underpin the design of effective information retrieval systems at a theoretical level, attempting at the same time to illustrate with specific examples where possible. Her theme is developed over ten chapters, covering, in outline:

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  Definitions, the central purposes of information systems (bringing like things together and differentiating between them), and problems associated with their design.

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  Four traditional objectives of systems for organising information (to find, identify, select and obtain) and a proposed fifth “non‐traditional” objective (to navigate).

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  The entities that populate the domain of bibliographic description, including works, editions, authors, subjects, together with an examination of their function.

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  Bibliographic languages and their components (vocabulary, semantics, syntax and pragmatics).

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  An account and evaluation of various principles of description (user convenience, accuracy, standardisation, and others).

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  Work languages – bibliographic languages used to describe the intellectual attributes of information entities (such as subjects, titles, authors, intended audience).

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  Document languages – languages used to describe documents rather than information content.

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  Subject languages – three chapters on vocabulary, semantics, and syntax in alphabetic subject languages such as LCSH and classification languages such as DDC.

In a short “Afterword”, the author speculates a little on future developments that would be “useful, possible, and also likely, based on an observation of developing trends”, identifying two trends dominating research and development in the field. The first is an increasing tendency towards formalisation, evidenced in the use of mathematical and entity relationship modelling, linguistic conceptualisation, definitional analysis of theoretical concepts, and empirical research. Under this heading, she identifies (amongst other things) a need for the development of a special purpose linguistics within Information Science, and for a universal solution to the problem of cross‐searching by subject, based on a language broad enough to describe any document and to accommodate the vocabulary of all users, regardless of their nationality and culture. The second is a tendency to extend the reach of automation to achieve traditional bibliographic objectives – the design of intelligent search engines and the provision of automated aids to assist cataloguing and classification processes being two examples noted.

The author states in the preface that a primary motivation for producing the work was a belief that the traditional principles, objectives and techniques developed to organise information within the field of library and information science can and should be applied to the digital world, and a consequent wish to facilitate its transfer across disciplinary boundaries. Whether it succeeds in this will be for others to judge. However, it is undoubtedly a worthy attempt and well worth spending time on.