Classification Review

When the librarians began to organize the monks' collections, we created catalog records employing what's called "copy cataloging". This is basically a process of taking machine readable code from trusted sources, and importing it into catalog software. We hummed along for several years using this standard practice, but paid only occasional attention to which edition of Dewey Decimal Classification was associated with the call numbers imported with each record. The net result of this is that now there are some disruptions within the logical hierarchy of subjects, which are most obvious to community members who browse the shelves for a good book to read. Of course, the catalog will direct monks to the specific location of books, but many find it more enjoyable to go directly to the shelves.

Realization of the classification problem was slow in coming. We librarians should have known this was an issue for the community when they first brought it to our attention in 2003. Our response was simply that the community needed to be educated on the conceptual subdivisions of the Dewey 200 religion class. But very little would get in the way of our rapid-fire copy cataloging machine. When the cataloging process was slowed to a halt last Spring due to space constraints, it turned into an opportunity to review what had been accomplished since the beginnings in 2001. Taking time to examine some rather glaring examples of mis-classification led to a reconsideration of both the classification system in use and our standard for accepting imported bibliographic records.

With time to think things over, some research, and discussion with more experienced librarians, we began to look at alternate classification systems. Would a change to the Library of Congress Classification System give us a more satisfying taxonomy? Greater accommodation for very specific subjects? More stability with respect to classification authority? Could a retrospective conversion of nearly six thousand records be completed by one person in a short period of time?

Turning to the literature on the philosophical underpinnings on the major classification systems, we were encouraged by what we found in John L. Gresham Jr.'s article, "The Place of Religion in the Universe of Knowledge according to Various Systems of Bibliographic Classification." (See Journal of Religious & Theological Information Vol.2 (1) 1994). Dewey looked at the body of religious knowledge through a decidedly Christian lens. In fact, he left only a few call numbers at the end of the 200 class (the 290s) for non-Christian religions. While about half the collection at Norcia are theological monographs, the remainder are non-religious. For serious reading, the community members draw primarily on the books located within the 200 class. Conceptually it makes sense to employ the religious sensibility of a class which originated from a Christian worldview. However, Roman Catholic subjects do not necessarily fit well within this class, yet the system is pliable enough to allow for modification.

For our purposes, we will likely continue with Dewey classification, but review all records to ensure that a single edition (20th), will be used to ensure consistency. In December, this librarian will seek to correct some of the more glaring deficiencies, and add some discrete signs to delineate the major divisions within the 200 scheme.

Are you following Fr. Benedict's Nuncium posts? Are you interested in further coverage of the monastery or Norcia itself? Google Alerts is a free notification system which harvests keywords you provide and delivers articles, blog entries, and other web content to you by email or feeds. This service began in 2003, and is attracting librarians who use it to track any topic. Visit http://www.google.com/alerts for further detail.

Recent Additions :the Fathers

Augustine
The Works of Saint Augustine: expositions of the Psalms / III-XV
PAT 189.2 .A92 2006












Gregory, of Nyssa, Saint, 335-394.
De vita Moysis.
La vita de Mose.
PAT 222.109 .M6 G731 2001















Origene.
74 Omelie sul Libro dei Salmi / traduzione e adattamento di Gerolamo; introduzione, traduzione e note di Giovanni Coppa.
PAT 223.206 .O69 S171 1993


Tezzo, Giovanni.
La Trinita di Sant' Ilario di Poitiers / a cura di Giovanni Tezzo.
PAT 231 .I27 T832 1971
















Leo I, Pope, (d.461).
I Sermoni di Leone Magno: fra storia e teologia.
PAT 239.3 .L43 1997

Sant' Agostino.
Un Canto a Deici Corde
PAT 242.2 .A6

Sant' Agostino.
Le Confessioni.
PAT 242.2 .A6 1949


St. John of Damascus.
On the Divine Images.
PAT 248.3 .J62 1994


Cassiano, Govanni.
Le Istituzioni Cenobitiche.
PAT 248.47 .C345 1989














Bouyer, Louis.
La Spiritualita dei Padri
PAT 248 .B782 1988

Publications about our Library

For information on the initial organization of our library, read

• Allen, E. and Wolf, M. (2005). To each monk his book: providing access through collection organization at Norcia's new library. Journal of Access Services, 3 (1), 1-16.

For an assessment on the development of our library, read

• Allen, E. (2006). Ranganathan’s third law and access at Norcia: an assessment. Journal ofAccess Services, 4 (3/4).

One of our librarians was recently featured in The Palm Beach Post newspaper:

Library association leader lives life of many chapters July 30, 2008.

The Spring 2008 issue of the ATLA Newsletter carried a summary of our librarians' December 2007 visit.

Tempo Ordinario

Vogüé, Adalbert de
De Saint Pachôme à Jean Cassien : études littéraires et doctrinales
BR1720.P23 V64 1996


Ammassari, Antonio
Il Vangelo di Matteo nella colonna latina del Bezae codex Cantabrigiensis : note di commento sulla struttura letteraria, la punteggiatura, le lezioni e le citazioni bibliche
BS2575.2 .A46 1996

Pellesi, Oscar
Francesco d'Assisi, 1182-1226 : figlio del vento
BX4700.F6 P444 2004

Leclercq, Jean, 1911-
Regards monastiques sur le Christ au Moyen age / A contemplazione di Cristo nel monachesimo medievale
BT198 .L4315 1993

Minutella, Alessandro Maria
Il monaco pastore : San Gregorio Magno
BX1076 .M56 2003



Certose e certosini in Europa : atti del convegno alla Certosa di San Lorenzo Padula, 22, 23, 24 settembre 1988.
BX3315 .C47 1990

De Luca, Erri, 1950-
In nome della madre
PQ4864.E5498 I62 2006

Zolli, Eugenio.
Prima dell'alba / Eugenio Zolli ; a cura di Alberto Latorre.
296


















Svidercoschi, Gian Franco
In cerca del Padre : un posto per Dio nel mondo di oggi
BT140 .B3135 2007



















Sobel, Dava.
Galileo's daughter : a historical memoir of science, faith, and love
QB 36 .G2 S65 1999

Lacchini, Angelo & Claudio Toscani (a cura di)
Regina poetarum : poeti per Maria nel Novecento
PQ4219.R5 R44 2004

Pentecost

Bertolucci, John
On fire with the Spirit
248 .4 .B43 1984















Alberione, James
The Spirit in my life
231.3 .A331 1977
















Martinez, Luis M
The Sanctifier
231 .322 .M419 1957















On the Holy Spirit and on prayer : in honor of the First Council of Constantinople, 381
282 .W924 1982 (v.3)

Henry, Antonin Marcel
The Holy Spirit
208 .T97 1960 (v.18)

Bonetti, Angelo
Lo Spirito Santo e la Chiesa : celebrazioni della parola per la novena di Pentecoste, per la preparazione alla festa della Cresima, per catechesi di categoria
231 .3 .B712 1972




Biskupek, Aloysius
Come Creator Spirit
231 .3 .B622 1949

Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan
Theological and dogmatic works
PAT 252 .014 .F3 1963 ( v.44)

Paschal Season 2008

Augustine
Sermons on the liturgical seasons
PAT 252 .014 .F3 v.38


Bede. Homilies on the Gospels
PAT 252 .6 .B37 1991 v.2














Brown, Raymond Edward
The virginal conception and bodily resurrection of Jesus
232 .5 .B76 1973

Chupungco, Anscar J
Shaping the Easter feast
263 .93 .C53 1992

Congresso internazionale di liturgia. La celebrazione del Triduo pasquale: anamnesis e mimesis: atti del III Congresso internazionale di liturgia
204 .S7 v.102

Egeria. Journal de Voyage (Itineraire): et Lettre sur la Basse Egerie
PAT 281 .1 .S72 v.296

Gaillard, Jean
Holy Week and Easter: a liturgical commentary
264 .021 .G139 1957

Gregory
Ascetical works
PAT 252 .014 .F3 v.9+

Hamman, A.-G. (Adalbert-G.)
The Paschal mystery: ancient liturgies and patristic texts
264 .0272 .H234 1969

Hendrickx, Herman
The resurrection narratives of the synoptic gospels
232 .97 .H498 1978

John Paul
Easter vigil and other poems
891 .8517 .J65 A5 1979

MacGregor, A. J.
Fire and light in the western triduum: their use at Tenebrae and at the Paschal vigil
LIT 264 .0272 .M147 1992

Maertens, Thierry
Guide for the Christian assembly
264 .0203 .M185 1965

Marsili, Salvatore
Paschale mysterium: studi in memoria dell' abate prof. Salvatore Marsili (1910-1983)
204 .S7 v.91

Nocent, Adrien
The liturgical year
LIT 263 .9 .N756 1977

O'Collins, Gerald
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
232 .97 .O29 1973

Padovano, Anthony T.
Eden and Easter
213 .P3 1974

Raffa, Vincenzo
Liturgia eucaristica: mistagogia della messa: dalla storia e dalla teologia alla pastorale pratica
264 .02008 .R136 1998

Ratzinger, Joseph
Journey towards Easter: retreat given in the Vatican in the presence of Pope John Paul II
269 .692 .R381 1987

Schmemann, Alexander
Great Lent
263 .92 .S36 1974

Stevenson, Kenneth
Verdict on the shroud: evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
232 .966 .S74 1981

Thomas
The homilies of St. Thomas Aquinas on the epistles and gospels for the Sundays of the Christian year: to which are appended the feast-day homilies
PAT 252 .6 .T62 1996

Zeno. The day has come!: Easter and baptism in Zeno of Verona
252 .014 .A1 A6 1995