{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,7]],"date-time":"2026-02-07T16:20:38Z","timestamp":1770481238217,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2008,3,7]],"date-time":"2008-03-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1204848000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,3,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to present a general overview with up\u2010to\u2010date information on the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) use worldwide.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The research combined e\u2010mail interviews with LIS professionals in 208 countries, literature research and information obtained from UDC distributors\/publishers (AENOR, BSI, UDC Consortium). The following categorisation of UDC use was offered: A \u2013 dominant system; B \u2013 used in some kind of libraries only; or C \u2013 rarely used.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper finds that, of the 208 countries contacted and researched through the literature in 2004\u20102006, the UDC was found to be used in 124 (60 per cent) of these. In 34 (28 per cent) of the countries researched (in Europe, Asia and Africa), UDC is the main classification system used across national information networks. In 45 (36 per cent) of the countries it is used in certain kinds of libraries. In the remaining 45 (36 per cent) of the countries it is used rarely, in only a few libraries or information centres.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>It was beyond the scope of this research to provide any information regarding the actual number of institutions using UDC in a given country or to give an estimate of the size and number of document collections organised by it. Although a decline in UDC use since the 1980s was reported from a number of countries, it was not possible to measure this accurately.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The interest shown for using UDC in the organisation of digital collections, information exchange and cross domain and cross collection resource discovery depends on accurate knowledge of its actual usage worldwide. This gives a measure of its global importance and verifies its credentials as an indexing standard. This research, which attempted wider and more systematic coverage than previous surveys, should help clarify the status of UDC and its potential use in the networked environment.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper provides up\u2010to\u2010date information on the presence of the UDC system across countries and languages.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/00220410810858029","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,3,8]],"date-time":"2008-03-08T07:08:43Z","timestamp":1204960123000},"page":"211-228","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Use of the Universal Decimal Classification"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"64","author":[{"given":"Aida","family":"Slavic","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b1","unstructured":"Anjer, J. (2004), \u201cUDC in Norway\u201d, private e\u2010mail message, 27 August."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b2","unstructured":"Balikov\u00e1, M. (2003), \u201cSubject indexing and classification development in Czechia in 2002\u20102003\u201d, Extensions & Corrections to the UDC, Vol. 25, pp. 9\u201010."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b3","unstructured":"Bampton, R. and Cowton, C.J. (2002), \u201cThe E\u2010interview\u201d, Forum, Qualitative Social Research, Vol. 3 No. 2, available at: www.qualitative\u2010research.net\/fqs\u2010texte\/2\u201002\/2\u201002bamptoncowton\u2010e.htm."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b4","unstructured":"Barnes, S.L.S. (1995), \u201cBSI DISC brief report on a UDC survey\u201d, internal BSI documentation, 27 April."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b5","unstructured":"Bell, B.L. (1998), An Annotated Guide to Current National Bibliographies, 2nd completely rev. ed., 2nd, K.G. Saur, M\u00fcnchen (UBCIM publications. New series 18)."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b6","unstructured":"Bell, B.L. (2001), \u201cNational bibliographies and the International Conference on National Bibliographic Services Recommendations: Africa, Middle East, and Asia\u201d, paper presented at the 67th IFLA Council and General Conference, Boston, MA, 16\u201025 August, available at: www.ifla.org\/IV\/ifla67\/papers\/143\u2010199e.pdf."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b7","unstructured":"Benito, M. (2001), \u201cThe UDC in Sweden\u201d, Extensions & Corrections to the UDC, Vol. 23, pp. 23\u20104."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b8","unstructured":"Bokos, G.D. (2000), \u201cBibliothikes stin Ellada: mia apopeira tekmiriomenis apotimisis tou topiou\u201d (\u201cLibraries in Greece: an attempt for a documented assessment of the field\u201d), Tekmirion, Vol. 2, pp. 133\u2010230."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b9","unstructured":"Diongue\u2010Diop, M. (1992), \u201cLes probl\u00e8mes de classification et d'indexation dans les biblioth\u00e8ques africaines\u201d, International Cataloguing and Bibliographic Control, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 44\u20107."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b21","unstructured":"Fjallbrant, N. (1990), \u201cIATUL survey of classification systems used by member libraries\u201d, unpublished report, IATUL, G\u00f6teborg, 2 February."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b11","unstructured":"Fugmann, R. (1990), \u201cUnused opportunities in indexing and classification\u201d, in Fugmann, R. (Ed.), Tools for Knowledge Organization and the Human Interface: Proceedings of the 1st International ISKO Conference, Darmstadt, 14\u201017 August, Vol. 1, Indeks Verlag, Frankfurt\/Main, pp. 65\u201077."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b12","unstructured":"Gilchrist, A. (1992), \u201cUDC: the 1990s and beyond\u201d, in Williamson, N.J. and Hudon, M. (Eds), Classification Research for Knowledge Representation and Organization: Proceedings of the 5th International Study Conference on Classification Research, Toronto, Canada, 24\u201028 June, Elsevier Science Publishers and FID, Amsterdam and The Hague, pp. 69\u201078."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b13","unstructured":"Gobyt\u0117, M. (2000), \u201cMartyndas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania continues classification of documents using the UDC\u201d, Extensions & Corrections to the UDC, Vol. 22, pp. 32\u20104."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b15","unstructured":"Harvey, R. (1999), Organising Knowledge in Australia: Principles and Practice in Libraries and Information Centres, Charles Stuart University, Wagga Wagga."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hewson, C., Yule, P., Laurent, D. and Vogel, C. (2003), Internet Research Methods: A Practical Guide for the Social and Behavioural Sciences, Sage Publications, London.","DOI":"10.4135\/9781849209298"},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hindson, R. (1981), \u201cUDC in the UK: a report on the 1979\/1980 survey\u201d, Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 93\u2010101.","DOI":"10.1108\/eb050774"},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b18","unstructured":"Hodge, G. (2000), Systems of Knowledge Organization for Digital Libraries: Beyond Traditional Authority Files, Council of Library and Information Resources (CLIR), Washington, DC, available at: www.clir.org\/pubs\/reports\/pub91\/contents.html."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b19","unstructured":"Holder, B. and Saarikko, J. (2003), \u201cGlobal Forest Decimal Classification revitalization\u201d, paper presented at the IUFRO Conference Information Interoperability and Organization for National and Global Forest Information Systems, Quebec City, 17\u201019 September, available at: www.pfc.forestry.ca\/interop\/pres\/holder.zip."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b20","unstructured":"Horton, F.W. (2003), \u201cInternational Federation for Information and Documentation\u201d, in Drake, M.A. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, 2nd ed., Vol. 2, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, pp. 1405\u20107."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"McGuinness, D.L. (2002), \u201cOntologies come of age\u201d, in Fensel, D., Wahlster, W., Lieberman, H. and Hendler, J. (Eds), Spinning the Semantic Web: Bringing the World Wide Web to Its Full Potential, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 171\u201094, available at: www.ksl.stanford.edu\/people\/dlm\/papers\/ontologies\u2010come\u2010of\u2010age\u2010mit\u2010press\u2010(with\u2010citation).htm.","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/6412.003.0008"},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b25","unstructured":"Nilbe, S. (1997), \u201cUniversaalse k\u00fcmnendliigituse (UDK), rahvusvahelisest levikust\u201d (\u201cThe Worldwide Use of the Universal Decimal Classification\u201d), Tartu \u00dclikooli Raamatukogu T\u00f6id (Publications of Tartu University Library), available at: www.utlib.ee\/ee\/publikatsioonid\/1997\/ryt\/sirje.html."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b26","unstructured":"Pedersen, N. (2004), \u201cUDC in Denmark\u201d, private e\u2010mail message, 10 April."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b27","unstructured":"Pika, J. (2004), \u201cUDC in Switzerland\u201d, private e\u2010mail message, 11 September."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b28","unstructured":"Qiyu, Z., Xiangsheng, L. and Dongbo, W. (1996), \u201cContemporary classification systems and thesauri in China\u201d, 62nd IFLA General Conference, August 25\u201031, 1996: Conference Proceedings, available at: www.ifla.org\/IV\/ifla62\/62\u2010qiyz.htm."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b29","unstructured":"Satija, M.P. (1993), \u201cA deserted bastion: classification and indexing in India a state\u2010of\u2010the\u2010art\u201d, International Cataloguing and Bibliographic Control, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 51\u20104."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b31","unstructured":"Slavic, A. (2004), \u201cUDC translations: a 2004 survey report and bibliography\u201d, Extensions & Corrections to the UDC, Vol. 26 No. 58, p. 80, available at: http:\/\/dlist.sir.arizona.edu\/649\/."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b32","unstructured":"Slavic, A. (2005), \u201cKnowledge organization systems, network standards and semantic web\u201d, Informacijske znanosti u procesu promjena, Zavod za informacijske studije, Zagreb, pp. 5\u201022, English version of the paper available at http:\/\/dlist.sir.arizona.edu\/1326\/."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b33","unstructured":"Slavic, A. (2006a), \u201cUDC in subject gateways: experiment or established field of use?\u201d, Knowledge Organization, Vol. 33 (submitted for publication)."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b34","unstructured":"Slavic, A. (2006b), \u201cA survey of the UDC use in web OPACs: a comparison of interface functionalities\u201d, Vjesnik Bibliotekara Hrvatske, Vol. 49 Nos 3\u20104, English version available at: http:\/\/dlist.sir.arizona.edu\/."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Soergel, D. (1999), \u201cThe rise of ontologies or the reinvention of classification\u201d, Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Vol. 50 No. 12, pp. 1119\u201020.","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1097-4571(1999)50:12<1119::AID-ASI12>3.0.CO;2-I"},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b36","unstructured":"Stoklasov\u00e1, B. (2003), \u201cShort survey of subject gateways (SG), activity\u201d, paper presented at the 69th IFLA General Conference and Council, World Library and Information Congress, Berlin, 1\u20109 August, available at: www.ifla.org\/IV\/ifla69\/papers\/152e\u2010Stoklasova.pdf."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b37","unstructured":"Strachan, D. (2004), \u201cUDC user survey\u201d, private e\u2010mail message, 19 and 22 August."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sukiasyan, E.R. (1988), \u201cClassification practice in the USSR: current status and development trends\u201d, International Classification, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 69\u201072.","DOI":"10.5771\/0943-7444-1988-2-69"},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b39","unstructured":"Task Force for UDC System Development (1990), \u201cTask Force for UDC System Development: final report\u201d, FID internal documentation, February."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b40","unstructured":"UDC (1990), \u201cUDC questionnaire \u2013 summary result\u201d, MB\u2010PCG 51 (to FID Technical Committee DOT\/3 \u2013 Universal Decimal Classification and to members of the UDC Management Board). UDC\/MB 50\u20105, unpublished."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_b41","unstructured":"Van der Walt, M.S. (2004), \u201cInformation on UDC in South Africa\u201d, private e\u2010mail message, 23 August."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_frg1","unstructured":"Estanbouli, N. (1980), \u201cLibraries in Syria\u201d, in Kent, A. and Lancour, H. (Eds), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, Vol. 29, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, pp. 394\u2010453."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_frg2","unstructured":"Haarala, A.\u2010R. (1991), \u201cThe role of UDC in Finnish classification policy\u201d, International Cataloguing and Frdgliographic Control, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 43\u20106."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_frg3","unstructured":"Jarvis, H. (1993), \u201cRestoring the frdgliographic heritage of Vietnam and Cambodia\u201d, International Cataloguing & Frdgliographic Control, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 42\u20105."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_frg4","unstructured":"MacMillen, S. (1992), \u201cVietnam, libraries and information services\u201d, in Kent, A. and Lacour, H. (Eds), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, Vol. 50, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, pp. 363\u201089."},{"key":"key2022031620252328400_frg5","unstructured":"Skretas, G. (2004), \u201cUDC in Greek\u201d, private e\u2010mail message, 13 September."}],"container-title":["Journal of Documentation"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emeraldinsight.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1108\/00220410810858029","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00220410810858029\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00220410810858029\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:37:54Z","timestamp":1753400274000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/jd\/article\/64\/2\/211-228\/195810"}},"subtitle":["A world\u2010wide survey"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2008,3,7]]},"references-count":41,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,3,7]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/00220410810858029"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/00220410810858029","relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-0418"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-0418","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2008,3,7]]}}}