• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.179-201
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• 2010

This study aims to analyze the word based classification used in U.S. public libraries and their implications for Korean libraries. For this purpose, eleven U.S. public libraries using the word based classification system were selected and the specific classification types, their motivation, collection size, methods used in the conversion from DDC, and pros and cons were examined. The result of the analysis shows that the word based classification system may be categorized into the two types: Dewey-free or Dewey-lite and its application methods are different case by case. As a result, the positive impacts and implied problems of the word based classification system for library use and library operation were examined. In addition, the new system's implications on the Korean libraries were also discussed.