Contents
INTRODUCTION
The ClassWeb classification browser displays Library of Congress
classification data using a standard Web browser. It provides hypertext
links to related areas of the classification system, as well as other electronic
resources. This includes links from a classification number
to the bibliographic records that use that number. The software also
allows each user to attach private notes to any classification number.
These notes can contain any information you like and can also include links
to other classification numbers. The notes and any links you have
defined are displayed in red at the appropriate place in the classification
data.
There are three versions of the classification browser: Standard,
Enhanced
and Hierarchy. All three versions
operate in much the same manner: A user types in a classification
number, the system displays the classification data and then the user navigates
the data using the buttons and links that are provided on the screen.
In addition to the three different versions of the classification browser,
you also have a choice as to whether you want to use window frames or not.
This help page describes how to use the no-frames variety of classification
browsers. There is a separate help page
for the frames varieties.
The frames varieties split the display into three window frames (or
panes) that display the command buttons, classification hierarchy and classification
data in separate areas of the screen. This has the advantage of allowing
you to scroll through the classification data without having the command
buttons and hierarchy scroll out of view. In addition, the frames
varieties allow you to change the classification hierarchy that is being
displayed at the top of the screen by clicking on one of the records below
it.
The no-frames varieties, on the other hand, display the command buttons,
classification hierarchy and classification data all on one page.
When you scroll down in the display, the buttons and hierarchy at the top
of the page scroll out of view. Not only do you have to scroll to
the top or bottom of the page to use the command buttons, but it is not
possible to change the classification hierarchy at the top of the page.
The page is much less dynamic than is possible with frames.
CLASSIFICATION
BROWSERS
The three versions of the classification browser differ in the degree
to which they automate the application of classification tables in their
display. Classification tables contain information that is used in
more than one place in the classification system. This includes geographic
names, forms of material and any other subdivisions that can be reused
elsewhere in classification.
The Standard
Browser
The Standard browser displays the classification schedules with links
to other areas of classification and to the classification tables.
When you click on a table link in the Standard browser, the data on your
screen is replaced with the contents of the table.
The Enhanced
Browser
The Enhanced browser adds support for a calculator that automatically
merges classification table data into the main classification display.
When you click on a table link in the Enhanced browser, the table is loaded
in such a way that the table data appears to be part of the schedules data
(including properly calculated classification numbers). Please note
that the Enhanced browser will not automatically apply a table as you navigate
through the classification data. You must explicitly click on a table
link to jump to that table. The only exception to this is when you
type a number into the LC Class # prompt at the top of the screen.
The software will automatically apply tables to get you to the most specific
record possible with that number.
The Hierarchy
Browser
The Hierarchy browser goes the furthest in seamlessly integrating classification
data. This version of the browser automatically takes table links
as you move back and forth in the data. You navigate the data
hierarchically by moving down the one level at a time and by moving up
one or more levels at once. Like the Enhanced browser, when you type
a number into the "Class #" prompt at the top of the screen, the software
will apply as many tables as necessary to get to the most specific record
possible. The Hierarchy browser keeps track of your current level
and limits the display to that many levels of classification data.
By clicking on a link that says "Hide subtopics", "Show subtopics"
or "Apply table", you change the maximum depth that the browser will go
when creating the display.
THE DISPLAY
Classification data is displayed a page at a time, with anywhere from
twenty to one hundred records per page. You can change the default
of twenty records per page by starting classification using the Subsets
and Options link on the main classification
menu.
Usually, the amount of data that is returned with each classification
page will not all fit on your computer screen. In this case, you
can scroll the information up and down with both your mouse and your keyboard.
The mouse is used by clicking on the scroll bar at the right side of your
screen. Alternately, you can use the cursor keys, and page
up and page down keys to scroll the page up and down.
Please note that in order to use the keyboard, you may have to click
your mouse once inside the area you want to scroll. This is so that
the Web browser knows which area you are referring to with your keystrokes.
Once you have scrolled to the top or bottom of a classification page, you
must use the navigation buttons at the top and bottom of each page to fetch
another page from the server.
Each classification page consists of four sections. They are,
from top to bottom:
Navigation and
Command Buttons, and Classification Number Input Field
Not all of the following buttons will be displayed on the screen at
the same time. For example, either the "Schedules" or the "Tables"
button will be visible at any one time. The top row of buttons include
the following commands:
| Button |
Action |
| |< |
Returns the first page of classification data. |
| << |
Returns the previous page of classification data. |
| < |
Returns the previous 1/2 page of classification data. |
| > |
Returns the next 1/2 page of classification data. |
| >> |
Returns the next page of classification data. |
| >| |
Returns the last page of classification data. |
| Search |
Displays the classification search screen in a separate window.
From there you can search the classification data by various criteria. |
| Schedules |
Switches to working with classification schedules when working exclusively
with table data (generally only used for system maintenance). |
| Tables |
Switches to working exclusively with classification tables (generally
only used for system maintenance). |
| Logout |
Logs you out of ClassWeb. |
| Close |
Closes the current window. In cases where the software has opened
a new window for you (like when you click on the Search button), you can
close the window by clicking on this button. If the software is not
able to close the window because it was opened by hand, the main classification
menu is displayed instead. |
| Home |
Displays the main classification menu. This is useful for changing
to a different style of classification browser. |
| Help |
Displays on-line help in a separate window. |
The next row contains an input field for you to enter the classification
number you are interested in displaying. After you have filled in
a number, press the ENTER key or click on the "Go" button. The system
will locate the closest classification number to the value you input.
If you don't fill any value into the input field, the server will return
the first page of records in the database.
Hierarchy Display
This section of the page displays the full hierarchy of one of the
classification records on the screen.
Formatted Classification
Data
This section of the page displays anywhere from twenty to one hundred
classification records. The records are primarily indented according
to their level in the classification hierarchy. The data may also
contain links to other places in the classification system. For example:
For high technology industries
in general see HC79.H53
In this case clicking on "HC79.H53" would cause you to jump to that place
in the classification data. There are also "Cf." links and links
to classification tables. Some examples include:
Cf. HG6046-6051
Commodity futures
Food supply. Produce trade
TABLE
H18
Help Line
Provided you are using MSIE or Netscape, any time you want to know
what a link does, move your mouse anywhere over the link. The status
line at the bottom of your Web browser will display a help message describing
what will happen if you click on that link.
Classification Record Links
Each classification record on the screen includes a set of capital
letters in square brackets. For example:
HD9000-9999
Special industries and trades [H
E
R
B
N
S
T]
These links are used to perform actions related to that particular record.
The possible letters are:
| Button |
Action |
| H |
Display this record's hierarchy in a separate window. |
| E |
Edits the underlying classification record in a separate window.
This letter will not be displayed if your login account does not have edit
permission. |
| R |
Displays the underlying classification record in a separate window. |
| B |
Searches for and displays any bibliographic records with this classification
number in a separate window. |
| N |
Used for creating and editing local notes associated with
this classification number. |
| S |
Runs a subject correlation search in a
separate window for this classification number. |
| T |
Applies any secondary table to this classification number. This
letter only displays after you take a table link that defines one or more
secondary tables that are to be applied next. |
LOCATING A CLASSIFICATION
NUMBER
First, you must choose the appropriate link on the the main
classification menu. For most users this will be one of the "Schedules
Browsers". If you require direct access to the classification tables,
you must use one of the "Tables Browsers".
Schedules Browser
If you are using a "Schedules Browser", you can input a single classification
number or a span (by separating the two numbers with a hyphen). These
are examples of single numbers:
HD9000
HD9000.9.A1
KFN45
Please note that you can use either upper or lower case characters when
looking for a classification number. The following are equivalent:
HD9000.9.A1 and hd9000.9.a1.
These are examples of spans:
HD9000-HD9999
HD9000-9999
KFN1-KFN599
KFN1-599
When inputting a span, you can use the shorthand notation of dropping
the leading text characters in the second number. You should avoid
using any spaces in a classification number unless they are actually part
of the number.
Tables Browser
If you are using a "Tables Browser" you must always provide a table
number in your request. If the table can be found, you will
be "locked" into that table. The software will not go beyond the
end of the table if you are using the next page and next 1/2 page navigation
buttons. You also won't be able to back up beyond the start of the
table when using the previous page and previous 1/2 page buttons.
If you need to work in a different table, just input a different table
number and press ENTER or click on the "Go" button.
Here are examples of table numbers on their own:
H1
H16
KFA-KFZ
Note that you can use either upper or lower case characters when inputting
a table number. Both "KFA-KFZ" and "kfa-kfz" are equivalent.
In addition to just entering a table number, you can also add a space
and a classification number or span. Here are examples of table numbers
with classification numbers or spans:
H1 15.25
H16 5.A-Z
KFA-KFZ 11.4.A-Z
In case you were wondering how the software can distinguish between
the two hyphens in that last example (one in the table name and one in
the classification span), the tables browser looks for the first space
in your request. This is understood to be the table name. So
in this case, the "KFA-KFZ" is extracted, leaving "11.4.A-Z", which is
then interpreted as a span.
How Classification Numbers
are Sorted
Classification numbers can be either a single number (like HD9000)
or a span (a range of numbers like HD9000-HD9999). The first number
is sorted in ascending order, as you would expect. However, the second
number in a span is sorted in descending order.
Here is an example a correctly sorted list of classification numbers:
KFN1-599
KFN1
KFN6-20
KFN6-10
KFN6
KFN7
A record that has a single classification number (KFN1) as opposed to
a span (KFN1-599) will always sort after any others with the same first
number.
The Standard
Browser
If you input a classification span (two numbers separated by a hyphen
-- see above), the software will return the first record that has a classification
number that is greater than or equal to your request. Remember that
the second number in a span sorts in descending order when you aren't sure
why you ended up where you did.
When you input a single classification number, the software will return
the broadest record that matches your number. In the case of entering
HF1, you will end up on HF1-6182 (which sorts before HF1) instead of HF1
itself.
If this is not what you want, you can add a hyphen to the end of a single
classification number to tell the software to get to the most specific
classification number to yours. To get directly to HF1, you would
input:
HF1-
The Enhanced
and Hierarchy Browsers
Because both the Enhanced and Hierarchy browsers can automatically
integrate classification tables into the schedules data, they take a very
different approach to looking up a classification number. These browsers
know how to calculate a classification number when tables are used.
Conversely, when you are looking for a particular classification number,
they know how to deconstruct the number and automatically apply any tables
that are necessary to arrive at the calculated version of that number (tables
and all).
As a result, the default behavior when you input HF1 is to return record
HF1 and not HF1-6182. If you are inputting a single number (as opposed
to a span) and you want to find the span that is associated with that number,
you can add a hyphen to the end of your number to force the software to
do just that. If you were looking for HF1-6182, you would input:
HF1-
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