Classify All the Things: Enhancing LC Classification Data for Better Collection Assessment and Management

Abstract

The University of Minnesota is currently engaged in a number of projects for collection assessment and long-term space planning. Library of Congress (LC) classification is frequently used in project analyses to show subject area distribution across the collection and to divide evaluation work among subject specialists and collection managers. Although much of Minnesota’s physical collection is classified in LC, many bibliographic records lacked LC classification, making analysis and visualizations based on LC classification less complete and useful than desired. In 2017, UMN staff completed a multi-stage project to enrich bibliographic records with LC classification when possible. Drawing on classification data in holdings records and retrieved via OCLC’s Classify web service, we were able to enrich more than 1 million records with LC classification. This presentation will describe the project start-to-finish, including the technical work required, project outcomes, and ongoing work to provide classification enrichment. We will also discuss the reporting, analysis, and visualizations created based on classification data.