Overview of UDC Online

Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) is a classification scheme for all fields of knowledge. It is a document indexing langauge and a sophisticated retrieval tool. UDC Online is a hub of UDC schemes in multiple languages based on collaboration between UDC Consortium and UDC pubilshers in several countries.

Features

The new UDC Online is a complete standard edition of the scheme on the Web of over 70,000 classes extended with over 11,000 records of historical UDC data available for use in a number of languages. This online tool offers a number of functions to facilitate searching, browsing, parsing, validating, filing and building of UDC numbers. Searching and viewing of historical data is intended to help users tracing cancelled numbers and their redirections that may still exist in library collections.

The system provides a user-friendly browsing functions of UDC hierarchies. Browsing of alphabetical chain index allow for browsing alphabetical entries within a conceptual, hierarchical context.

What is UDC Online for?

UDC Online is a professional indexing and classification tool intended for UDC specialists in libraries and other bibliographic and information services. It is a UDC reference tool and is independent of any local indexing policies and principles that may guide the application of UDC. Although this is a user friendly tool, with many notes and instructions assisting in indexing it assumes that users are professionals familiar with UDC and document content indexing.

Languages

The system is driven by the UDC Master Reference File database, maintained in English and regularly updated by the UDC editorial team at their headquarters in The Hague. The language data is updated by publishers in different countries online via a translation tool and translated classes appear as they are completed. Through number searching and browsing, users always have access to the complete, standard and up-to-date UDC system. Text in classes that are not yet translated are shown in English and are indicated in a different colour. For each language users can see statistics of the available translated classes at the point of subscription and use. This approach enables users to see and use all standard and valid UDC numbers even if they are not translated.

Ownership and maintenance

The system is created, maintained and run by the UDC Consortium in The Hague in collaboration with publishers of UDC in other languages.

Updates

The UDC Online is updated biannually following changes published in the Extensions and Corrections of the UDC and released in the subsequent version of the UDC Master Reference File.

User support

User support (technical and related to UDC content) is provided for each language.