Hjorland, B (Hjorland, Birger) What is Knowledge Organization (KO)? KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION, 35 (2): 86-101 2008

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: bh at db.dk 

Author(s): Hjorland, B (Hjorland, Birger) 

Title: What is Knowledge Organization (KO)? 

Source: KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION, 35 (2): 86-101 2008 

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Keywords Plus: INFORMATION-SCIENCE; CLASSIFICATION 

Abstract: Knowledge Organization (KO) is about activities such as document 
description, indexing and classification performed in libraries, 
databases, archives etc. These activities are done by librarians, 
archivists, subject specialists as well as by computer algorithms. KO as a 
field of study is concerned with the nature and quality of such knowledge 
organizing processes (KOP) as well as the knowledge organizing systems 
(KOS) used to organize documents, document representations and concepts. 
There exist different historical and theoretical approaches to and 
theories about KO, which are related to different views of knowledge, 
cognition, language, and social organization. Each of these approaches 
tends to answer the question: "What is knowledge organization?" 
differently. LIS professionals have often concentrated on applying new 
technology and standards, and may not have seen their work as involving 
interpretation and analysis of meaning. That is why library classification 
has been criticized for a lack of substantive intellectual content. 
Traditional human-based activities are increasingly challenged by computer-
based retrieval techniques. It is appropriate to investigate the relative 
contributions of different approaches; the current challenges make it 
imperative to reconsider this understanding. This paper offers an 
understanding of KO based on an explicit theory of knowledge. 

Addresses: Royal Sch Lib & Informat Sci, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark 

Reprint Address: Hjorland, B, Royal Sch Lib & Informat Sci, 6 Birketinget, 
DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark.

Cited Reference Count: 46 

Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: ERGON-VERLAG 

Publisher Address: GROMBUHLSTR 7, 97080 WURZBURG, GERMANY 

ISSN: 0943-7444 

29-char Source Abbrev.: KNOWL ORGAN 

ISO Source Abbrev.: Knowl. Organ. 

Source Item Page Count: 16 

Subject Category: Information Science & Library Science 

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