When cataloging an item on web site design/development using Dewey, which should be used, 005.72 or 006.7? What is the difference? When is one more appropriate than the other? We need clarification please.

At 006.7 is the instruction "Class here hypermedia, hypertext; web page design." There is no reference from here back to 005.72, so 006.7 is the computer science number for web page design. Use 006.7 for general works about the use of HTML and XML to create hypertext documents on the World Wide Web, and works that discuss web page design or effective web pages. The LCSH "Web sites--Design" is also mapped through PPT (People, Places & Things) to 006.7.

You found the reference to 005.72 because there is a SM (statistically mapped) LCSH at 005.72 for "Web sites--Design". This statistical mapping is based on Edition 21 practice, and has not yet been updated for Edition 22. The good news, however, is that all PPT mappings in the area of computer science (and law) were updated to Edition 22 numbers in the WebDewey June 2005 quarterly release.

Submitted by: Thanks to Joycelyn Brand at Dakota County Library System, Minnesota for submitting this question.
Last revised: 07 June 2005