Statistical Translation of Hierarchical Classifications from Dewey Decimal Classification to the Regensburger Verbundklassifikation

Classification systems are a cornerstone for knowledge organization as well as search and discovery in libraries, museums and archives. As different systems co-exist, translations are pivotal for cross-collection searches. This paper presents a novel approach for statistical translation of hierarchical classification systems. The translation is optimized for application in search and retrieval scenarios. Salient features are: efficient exploitation of the information implied by the classification hierarchy, scalability, and inherent protection against over-fitting. The approach has been used to translate the Dewey Decimal Classification to the Regensburger Verbundklassifikation based on a snapshot of German and Austrian library catalogs.