This is a report and a state of the art review of the use of classification schemes in Internet services. Classification schemes have a role in aiding information retrieval in a network environment, especially for providing browsing structures for subject-based information gateways on the Internet. Advantages of using classification schemes include improved subject browsing facilities, potential multi-lingual access and improved interoperability with other services. Classification schemes vary in scope and methodology, but can be divided into universal, national general , subject specific and home-grown schemes. What type of scheme is used, however, will depend upon the size and scope of the service being designed. In this report a study is made of classification schemes currently used in Internet search and discovery services, particular reference being given to the following schemes: Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC); Universal Decimal Classification (UDC); Library of Congress Classification (LCC); Nederlandse Basisclassificatie (BC); Sveriges Allmäma Biblioteksförening (SAB); Iconclass; National Library of Medicine (NLM); Engineering Information (Ei); Mathematics Subject Classification (MSC) and the ACM Computing Classification System (CCS). Projects which attempt to apply classification in automated services are also described including the Nordic WAIS/WWW Project, Project GERHARD and Project Scorpion.

The report provides a good summary of the major classification schemes as well as a review of their use in Internet services. It will be of interest to people wishing to use classification schemes in their services or for those interested in seeing the research and methodology that lay behind the development of the DESIRE tools.