Use of Moys in Canada
Which law libraries in
There are two libraries
in
Until recently, the Law Society of Saskatchewan Libraries also used the Moys scheme. However, they are now in the process of transferring to the “KF Modified” scheme,(30) and are reclassifying materials accordingly.
Moys classification is also used in many private law firm libraries. Law firm libraries will usually have a good budget and smaller collections than other types of law libraries, so reclassification of materials will require less time and expense. These libraries are more easily able to select the classification system that works best for them.
Why and
how it is used in these libraries
The British Columbia Courthouse Library
The BC Courthouse Library originally adopted the Moys Classification Scheme in 1977, in order to be consistent with the UBC Law Library, which also uses Moys. As well as allowing consistency in classification, this also makes it easier for patrons who visit both libraries.
Although the Moys scheme is now in its fourth edition, this library still classifies according to the first edition. As Glenna Lund, Cataloguer at the BC Courthouse Library explained, reclassifying the collections in the thirty five branch libraries is too expensive and time consuming, therefore new materials are still classified in the same way. Exceptions are made for newer areas of law, such as computer law, when the library must refer to the latest edition of the scheme to find the relevant classification.(31)
Another reason why the courthouse library prefers Moys to Library of Congress (LC) classification is that it locates materials on one subject together on the shelves. The classification in the BC Courthouse Library is strictly topical, arranged by area of law and not by jurisdiction. Use of the KE class in LC classification would mean that, for instance, materials on family law could be located in several different places. Therefore patrons, including lawyers and members of the public, looking for materials on family law would have to search in many different areas of the library. This does not facilitate browsing of the shelves.
Since both the British (excluding Scotland) and Canadian legal systems are based on common law rather than civil law, the Moys scheme is more appropriate than LC classification, which groups classes according to civil law, and is therefore appropriate to libraries in Québec but not those in the rest of Canada.
One
limitation of the Moys scheme for the BC Courthouse Library is that it
is not as
detailed as
LC classification. The cataloguer has a copy of the KE schedules to
supplement
it when necessary. For example, the library does not use the Moys
scheme to
classify materials for jurisdictions in countries other than
Another
disadvantage of Moys for this library’s collection, and indeed any
Canadian law
library, is that, being a British scheme, it does not lend itself well
to the
classification of materials relating to First Nations law. Of course,
there are
other discrepancies between
Finally,
another drawback of the Moys scheme is that it is not widely used in
Despite these issues, the cataloguer believes that the Moys Classification Scheme still serves the BC Courthouse Library well.
As part of a large academic institution, serving scholars, researchers and others, the collection at the UBC Law Library is different in nature to the BC Courthouse Library, which is more practice oriented. The UBC Law Library also organizes materials more by form than other law libraries.
The UBC Law Library adopted the Moys scheme in order to improve the organization of the collection, which was previously arranged alphabetically. At that time, the LC classification KE for Canadian law was not available. However, according to the librarian responsible for cataloguing at this library, Nick Omelisuk, Moys is a more flexible option than LC classification since it can be arranged by jurisdiction or by subject area.(32)
The UBC Law Library classifies its collection as far as possible using the Moys scheme and it is rarely necessary to supplement it with any other classification system. The cataloguer believes that the UBC Law Library should maintain its use of the Moys scheme, as opposed to LC classification, unless the Moys scheme does not continue to be updated. The UBC Law Library is currently reviewing its use of the Moys scheme because of these concerns. (33)