Dewey Decimal

Intermediate 🎓 Education / Academia

Definition

A library classification system that organizes nonfiction books by assigning each a numerical code (like 641.5 for cooking) to indicate its subject and location. Developed in 1876, it was the dominant system for organizing public library collections in the United States.

Example Usage

To find a book about marine biology, I looked up its Dewey Decimal number in the card catalog, which told me which shelf it was on.

Origin

Created by Melvil Dewey in 1876; the system uses decimal notation to allow for detailed subject subdivisions.

Fun Fact

Despite the rise of digital libraries, many public and school libraries still use the Dewey Decimal System, making it one of the longest-surviving library classification schemes.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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