Dewey Decimal System

What are the advantages/disadvantages of this system? Why was it developed? Who uses it? What are the basic principles of system? Are there any inherent prejudices or biases? Discuss any other interesting information about this type of library classification system. And finally, what system do you think you would use in your media center and why? Be sure to include a list of your references.

          The Dewey Decimal System, or Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), was developed by Melvin Dewey in 1876 as a way to classify the written materials of the world.  It was designed to organize all human knowledge, and more particularly, the materials in a library.  It is used by most public libraries in the United States, as well as in over one hundred other countries.  This system arranges books and other materials in numerical order based on category.  First, the numbers are split into ten classes, each divided into ten divisions, and further into ten sections.  This means that the number 931 is in class 9, division 3, and section 1.  The numbers correspond to different categories.  Decimals are used to divide the sections even further, allowing items to be classified more specifically.  It is possible for materials to be classified in more than one way in a computer or written system; however the materials can only be shelved in one place.  Every book has a Dewey Decimal classification associated with it, but not every library organizes all books using this method.

          The Dewey Decimal System has advantages as well as disadvantages.  One huge advantage is that it classifies all materials in a uniform way, and is so widely used.  However, all systems classify in some manner, and who is to say that popularity of a system makes it the best?  Another advantage is that it is very simple to organize shelves in a library and to put books back on the shelves.  People can easily put items in numerical order.  There are also disadvantages to this system.  First, it is difficult to add more subjects to this system.  The categories are already defined, and with the world changing and adapting, it is not easy to fit all new books into the predefined categories.  Yes, smaller more specific categories can be developed, but they still must fit into the broader defined categories that exist.  Another disadvantage of the Dewey Decimal System is that it is difficult for most people to use.  If a reader is not familiar with the system, the reader may struggle with finding the books, because he or she has not memorized the categories that match up with particular numbers.   Browsing in a library that uses the Dewey Decimal System is not an easy task.

          If I had a media center located within a school, I think that I would use a system similar to the bookstore method.  I think that the school is a rather small setting, and students typically browse for books within the school.  The bookstore method gives the library a more natural and comfortable setting.  Students are used to going into bookstores and would be able to find what they are looking for more easily.  I would probably use the BISAC classification if possible to create some type of uniform classification within the library, so that specific books could also be easily found.

References

Singleton, M. (2011, January 26). Bisac - in which we organize the bookshop sections. [Web log article] Retrieved from http://bookshopblog.com/2011/01/26/bisac-in-which-we-organize-the-bookshop-sections/

Wingett, Y. (2007, May 30). Gilbert library to be first to drop Dewey Decimal. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0530nodewey0530.html?&wired&nclick_check=1

Halsey, J. (n.d.). The Dewey Decimal Classification System. Retrieved from http://mypages.iit.edu/~smart/halsey/lesson1.htm

Dewey Decimal Classification. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2012 from the Wikipedia Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Decimal_Classification