University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Historical Development of The Dewey Decimal Classification System

Comaromi, John P.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/1778

Description

Title
The Historical Development of The Dewey Decimal Classification System
Author(s)
Comaromi, John P.
Issue Date
1975
Keyword(s)
  • Classification, Dewey decimal
  • Classification
Abstract
"Melvil Dewey was born on December 10, 1851 on the tenth day of the tenth month.* To this fact I attribute the reason why Dewey conceived his idea of using Arabic numerals decimally to mark the subjects of books. I call this, happily, the ""birthday theory."" At this early hour you may not embrace this theory. Perhaps you will find more to your liking the ""digital-clock-on-the-bar theory."" Parched by a long prayer meeting, Dewey repaired to a local tavern to restore his depleted spirits. While staring over his beer at the digital clock on the bar, he conceived his decimal plan. Fortunately, he had stared at the clock after one o'clock, but before ten, and when the hour did not change. This theory has two known flaws: Dewey did not drink, and digital clocks were not then found on bars or anywhere. I sense your reluctance to embrace this theory as well. Nevertheless, there are only two or three views regarding Dewey's conception that are better than the ""birthday theory"" or the ""digital-clock-on-the-bar theory."" None has been proposed that is worse, however, so I withdraw both."
Publisher
Graduate School of Library Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Series/Report Name or Number
Allerton Park Institute (21st : 1975)
ISSN
0536-4604
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/1778
Copyright and License Information
Copyright owned by Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1975.

Owning Collections

1975: Major classification systems : the Dewey Centennial PRIMARY
21st Allerton Park Institute (1975); Edited by Kathryn Luther Henderson