Beyond the Dewey Decimal System

As a librarian working in a public library that uses the Dewey Decimal System to organize materials, I’ve seen firsthand how helpful—and sometimes confusing—it can be for patrons. The Dewey Decimal System organizes books and resources by subject, but it doesn’t always make the process of locating materials straightforward. One example of this is how Native American creation stories are categorized as folklore or mythology, while Christian creation stories fall under religion. This not only highlights the system’s potential to perpetuate certain biases, but it also raises questions about the relevance of such classifications in today’s world.

Moreover, the Dewey Decimal System can be challenging for users. For instance, if you’re looking for poetry, you’ll need to search under the 811 classification, but how many patrons actually know where to find this number or what it means? This is where the Cracking the Code: Beyond Dewey initiative from Anythink Libraries comes in. In the video, Anythink Libraries demonstrates how they developed a new cataloging system that moves away from numbers and instead uses topics and subtopics. This approach allows patrons to browse shelves based on themes rather than having to rely on the Dewey Decimal numbers.

While Anythink isn’t necessarily undoing the Dewey system, their initiative provides an opportunity for forward-thinking reclassification. It opens the door to a more intuitive, user-friendly way to organize library materials while also addressing some of the inherent issues with the Dewey Decimal System. The video walks you through how this new system was developed and highlights the potential for future library cataloging improvements.

References

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/cracking-the-code/3621760https://www.slj.com/story/The-Trouble-with-Dewey-libraries