Melvil Dewey born Dec. 10, 1851, Adams Center, NY., U.S. died Dec. 26, 1931, Lake Placid, NY. American librarian who devised the Dewey Decimal Classification for library cataloging and, probably more than any other individual, was responsible for the development of library science in the United States. Dewey graduated in 1874 from Amherst College and became acting librarian at that institution. In 1876 he published A Classification and Subject Index for Cataloguing and Arranging the Books and Pamphlets of a Library, in which he outlined what became known as the Dewey Decimal Classification. This system was gradually adopted by libraries throughout the English-speaking world. In 1877 Dewey moved to Boston, where, with R.R. Bowker and Frederick Leypoldt, he founded and edited the Library Journal. He was also one of the founders of the American LibraryAssociation. In 1883 he became librarian of Columbia College, New York City, and there set up the School of Library Economy, the first institution for training librarians in the United States. The school was moved to Albany, N.Y., as the State Library School under his direction. From 1889 to 1906 he was director of the New York State Library. He also served as secretary of the State University of New York (1889–1900) and as state director of libraries (1904–06). He completely reorganized the New York state library, making it one of the most efficient in the United States, and established the system of traveling libraries and picture collections. "Melvil Dewey." Encyclopædia Britannica Encyclopædia Britannica Online.

Generalities Philosophy and Psychology Religion Social Science Language Natural Science and Mathematics Technology (Applied Sciences) Arts Literature Geography and History Dewey Decimal System of Classification

Class Numbers CategoryDescription General WorksEncyclopedias, Periodicals, Newspapers, Atlases, Almanacs, etc PhilosophyPsychology, Logic, Ethics, etc ReligionBible, Theology, Church, etc Social SciencesSociology, Economics, Law, Education, etc LanguageDictionaries, Grammars, Readers, etc, in all languages Pure ScienceMathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, etc TechnologyEngineering, Health, Medicine, Inventions, Television, Business, etc The ArtsSculpture, Drawing, Painting, Music, Sports, Hobbies, etc LiteraturePoems, Plays, Essays, in all languages HistoryGeography, Travel, Histories of all Countries and Ages

General Classification Indicate below the general classification numbers for each subject: 1.Fine Arts ____________________ 2.Science____________________ 3.General Works____________________ 4.History____________________ 5.Religion____________________ 6.Language____________________ 7.Useful Arts____________________ 8.Psychology ____________________ 9.Government ____________________ 10.Literature ____________________ 11.Sociology ____________________ 12.Philosophy____________________ 13.Mythology____________________ 14.Economics____________________ 15.Mathematics____________________