Melvil Dewey

Melvil Dewey was an influential American librarian and educator, best known for creating the revolutionary Dewey Decimal Classification system. A co-founder of the American Library Association and the Library Journal, he was a driving force in the professionalization of librarianship in the United States. His career also included founding the Lake Placid Club and serving as the New York State Librarian, though his legacy is complicated by his advocacy for spelling reform and documented personal bigotry.

Early life and education

Melvil Dewey was born on December 10, 1851, in Adams Center, New York. He displayed a penchant for organization and efficiency from a young age. He attended Amherst College, where he worked in the library and began developing his ideas for systematizing knowledge. His time at Amherst College proved foundational, leading to his first published classification scheme in 1876, the same year he graduated.

Career and contributions

Dewey's professional career was prolific and multifaceted. Shortly after graduation, he moved to Boston and became a founding member of the American Library Association, serving as its secretary and later president. He also co-founded and edited the Library Journal, a critical publication for the field. He served as the librarian of Columbia College, where he established the School of Library Economy, the first institution for training librarians. Later, he became the New York State Librarian, overseeing the New York State Library and implementing significant reforms. He was also a proponent of the metric system and spelling reform, even changing the spelling of his own first name from "Melville."

Dewey Decimal Classification

Dewey's most enduring contribution is the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), first published in 1876 while he was at Amherst College. This system organized all knowledge into ten main classes, each with hierarchical subdivisions, using a simple numerical notation. It revolutionized library science by providing a practical, relative indexing system that allowed for orderly shelf arrangement and intuitive subject access. The DDC was rapidly adopted by public libraries across the United States and later around the world, undergoing continuous revision by the OCLC after Dewey's death. Its influence made it a cornerstone of modern librarianship.

Controversies and legacy

Dewey's legacy is marked by significant professional achievements overshadowed by personal controversies. He was a known antisemite, racist, and sexual harasser, behaviors that led to his ostracism from professional organizations like the American Library Association. His restrictive policies at the Lake Placid Club, which he founded, barred Jewish people, African Americans, and other groups. In 2020, the American Library Association voted to remove his name from its top honor, the Melvil Dewey Medal, due to his "documented history of racism, antisemitism, and sexual harassment." His professional contributions, particularly the Dewey Decimal Classification, remain foundational, but modern assessments critically examine his harmful personal conduct.

Personal life and death

Dewey married Annie R. Godfrey in 1878, who was an active partner in his business and club ventures. They had one child. In his later years, he focused on managing the Lake Placid Club in New York and a sister resort in Lake Placid, Florida. He died of a stroke on December 26, 1931, in Lake Placid, Florida. His papers are held by various institutions, including the New York Public Library and the Columbia University Libraries.

Category:American librarians Category:1851 births Category:1931 deaths