That IS the question. If you're a librarian, you already know the problems with the Dewey Decimal System. If you are not, let me just point out some of the more egregious ones. I'll start by giving a brief description of how the system works.
Melville Dewey conceived of the system in 1873 and it was first implemented in 1876. He divided the world of knowledge into 10 categories:
Melville Dewey conceived of the system in 1873 and it was first implemented in 1876. He divided the world of knowledge into 10 categories:
- 0-99 General Information, Computer Science
- 100-199 Philosophy & Psychology
- 200-299 Religion
- 300-399 Social Sciences
- 400-499 Language
- 500-599 (Pure) Science
- 600-699 Technology (Applied Science)
- 700-799 Arts & Recreation (originally Fine Arts)
- 800-899 Literature
- 900-999 History, Geography, Bibliography
Computer Science was squeezed into Gen Info when it was invented. "Recreation" (i.e. Sports, Film Making, Origami, Graphic Novels, etc.) was shoe-horned into Fine Arts. Technology is NOT Computers -- it's engineering, medicine, machines, and animal husbandry (pets, mostly). So, books about wild rabbits are in the 500s. Books about pet rabbits are in the 600s. Books about the moon are in the 500s. Books about going to the moon are in the 600s. Books about Greek Mythology are in the 200s. Books about ancient Greece are in the 900s. Some books about Muhammad Ali are in the 700s, some are in the 900s (looking at the subject headings gives me no clue why this is.)
I could go on! Next time we'll look at the subheadings and the problems there before we move on to the impracticality of labeling.
Stay tuned!
