This article was co-authored by Kim Gillingham, MA. Kim Gillingham is a retired library and information specialist with over 30 years of experience. She has a Master's in Library Science from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, and she managed the audiovisual department of the district library center in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, for 12 years. She continues to do volunteer work for various libraries and lending library projects in her local community.
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For centuries, libraries have served an important role providing information for the public. However, for quite a while there was a major flaw in the library system: in a large collection, finding a specific book became difficult and tedious. To combat this issue, Melvil Dewey invented the revolutionary Dewey Decimal System. [1] X Research source This system spread far and made the lives of librarians everywhere a little easier. But the system is complex and largely unknown to non-librarians. This article will serve as a guide to various functions of the Dewey Decimal System (DCC) and how to navigate through its seas of knowledge.