All About Melvil Dewey

Brief Introduction

• Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey
• Founded the American library Association
• A librarian who invented the Dewey decimal system used in worldwide libraries

Early stage

• Born on December 10th, 1851
• Born in Adams Center, New York
• Interested in education and spelling when he was young
• He changed his name from Melville to Melvil. For a period of time, he wrote his last name as Dui, and took out his middle name.
• Attended Alfred University and Amherst Collage

Contributions(What he did)

• He worked at the Amherst Library when he was 21 years old
• He invented the Dewey Decimal system and registered the system to his copyright in 1876

Contributions Cont.

• In 1876, he established the American Library Association
• He stayed as the American Library Association secretary from 1876 to 1890
• He became the president of the association for two terms:1890 to 1891; and 1892 to 1893

Contributions

• He edited the Library Journal after he moved to Boston in 1877
• He started the first library school in 1884, which is a school established for librarians in Columbia
• Dewey moved to Albany in 1889 bringing his school with him.
• the school eventually returned to Columbia in 1926

Later years

• In 1895, Dewey and his wife Annie established the Lake Placid Club
• He left his position in 1905 and later reestablished Lake Placid Club in Florida

On December 26, 1931, in Florida. At age 80, Melvil Dewey passed away after suffering a stroke.

The Dewey Decimal Classification system is used in libraries all over the world.

Bibliography

• "Melvil Dewey Biography." Melvil Dewey Biography. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.
• "Middletown Thrall Library: Meet Melvil Dewey." Middletown Thrall Library: Meet Melvil Dewey. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.