|
|
Article: Free Dewey!(From the Editor)(Biography)
- Article from:
- KMWorld
- Article date:
- October 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Information Today, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system has nine main categories, each with 10 major-category slots available to the left of the decimal point. Of the 100 major slots available, why then are 88 of them given over to Christian topics, with one each for Jews and Moslems? Why are Buddhists and Hindus confined to the right of the decimal point? Dewey guy must have been a bigot, and the Online Computer Library Center that owns the DDC must be some right-wing Christian evangelist group.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Not at all. The OCLC is a dedicated bunch of open-minded professionals, and Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) himself was a progressive on social issues. ...