Melvil Dewey
Melvil Dewey | |
|---|---|
Dewey c. 1921 | |
| President of the American Library Association | |
| In office May 1892 – 1893 | |
| Preceded by | William Isaac Fletcher |
| Succeeded by | Josephus Nelson Larned |
| In office 1890 – July 1891 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick Morgan Crunden |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Swett Green |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey December 10, 1851 Adams Center, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 26, 1931 (aged 80) Lake Placid, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouses |
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| Children | Godfrey Dewey |
| Alma mater | Amherst College (AB, MA) |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Dewey Decimal Classification |
| Signature | |
Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey (December 10, 1851 – December 26, 1931) was an American librarian and educator who invented the Dewey Decimal system of library classification. He was a founder of the Lake Placid Club, a chief librarian at Columbia College, founder of what would later become the Columbia University School of Library Service, and a founding member of the American Library Association. Although Dewey's contributions to the modern library are widely recognized, his legacy is marred by his sexual harassment of female colleagues, as well as his racism and antisemitism.