The Organization of Information

 Chapter 3:  Development of Organization of Information in Western Civilization

            In Chapter 3, we learn how people from around the world, for what seems like the beginning of time, have sought to be organized.  It is interesting to see how individuals from various walks of life have tried to make sense of what needed to be organized. Equally important to them was finding the best system of getting small and large scale organizing done.

            I must say that because his system is the one used to organize the books in my school’s library and because it took me no time to memorize his 10 main classes and many of the subsequent divisions and sections, I declare Melvil Dewey’s decimal system my favorite classification system, (so far).  What I like about the Dewey Decimal Classification, or DDC, is that library patrons can be at relative ease as they navigate solo through (school) libraries because subjects are chunked in related, recognizable groups.  As a lover of literature, I get enamored by the 800’s whereas my best friend who is passionate about pets can find out about her other best friend in the 600’s—636 in particular—as she learns all about dogs. I was recently given the 19^th edition of Anne Price’s Children’s Catalog.  Part One is entitled Classified Catalog, and it is arranged with the nonfiction books first, classified by the DDC.  I am excited to read through this part of the catalog to find new literature to add to my collection!