The
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), or
Dewey Decimal System, is a proprietary
library classification system first published in the United States by
Melvil Dewey in 1876. It has been revised and expanded through 23 major editions, the latest issued in 2011, and has grown from a four-page pamphlet in 1876 with fewer than 1,000 classes to a four volume set. It is also available in an abridged version suitable for smaller libraries. It is currently maintained by the
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), a non-profit cooperative that serves libraries. OCLC licenses access to an online version for catalogers called
WebDewey.