<P> 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 . 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 . </P> <P> The Decimal Classification introduced the concepts of relative location and relative index which allow new books to be added to a library in their appropriate location based on subject . Libraries previously had given books permanent shelf locations that were related to the order of acquisition rather than topic . The classification's notation makes use of three - digit Arabic numerals for main classes, with fractional decimals allowing expansion for further detail . Using Arabic numerals for symbols, it is flexible to the degree that numbers can be expanded in linear fashion to cover special aspects of general subjects . A library assigns a classification number that unambiguously locates a particular volume in a position relative to other books in the library, on the basis of its subject . The number makes it possible to find any book and to return it to its proper place on the library shelves . The classification system is used in 200,000 libraries in at least 135 countries . </P>

Who was the dewey decimal system created by