A New Order for Knowledge: the Dewey Decimal Classification Arrives in the Library
The Library of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, recently renovated in its spaces, introduces an important innovation: the adoption of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) for the arrangement of open-shelf volumes. This is a significant step, bringing an internationally recognized standard into the Library’s environment and making the consultation of the printed collections more immediate and intuitive.
The DDC allows for a systematic and hierarchical organization of different fields of knowledge, assigning each volume a unique alphanumeric sequence. Created in the nineteenth century by the American librarian Melville Dewey, the classification has been progressively updated to overcome the historical and cultural limitations of its original formulation.
The Library has chosen to adopt the 23rd Italian edition of the DDC (2014), curated by the Italian Library Association and the National Central Library of Florence, which is currently the most recent version available in Italy.
This reorganization now makes it easier for users to locate books within the same subject area, arranged logically and consecutively on the shelves, thus facilitating both targeted research and the exploration of new content. Informational signs and an introductory brochure, also available in digital format, guide readers through the main sections of the classification. OneSearch, the Library’s online catalog, already reflects the new locations, providing precise information on the positions of volumes and lending procedures.
The introduction of the DDC, together with the recent renovation of the spaces, represents a further step forward in improving the services offered, aligning the Library with the best international library practices and responding ever more effectively to the needs of the academic community.
Cover image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
