Rare Book & Manuscript Library
 

Melvil Dewey papers, 1870-1931

Summary Information

At a Glance

Call No.: Ms Coll\Dewey, M
Bib ID 4078696 View CLIO record
Creator(s) Dewey, Melvil, 1851-1931; Dawe, Grosvenor, 1863-1948
Title Melvil Dewey papers, 1870-1931
Physical Description 68.5 linear feet (106 boxes, 73 pamphlet boxes)
Language(s) English .
Access You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

Arrangement

Arrangement

Selected materials cataloged; remainder arranged.

Description

Summary

The professional and personal correspondence, papers, and pamphlet collection of Melvil Dewey, relating to libraries, the American Library Association, library classification, the Lake Placid Club, Columbia College, the New York State Library, and spelling reform. Included are notes for and a typescript of Grosvenor Dawe's biography of Dewey.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Conditions Governing Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Readers must use microfilm copy for Box 35A journals, i.e. diaries, which are fragile. Box 35A is missing (Feb 2020).

Related Materials

New York State Library School Records.Series III. Columbia University Libraries.

Librarians' Portraits Collection. Columbia University Libraries.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Alternate Form Available

Diaries are on: microfilm.

Ownership and Custodial History

Gift of Godfrey Dewey, 1943-44; gift of Forest Press, 1987.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Dewey, Godfrey. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1943. Accession number--M-43.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 06/--/89.

Revision Description

2020-03-23 Replaced PDF with structured finding aid. cml/kws

2023-05-10 Box 100 and 100A inventory updated by CLB

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Account books Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Biographies (literary works) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Diaries Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Financial records Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Notebooks Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Personnel records Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Photographs Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Reports Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Speeches (documents) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
indexes (reference sources) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

Subject

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
American Library Association Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Classification -- Books Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Classification, Dewey decimal Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Columbia College (New York, N.Y.) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Lake Placid Club Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Librarians Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Libraries -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
New York State Library Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Public libraries -- United States Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Spelling reform Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Melvil Dewey (1851–1931), born Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey, was an influential American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, a founding member of the American Library Association, and a chief librarian at Columbia University. His library supply and equipment company, Library Bureau, provided furnishings for many of the public libraries constructed by Andrew Carnegie's bequest at the turn of the 20th century, as well as filing supplies for business and government records management. Dewey was also a founder of the Lake Placid Club and an advocate for spelling reform and adoption of the metric system in the United States. Although Dewey's contributions to the modern library are widely recognized, his legacy is marred by documented incidents of sexual harassment, racism, and antisemitism. Under Dewey's leadership, the Lake Placid Club's official policies barred Black, Jewish, and other people from marginalized groups from membership. Dewey was also forced to step down from participating in the American Library Association following a series of incidents in which he sexually harassed prominent women librarians on an ALA-sponsored trip to Alaska.

All external visitors, including alumni, must meet the University's primary COVID-19 vaccination series mandate and are required to adhere to the University's COVID-19 policies . After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Series I: Catalogued Correspondence



Box CC1 Addams, Jane


Box CC1 Ade, George


Box CC1 Bacheller, Irving


Box CC1 Beach, Rex


Box CC1 Bell, Alexander Graham


Box CC1 Bok, Edward


Box CC1 Bowker, Richard Rogers


Box CC1 Carnegie, Andrew


Box CC1 Cortelyou, George Bruce


Box CC1 Dreiser, Theodore


Box CC1 Funck, Isaac Kaufman


Box CC1 Gilman, Daniel Coit


Box CC1 Hayes, Rutherford B.


Box CC1 Ochs, Adolph Simon


Box CC1 Rogers, Bruce


Box CC1 Scott, Charles Payson Gurley


Box CC1 Smith, Alfred E.


Box CC1 Smith, Benjamin Eli


Box CC1 Veblen, Thorstein


Box CC1 Walcott, Charles Doolittle


Box CC1 Washington, Booker T.


Box CC1 Whittier, John Greenleaf

Series II: Subject Files



Box 1 Adirondack Civic League


Box 1 Albany Civic League

2 folders


Box 1 Alfred University


American Library Association (ALA)


Box 1 Conferences, 1876-1884

4 folders



Box 2 Conferences, 1885-1892



Box 3 Conference, 1893



Box 4 Conferences, 1894-1897



Box 5 Conference, 1898



Box 6 Conferences, 1899-1904



Box 7 Conferences, 1905-1931


Box 7 Correspondence--Miscellaneous, 1905-1931



Box 8 Melvil Dewey--Notes in Shorthand


Box 8 Forms


Box 8 Finances


Box 8 Headquarters


Box 8 Histories


Box 8 Legislation


Box 8 Library Extension


Box 8 Miscellaneous


Box 8 Presidents


Publications


Box 8 General--ALA Catalog



Box 9 American Library Institute


Box 9 Publicity


Box 9 Publishing Section (2 folders), I887-I895, 1906

2 folders


Retirement Specimens


Amherst College



Box 10 Correspondence


Box 10 Miscellaneous

2 folders


Box 10 Billboards


Box 10 Birth Control


Box 10 Calendar Reform


Chautauqua



Box 11 Annual Reports--Finance



Box 12 Memos and Reports


Box 12 Classification


Decimal


Box 12 Correspondence



Box 13 Correspondence


Box 13 Proof Sheets



Box 14 Reprints


Box 14 Classified Material


Box 14 022.34-



Box 15 022.4-023.9



Box 16 025-029



Box 17 400-655



Box 18 Columbia College Library



Box 19 Columbia College School of Library Economy


Dewey, Annie


Box 19 Correspondence



Box 20 Correspondence


Box 20 A-F



Box 20A G-Rowley



Box 21 Rothery-Miscellaneous


Death



Box 22 Biographical Notes, Appreciation, Memorials


Box 22 Condolences


Box 22 Godfrey Family Affairs


Box 22 Miscellaneous


Box 22 Reading


Box 22 Shorthand Notes



Box 23 Speeches and Writings


Dewey, Godfrey


Box 23 Correspondence


Box 23 Writings


Box 23 Dewey, Melvil



Box 97 Account Books



Box 98 Account Books



Box 99 Account Books



Box 23 Autobiographical Notes


Biography



Box 24 Mss. Of



Box 24A Mss. Of



Box 25 Copyright--Correspondence



Box 26 Decimal Classification--Libraries Foreign



Box 27 Libraries Special--Spelling Reform



Box 28 State Library Association



Box 104 Biographies of



Box 103 Books from library



Box 96 Cancelled Checks



Box 28 Clippings



Box 29 Clippings


Box 29 Correspondence, 1876-1877



Box 30 Abbott-Butler, N.M.



Box 30A Caltell-Dye



Box 31 Eastman-Gunther



Box 31A Haase-Jordan



Box 32 Kappa-Nye



Box 33 0-R



Box 33A S



Box 34 T-Z



Box 35 Death



Box 35A Diaries

Diaries are fragile. Reader must use microfilm copy. Physical box missing (03/2020).



Box 36 Diplomas--Encyclopedia Articles



Box 95 80th Birthday Celebration--Letters of Congratulations to

2 bound volumes and 1 folder



Box 37 European Trips--Publicity



Box 100 Library Bureau--Director's Records



Box 105 Memorabilia of Melvil & Annie Dewey


Miscellaneous Papers



Box 92 A-Ed Administration; Administration Clippings, Scrapbooks; Administration--Handbooks; Administration--Library Supplies; Routines; Administration Papers by Cutter, Dewey, Poole; Advertising; Book Rarities; Classification; Editing and Printing.



Box 93 En-H Encyclopedias; Ethics; Filters, Fire Protection, Thermometers, Turbine Wheels; Finance Accounts, Payrolls, Forms; Finance - Accounts, Book-keeping; Health--Sanitation.



Box 94 I-S Journalism; Indexes and Indexing; Library Economy--Miscellaneous; Loans, Travelling Libraries; Mnemonics; Notes and Notetaking; Peace; Reference Works and Reader's Services; Religion, Church; Sex.



Box 99 Notebooks



Box 91 Personal Letterbooks, 1989 July 5--1894 July 2


Box 91 Personal Letterbooks, 1894 July 2-1895 November 5


Box 91 Personal Letterbooks, 1895 November 25-1897 March 3



Box 38 Speeches, Family Correspondence, etc.


Efficiency



Box 39 Correspondence



Box 40 Reports


Home Economics



Box 41 Correspondence--A-M



Box 42 Correspondence--N-Z



Box 43 Miscellaneous Pamphlets


Lake Placid Club--Florida



Box 44 Aims--Equipment



Box 45 Finance--Publicity



Box 46 Real Estate


Lake Placid Club--New York


Box 46 Churches



Box 47 Club Store--Contracts



Box 48 Correspondence



Box 49 Correspondence


Box 49 Director's reports, 1927



Box 50 Director's reports, 1928-


Box 50 Equipment, 1898



Box 51 Equipment, 1899


Box 51 Finance, 1910



Box 52 Finance, 1912


Box 52 Financial Reports, 1931



Box 53 Finances [Stocks and Bonds]


Box 53 Membership



Box 54 Miscellaneous


Publicity


Box 54 Club Notes



Box 55 Club Notes



Box 56 Club Notes


Box 56 Staff Bulletin



Box 57 Real Estate



Box 58 Real Estate


Box 58 Social Activities



Box 59 Sports--Water Supply



Box 60 Lake Placid Club--Riversea


Libraries


Box 60 Foreign



Box 61 Public



Box 64 Library



Box 61 Library Bureau, 1888



Box 62 Library Bureau, 1889-1897



Box 63 Library Bureau, 1898-1904



Box 64 Library Bureau, 1905



Box 100 Library Bureau Directors' Records, 1888-1900


Box 100 Library Bureau Stockholders' Records, 1888-1899


Box 100 Library Bureau Special Bulletins (salesman's bulletins), 1903-1910, 3 folders



Box 65 Library Journal--Library Schools--Miscellaneous



Box 66 Metric System


Box 66 Associations--Correspondence



Box 67 Miscellaneous--Speeches



Box 100A Meter-Diagram with Metric and English Scales, Tables of Weights, Measures, Etc. A. & T. W. Stanley, New Britain, Conn.; and 1 wooden metric and imperial ruler, undated



Box 68 Miscellaneous--New York State Conservation



Box 69 New York State Legislature


Box 69 New York State Librarian



Box 70 New York State Librarian


Box 70 New York State Library


Box 70 Clippings



Box 71 Correspondence--Fire



Box 72 New York State Library--New York State Library Association--Miscellaneous



Box 73 New York State Library School


Box 73 New York State University


Box 73 "A"--Forums



Box 74 Home Education


Box 74 Regents, 1889-1894



Box 75 Regents 1895, 1895



Box 76 Regents undated, undated



Box 77 Reports



Box 101 Photographs



Box 78 Pictures


Box 78 Melvil Dewey



Box 79 Miscellaneous



Box 80 Miscellaneous



Box 81 Quotations


Box 81 Readers and Writers Economy Company


Seymour, May


Box 81 Correspondence to M.S. Sharp,


Box 81 Miscellaneous Papers


Sharp, Katherine L.


Box 81 Death, Estate, etc.



Box 102 Materials



Box 81 Miscellaneous



Box 82 Shorthand



Box 83 Shorthand


Box 83 Simplified Spelling


Box 83 Correspondence, 1874-1891



Box 84 Correspondence, 1892-1903



Box 85 Correspondence, 1904-1913



Box 86 Correspondence, 1914-1931


Box 86 Simplified Spelling Board



Box 87 Spelling Reform


Box 87 Association--International Language



Box 88 Publicity



Box 89 Publicity



Box 90 Robert Pierce--Letterbook, 1895 March-April



Box 89 Wellesley College

Series III: Pamphlets



Box 106 P-1--Amherst College Publication


Box 106 P-2--Birth Control


Box 106 P-2--Calendar Reform


Box 106 P-3--Chautauqua


Box 106 P-4--Chautauqua



Box 107 P-5--Classified Pamphlets (D.C)


Box 107 P-5--010-020


Box 107 P-6--021-022


Box 107 P-7--023-025



Box 108 P-8--026-100


Box 108 P-9--300-374


Box 108 P-10--620-630



Box 109 P-11--376-613.12


Box 109 P-12--613.2-616


Box 109 P-13--640-653



Box 110 P-14--654-970


Box 110 P-15--Columbia College Pamphlets


Box 110 P-16--Dewey, Melvil


Box 110 P-16--Speeches, Articles, Letters to Editors, etc.



Box 111 P-17--Columbia College Pamphlets


Box 111 P-18--Dewey, Annie-Obituary


Box 111 P-18--Dewey, Melvil-Obituary


Box 111 P-18--Seymour, May-Obituary


Box 111 P-19--Dewey-Melvil


Box 111 P-19--Biography—Advertising [with related letters]


Box 111 P-20--Efficiency


Box 111 P-20--Advertising


Box 111 P-21--Notes, Lists, Rules and Clippings



Box 112 P-22--Pamphlets


Box 112 P-23--Pamphlets



Box 113 P-24--Pamphlets


Box 113 P-25--Pamphlets


Box 113 P-26--Pamphlets



Box 114 P-27--Periodicals



Box 115 P-28--Home Economics



Box 114 P-28--Advertising and Pamphlets


Box 114 P-29--Efficiency


Box 114 P-29--Periodicals


Box 114 P-30--Periodicals



Box 115 P-31--Home Economics


Box 115 P-31--Clippings and Periodicals


Box 115 P-32--Lectures and Schools



Box 116 P-33--Library Periodicals


Box 116 P-34--Library Pamphlets



Box 117 P-35--Lake Placid Club


Box 117 P-35--Pamphlets


Box 117 P-36--Libraries


Box 117 P-36--Pamphlets


Box 117 P-37--Library Bureau


Box 117 P-37--Publications



Box 118 P-38--Pamphlets



Box 119 P-39--Metric System


Box 119 P-39--Pamphlets



Box 118 P-40--Pamphlets



Box 119 P-41--Pamphlets


Box 119 P-42--Pamphlets and Publications


Box 119 P-43--Miscellaneous Pamphlets and Publications



Box 120 P-44--New York State University Pamphlets


Box 120 P-45--New York State University


Box 120 P-45--Pamphlets



Box 121 P-46--Pamphlets


Box 121 P-47--Pamphlets


Box 121 P-48--Pamphlets



Box 122 P-49--Pamphlets


Box 122 P-50--Pamphlets


Box 122 P-51--Publications



Box 123 P-52--Sharpe, Katharine L.


Box 123 P-52--Pamphlets


Box 123 P-53--New York State Library School


Box 123 P-53--Publications and Forum


Box 123 P-54--Prohibition


Box 123 P-54--Pamphlets and Clippings



Box 124 P-55--Shorthand


Box 124 P-55--Cards


Box 124 P-56--Shorthand


Box 124 P-56--Notebooks


Box 124 P-57--Notebooks



Box 125 P-58--Notebooks and Journals


Box 125 P-59--Notebooks


Box 125 P-60--Notebooks and Cards


Box 125 P-61--Pamphlets, Clippings etc.



Box 126 P-62--Spelling Reforms


Box 126 P-62--Pamphlets


Box 126 P-63--Pamphlets


Box 126 P-64--Pamphlets



Box 127 P-65--Pamphlets


Box 127 P-66--Pamphlets


Box 127 P-67--Pamphlets and Periodicals



Box 128 P-68--Periodicals and Articles


Box 128 P-69--Periodicals


Box 128 P-70--Periodicals



Box 129 P-71--Spelling Reform--International Language


Box 129 P-71--Pamphlets


Box 129 P-72--Pamphlets


Box 129 P-73--Tobacco


Box 129 P-73--Pamphlets



Box 130 P-74--Pamphlets, Clippings


Box 130 P-74--Duplicates of items in the collection



Box 131 P-75--Pamphlets, Clippings


Box 131 P-75--Duplicates of items in the collection



Box 132 P-76--Lake Placid, printed materials



Box 133 P-77--Lake Placid, printed materials



Box 134 P-78--Lake Placid, printed materials



Box 135 P-79--Lake Placid, printed materials and photographs



Box 136 P-79A--Photographs, card file box



Box 137 P-80--Lake Placid, printed materials