Why do Libraries use the Dewey decibel system?

I am a catalog librarian and have cataloged using both systems: Dewey Decimal Classification in a large multi-branch public library, and Library of Congress Classification in a mid-sized university library. I can tell you that neither DDC nor LCC is inherently better than the other. Personally, I find the DDC more intuitive but I'll grant that LCC better reflects academic divisions in U.S. higher education.

The DDC is not any more "archaic" than LCC -- LCC is only twenty years younger than DDC, having been born in 1897 as opposed to DDC. Both have been in contuous development for over a hundred years -- the latest edition of DDC was released four years ago, and revisions are published regularly.

DDC is widely used in public libraries and in K-12 libraries. Most U.S. universities use LCC, but there are exceptions: Oklahoma State University and Purdue use DDC. Duke University recently changed from DDC to LCC, but I understand that the deciding factor was cost rather than the relative merits of LCC.

I prefer the Dewey system, I think the Library of Congress system is confusing and convoluted. The Dewey system is a lot simpler to me, but my local library and community college library both had it. The LOC system came as a surprise to me when I left for college. I think the NYC libraries use Dewey too.

A big switch might confuse the patrons, so maybe librarians are reluctant to do so.

I have been a librarian since 1974.

Dewey is fine until you have over 100,000 books. Most public libraries are smaller than that.

Dewey is easier to remember. However for specialty libraries and colleges with large collections, Library of Congress is better.

bwaaaaaaaaahahhahahahahah dewey decibel That actually took me a second but once it clicked in that's good my friend very funny

tradition?

and its probably just for the new libraries, i mean, who'd wanna go through all the books and change their orginazation?

what's a library?