Death to the Dewey Decimal System.

Every branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library will be closed Monday through Wednesday as staff embark upon a mission they’re calling the “bookshelf reclassification project” — rethinking how books are organized and doing away with the decimal system that has long flummoxed schoolkids and grown folk alike.

Officials said the GCPL experience will be more like bookstore browsing when branches reopen Thursday (Jan. 9).

“We looked at our collection and decided instead of organizing everything by numbers, which has been done for over 100 years, we have decided to organize everything by words,” Michael Casey, the library’s director of customer experience, said in a news release.

To further clarify: Instead of memorizing numbers (398.2 for fairytales, for instance), bookhounds will be able to peruse categories like “animals” and “cooking.”

“Words are easier to remember than numbers and many libraries in the country are taking this approach to create a more inviting environment for patrons,” library spokeswoman Dee Driver said.

Library patrons can still return books and use online resources during the closures.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Houston County sheriff's deputy Anna Lange outside the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. The court ruled Tuesday that the county's insurance plan for employees, which excludes coverage for sex change surgery, does not violate the Civil Rights Act. (Rosie Manins / AJC)

Credit: Rosie Manins

Featured

A pedestrian walks by the Mall West End in Atlanta on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Developers BRP Cos. and the Prusik Group are pursuing permits to begin work on the rundown shopping center, according to state paperwork filed Tuesday. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com