An Adams County library district is dumping the Dewey Decimal Classification system for organizing its books in favor of one that is considered more user-friendly.

Rangeview Library District Pam Sandlian Smith said the retail-based system called WordThink encourages browsing and is more intuitive than the classification system developed by Melvil Dewey in the 1870s.

The new system, which breaks down books into about 45 alphabetical categories, will be used at all six of the district's libraries and its outreach office by the end of the year.

A spokeswoman at the American Library Association says the group doesn't keep statistics on how many libraries might be moving away from the Dewey system.

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