In addition to teaching Greek and Latin, Gordis found himself charged as the library's manager. While acquainting himself with the materials, Gordis discovered that the library had no traditional classification system; instead, the books were arranged and shelved by subject after being logged into a ledger in the order of their reception. Aware that the expanding library needed a permanent solution, Gordis did some research and decided to employ the dictionary cataloging method and the Dewey Decimal Classification System.