DUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 24 November 2003—OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. and The Library Hotel (New York, New York) have reached a settlement agreement regarding the use of the Dewey Decimal Classification system trademarks by The Library Hotel.
On Sept. 10, 2003, OCLC filed a trademark infringement complaint against The Library Hotel in federal court in Columbus, Ohio. Under the settlement terms, The Library Hotel will receive permission from OCLC to use the Dewey Decimal Classification trademarks in its hotel and in its marketing materials, with an acknowledgment that OCLC is the owner of the Dewey trademarks. The Library Hotel will make a financial donation to a non-profit organization that promotes reading by children.
"We are pleased that this matter has been resolved so quickly," said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO. "The agreement is a good outcome for both the library cooperative and The Library Hotel. It permits the use of the Dewey Decimal Classification trademarks at the hotel and in the hotel's marketing materials and acknowledges OCLC's trademark rights."
The Library Hotel also is pleased with this settlement. "We do not believe that our use of the Dewey trademarks in our beautiful boutique hotel near the New York Public Library infringes OCLC's Dewey trademarks," said the hotel's owner, Henry Kallan. "But acknowledging OCLC's Dewey trademarks and making a charitable contribution to promote reading by children, rather than spending money litigating, seems to be a reasonable way to resolve this matter."
About OCLC
Founded in 1967, OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing information costs. More than 43,000 libraries in 86 countries and territories around the world have used OCLC services including cataloging, reference, resource sharing, eContent and preservation services. OCLC and its worldwide member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, making it the world's largest and richest database of bibliographic information. OCLC is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, USA and has over 1,200 employees worldwide. For more information visit
More information on the Dewey Decimal Classification system can be found at http://www.oclc.org/dewey/.
About The Library Hotel
The intimate 60-room Library Hotel, located on "Library Way" at Madison Avenue and 41st Street in New York City, just steps from the majestic New York Public Library and the Pierpont Morgan Library was designed to feel more like a private club than a hotel. Each of the Library's elegantly appointed guest rooms is decorated with framed art and a library of books that relate to the room's specific Dewey Decimal theme. Guests can request a room based on personal interests. Henry Kallan, one of New York's leading "indie" boutique hoteliers, created the Library Hotel.
Additional information on The Library Hotel can be found at http://www.libraryhotel.com/.
