The Dewey Decimal Classification System

How the Library is Organized

Melvil Dewey 1851-1931

In 1876, Melvil Dewey devised a system of organizing books.

He divided books up into 10 main subjects, and then assigned these subjects a number.

That way all the books on the same topic are together on the shelf.

The Dewey Decimal System

Mr. Dewey’s idea was so good, it has lasted for 130 years so far and spread to more than 200,000 libraries in 135 countries around the world!

Why?

The Dewey system helps libraries arrange items so library users can find them. It’s a lot like a neatly organized chest of drawers that you might have in your bedroom:

Socks in the top drawer

Underwear in the second drawer

Shirts in the third drawer

Pants in the bottom drawer

For example…

Let’s say you’re interested in bicycles. What you want to know about them will decide what Dewey Call numbers you’ll need to find:

Bicycle safety

Taking care of your bicycle

The history of bicycles

Bicycle racing

Each of these topics

is about bicycles,

but a book about

each of these topics

will have

its very own

Dewey Call number.

Bicycle safety 388.12

Taking care of your bicycle629.27

The history of bicycles 796.6

Bicycle racing 796.62

What is a Call Number?

Every book in the library is given a unique call number that is an address for locating the book on the shelf.

The call number is located on the spine of a book.

The call number is made up of two parts: the Dewey Decimal classification number and the first three letters of the author’s last name.

The Key to Library Call Numbers

CALL NUMBER TYPE OF BOOK HOW IT IS SHELVED

E EVERYBODY = PICTURE BOOKS

ALPHABETICALLY BY AUTHOR NAME

FIC FICTION = CHAPTER ALPHABETICALLY BY AUTHOR NAME

000-999 NONFICTION DEWEY DECIMAL NUMBER, THEN AUTHOR NAME

92 OR 921

OR B

BIOGRAPHY DEWEY DECIMAL NUMBER, THEN SUBJECT’S NAME

REF REFERENCE DEWEY DECIMAL NUMBER, THEN AUTHOR’S NAME

The Difference Between Fiction and Nonfiction

FictionBooks that are stories made up by the author. They are not true, but might be based on true events.

NonfictionBooks that are about real things, people, events and places. They are true, except for fairy and folk tales in 398 and literature in the 800s.

E

SEU

FIC

PAU

Fiction and Nonfiction Call Numbers

Nonfiction call numbers begin with a Dewey number, and then the first three letters of the author’s last name.

Fiction call numbers begin with E or FIC or F, and then the first three letters of the author’s last name. It’s still a call number even though there are no numbers in it!

599

GIB

Just Remember…….

FICTION CALL NUMBERS HAVE ONLY LETTERS!

NONFICTION CALL NUMBERS HAVE NUMBERS AND LETTERS!

+Except for Biographies, but that's a whole other story!

The Dewey System Has 10 Main Classes for Organizing Nonfiction Books.

Dewey # 10 Main Classes Kinds of Books

000-099 General Works Encyclopedias, almanacs, record books

100-199 Philosophy and Psychology Paranormal phenomena, ethics, how we think

200-299 Religion Bible, mythology, religions

300-399 Social Science Government, holidays, fairy tales, education, community

400-499 Language English and foreign languages, sign language, dictionaries

500-599 Natural Science Math, chemistry, biology, weather, plants, animals

600-699 Applied Science Inventions, transportation, cooking, pets

700-799 Fine Arts and Recreation Crafts, painting, music, games, sports

800-899 Literature Poetry, plays

900-999 History and Geography Countries, flags, biographies about famous people

Each of the 10 Main Classes can be further divided:

From Broad… 500 Natural Science

590 Animals

599 Mammals

599.8 Primates

…to Specific 599.88 Apes

Here’s another way to look at it…

The topics in the Dewey System are arranged into 10 main classes:

500 Science

600 Technology

700 Arts & recreation

800 Literature

900 History & geography

000 Computer science,

information & general works

100 Philosophy & psychology

200 Religion

300 Social sciences

400 Language

These 10 main classes are each divided into 10 divisions, like this:

750 Painting

760 Graphic arts

770 Photography & computer art

780 Music

790 Sports, games & entertainment

700 Arts

710 Landscaping &area planning

720 Architecture

730 Sculpture, ceramics & metalwork

740 Drawing & decorativearts

Each division is then divided into 10 sections, like this:

795 Games of chance

796 Athletic & outdoorsports & games

797 Aquatic & air sports

798 Equestrian sports & animal racing

799 Fishing, hunting & shooting

790 Recreational & performing arts

791 Public performances

792 Stage presentations

793 Indoor games & amusements

794 Indoor games of skill

Why the decimal point?

You’ll see all of these numbers on the

LEFT side of the decimal point. But what

about the numbers on the RIGHT side

of the decimal point?

796.046796.046

For a book on making cookies at home, look for 641.8654

For a book on Golden Retrievers, look for 636.7527

For a book on stained glass, look for 748.5

The numbers on the right side are used to divide a specific subject into even more specific parts of a subject.

It’s like sorting your music CDs by type of music, then by musician.

Dewey and Decimals

Think of a Dewey number as if it were dollars and cents! For example:

595.23

Comes Before

595.30

When in doubt, add a 0 (zero) to even out the digits after the decimal.

Locating a Book on the Shelf

Remember this rule for how books

are usually shelved!

You start at the left on the top shelf, and move to the right until the shelf ends. Then you go to the next shelf beneath that, and do the same-left to right, top to bottom, just like you read a page in a book!

What you do next:

Now go through the 2nd Dewey PowerPoint and learn more about specific sections and exactly how to find your books. See what you already know from this, and see what’s new in the advanced version.

The last slides will tell you what to do next.

Presentation created by:

Julie Favero and Diana Dorney,Librarians, Lake Oswego School District

Adapted with permission by:Garnetta Wilker, District Librarian,

Oregon Trail School District, September 2004

Adapted further, with permission, by:Ms. Tini Maier, Teaching Librarian, April 2014Including slides from “Get to know the DDC”

by OCLC: Online Computer Library Center, Inc..

All Rights Reserved

May not be used without permission