1. A simple guide to using the Dewey Decimal System
Searching for Books
A simple guide
to using the
Dewey Decimal
System

2. Melvil Dewey
In 1876 an American librarian named Melvil Dewey made up a way of classifying books called the ‘Dewey Decimal Classification System’
This system is now used in most libraries all over the world.
It uses 10 categories of numbers, with decimal places to group similar things together

4. Puts similar things together
Dewey Decimal System
Puts similar things together

5. Ten Main Classifications in Dewey’s System
The world’s knowledge is divided into 10 categories or groups.
Each group has a name and is represented by three numbers.

6. Dewey Decimal System
Insects
Sea creatures
591.77
595.7

7. You Can Judge A Book by Its Cover!
The Dewey Decimal Classification call number can be found on the spine label.
Why?
When the book is shelved, the Dewey Decimal Classification call number can be easily seen.
200Bya
500
Lee
000
Mea

8. The Dewey Decimal System brings order to the library.
The Big Ten!
Generalities – 000
Philosophy – 100
Religion – 200
Social Science – 300
Language – 400
Science & Math – 500
Technology – 600
The Arts – 700
Literature – 800
Geography & History - 900
The Dewey Decimal System brings order to the library.

9. Dewey System - 000s General Knowledge Encyclopedias
Books about libraries & museums
Journalism
Computers
Controversial or unexplained topics

10. Dewey System - 100s Psychology Philosophy Thinking about ourselves
Who am I?
Why am I here?
Ideas
Image from:

11. Dewey System - 200s Beliefs Religions Mythologies
Where did we come from?
Who created us?

12. Dewey System - 300s Communities - Learning to get along together Trade
Commerce
Politics
Government
Education
Law
Transport
Welfare
Folk lore and fairy tales

13. Dewey System - 400s
Languages
How do we communicate with each other?

14. Dewey System - 500s Natural Science Maths
Nature and the world around us
The universe
The earth
Animals
Birds
Reptiles
Fish

15. Dewey System - 600s Applied Science Technology
How we have changed the natural world to make it more useful
Anything that people invent, engineer, grow, manufacture, process and build

16. Dewey System - 700s Sport Recreation How people use their leisure time
Art
Craft
Dance
Music

17. Dewey System - 800s Literature
The stories, poems and plays people write in their leisure time

18. Dewey System - 900s Geography History Biographies
The rest of the world
How they live now
How they lived long ago

19. How do the numbers work?
The system uses numbers. The numbers have meaning, so that books on the same topic are grouped together.
Each book gets at least 3 digits (for example, 543)
After the third digit, a decimal point is placed and as many digits as necessary can be added after the decimal.

20. How do the numbers work?
A number can be taken apart digit by digit to get its meaning:
979.4
History
United States
Pacific Coast
California

21. How do the numbers work? 500 - Natural Sciences
Zoological science (animals)
Spiders, insects, crustaceans
(animals without backbones)
Insects
Lepidoptera (creatures with 4 wings & scales)
Butterflies

22. Location Codes E – Early Book (“Easy” nonfiction) J - Juvenile
REF – Reference
Middle School nonfiction starts with the Dewey number

23. Book Labels / Call Numbers
Location code (specific to our Library)
Dewey Decimal number
First 3 letters of the author’s last name J
Ter

24. Flashback! What Do You Remember?
Who created the Dewey Decimal Classification System?
What does the DDCS do for our library?
How many main classifications are there?
Where do you find the DDCS number on a library book?

25. In a decimal system, books are filed digit by digit--not by whole number. Look at this example,
331
331.01
331.02
331.1
331.2
It may also help to just add zeros to the decimal numbers. For example,
Which call number comes first?    
311.07
311.2