1. Dewey Decimal System

2. The Dewey Decimal System is a way to organize the library so you can find books easily
This way to find books was invented by Melvil Dewey

3. The Dewey Decimal System is divided into ten categories, or parts

4. The Dewey Decimal System (call numbers)

5. What is a call number?
A call number is made up of the letters and numbers on the spine tag.
A call number is the book’s address on the shelf.
Call numbers are Dewey numbers.

6. What is a call number?
The call number might be all letters or some letters and some numbers

7. Fiction Books
Fiction books DO have Dewey Call numbers—books by American authors all have the Dewey number 810—but there are so many, we leave that off and they are shelved with call numbers E (first three letters of the author’s name, or F (first three letters of the author’s name)

8. Fiction
Fiction Books are not true--these are stories that someone has made up.
We can find fiction books in the Everybody book section or in the Chapter books section in our library.

9. Non-Fiction
Non-fiction Books are true--these are real stories or informational books.
We can find non-fiction books in the Dewey section of our library.
Not EVERY book in the Dewey section is non-fiction. Fairy tales are fiction.

10. 000-099 General Works 000-Computers, The unexplained (UFOs, Big Foot)
020-Internet
030-Encyclopedias & Almanacs
060-Museums
070-Newspapers

11. 100-199 Philosophy and Psychology
130-Mysterious Happenings
150-Optical Illusions
170-Understanding Ourselves

12. 200-299 Religion 220-Old Testament Bible Stories
230-New Testament Bible Stories
290-Mythology, World Religions

13. 300-399 Social Sciences 300-Social Issues 320-Government 330-Careers
340-Court System
350-Military Equipment
360-Drugs, the environment
370-Education
380-History of Transportation
390-Holidays, Folklore and Fables

14. 400-499 Language 410-Sign Language 420-Dictionaries, Grammar
490-Hieroglyphics

15. 500-599 Science and Math 510-Science Experiments 520-Math
530-Physical science (motion)
540-Chemistry
550-Weather, Earthquakes and Volcanoes
560-Dinosaurs
570-Habitats/Biomes
580-Plants and trees
590-Wild animals

16. 600-699 Science and Technology
600-Inventions
610-The Human Body
620-Space ships, trains, and cars
630-Pets and farm animals
640-Cookbooks, organizing, sewing
650-Jobs and management
660-Chemical technology
670 and 680-Manufacturing
690-Building

17. 700-799 The Arts 710-Landscape art 720-Architecture 730-Origami
740-Drawing, crafts
750-Painting
760-Print making
770-Photography
780-Music
790-Sports

18. Literature
810-Poetry, plays, jokes and riddles (American fiction goes here—the everybody books and the chapter books but we don’t put the numbers on!)
820-Shakespeare and other books by British authors (Harry Potter)
830-German literature
840-French
850-Italian
860-Spanish
870-Latin
880-Greek and Roman
890-Other languages

19. 900-999 History and Geography
900-American History
910-Explorers
920-Flags, Biographies
930-Ancient Civilizations
940-Knights, Castles, Europe, WWI and WWII
950-Asia and the Middle East
960-Africa
970-North and Central America, State books
980-South America
990-The Pacific Islands, Australia

20. So….if you know the Dewey Decimal System you can….
Find books to help you with research
Find books about things you think are fun!
Find books for your hobbies
And even get better grades…
Happy Hunting!