Are you having trouble finding

books?

Melvil Dewey invented the Dewey Decimal Classification System.Melvil wanted a better way to arrange books in a library.

What’s the Idea Behind the Dewey System?

Melville sorted books by subject.

Epistemology Chemistry

Why is Dewey a Good System?

The Dewey Decimal Classification System allowed newly acquired books to be positioned in library collections based on their subjects. Formerly, books were positioned by date acquired.

DDCS introduced the concepts of relative location and relative index.

Dewey Numbers

Each subject begins with a number. How do we know which number goes with

which subject?

General Subjects Areas

The Dewey System

The Dewey System organizes or arranges non-fiction books by subject

597.98 TRU 973.313 FRE 811.54 SID

Non-Fiction NumbersNon-fiction numbers are arranged lowest to highest.

001 is before 002 512 is before 513

796 is before 797

Nothing comes before something!

How does DDCS work? Dewey divides all fields of knowledge into 10 main classes, each identified with three Arabic numerals. Fractional decimals allow expansion and refinement of topics.500’s = Math and Science 510 = General principles of mathematics 511 = Sets and graphs 511.3 = Set Theory

. 311 = Arithmetic / group theory

511.311 Abo If You Were A Set

Non-Fiction Authors

In the Dewey System, books on the same subject can have the same number, but different authors.

The first 3 letters of an authors last name help identify books.

811 811 544 544BRO JAN SHE THO

Begin with Fiction: The Letters

Fiction books are arranged in alphabetical order by the first

three letters of the authors last name.

FIC = FictionPoe = Edgar A. Poe

SCARY

POE

FICPOE

THE

RAVEN

Generalities- the 000’s

This category includes books on the Internet, Encyclopedias, unexplained things and even Ripley’s Believe It or Not and The Guinness World Record Books.

Books in Generalities begin with Zero (000)

Philosophy – the 100’s

Books in Philosophy deal with right and wrong, and the boundaries of knowledge.

Books in the Philosophy section begin with 1 (100)

Religion – the 200’s

Books in the 200’s deal with religion.All religions are in this category

Books in the Religionsection begin with 2(200)

Social Studies – the 300’s

Social Studies books include careers, government, fairy tales and holidays

Books in the Social Studies section begin with 3 (300)

Languages – the 400’sBooks in the languages section deal with languages and grammar.

Books in the Languagessection begin with 4 (400)

Math & Science – the 500’s

Math and Scienceincludes books onchemistry, biology,physics and geology

Books in Math and Science section begin with 5 (500)

Technology – the 600’s

Technology deals with the application of science by humans to make things: cars,

medicine and farming

Books on technology

Begin with 6 (600)

Art, Sports and Leisure – the 700’s

Arts, sports and leisure includes painting, crafts,soccer, and magic.

Arts, sport and leisure books begin with 7 (700)

Literature – the 800’s

Literature includespoetry, plays and shortstories. Fiction books were originally placedin “813” which wasawkward

Literature booksBegin with 8 (800)

Geography & History – the 900’s

Geography andhistory includes ancient and modern history

Geography and History books begin with 9 (900)

Biography – the 92’s

Biography is part of Geography andHistory. It is a big section, so it wasshortened to “92”and placed on shelvesseparately.Biography booksbegin with 92