INFORMATIONMelvil Dewey

understood that all information

needs to be organized so we

can find, understand, and

use it.

Divide the other nonfiction books

into TEN big subjects.

2

Put biography books in their own section.

1

Give each book a

number to be a code for its’

subject.3

Shelve books in number order so

books of the same subject stay together.

4

MELVILHAD A GREAT IDEA!

000’

s100’

s200’

s

300’

s 400’

s

500’

s 600’

s

700’

s

900’

s800’

s

This is what the numbers mean!

EncyclopediasGuiness BooksMonstersUFOInternet

000-099

100-199

200-299

300-399

400-499

900-999

500-599

800-899

700-799

600-699

GhostsFeelingWitchesOptical Illusions

ReligionsBible StoriesMyths

MathAnimalsRocksWeatherPlantsPlanetsDinosaurs

PetsHuman BodyCarsTrainsCookingFarms

SportsGamesDrawingMusicArts

PlaysJokes and RiddlesPoetryShakespeare

WarsCountriesFlagsKnightsMummiesStates

HolidaysCustomsGovernment MilitaryFolklore.

LanguagesSign LanguageHieroglyphicsGrammar

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY

ART & RECREATION

LITERATUREHISTORY &GEOGRAPHY

GENERAL WORKS RELIGION

PHILOSOPHY &PSYCHOLOGY

SOCIAL SCIENCE

LANGUAGE

Subject of book

First three letters of the

authors last name.

The numbers were put on the spine of a book so it

would be easy to see. The author’s last name was

added too. This is called a

CALL NUMBER!

Melvil’s idea is called… DeweyDecimalClassification

Named after Melvil!

We say what kind of book it

is!

Call numbers use a decimal point that looks just like a period.

796.332

796.332NEL

NONFICTION CALL NUMBERS

796 = SPORTS

DECIMAL POINT

332 = FOOTBALL

ARTS & RECREATION700-799

NONFICTION books are shelved by number order by the call number.

796PIV

796.2ITA

796.962WAL

796.7ITA

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796.93ITA

1. Look at the first three numbers.2. If the first three numbers are the same, look to the right of the

decimal point.3. If the numbers are exactly the same, look at the letters of the

author’s last name, and use ABC order.

CLICK HERE FOR PRACTICE

NOW YOU CAN “DO THE DEWEY”

…AND FIND A BOOK TO READ!CLICK HERE FOR THE DEWEY DECIMAL RAP

THIS IS NOT MELVIL DEWEY!