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The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System

The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

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Page 1: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

The Caveman’s Guide to the

Dewey Decimal System

Page 2: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

The Story of Melvil Dewey

In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used in many libraries. He chose certain main subjects and numbers, so that all nonfiction books on the same subject would be together on the shelf. 

 

Page 3: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey was born on December 10, 1851 to a poor family who lived in a small town in upper New York state. Dewey was keenly interested in simplified spelling, he shortened his

first name to Melvil as a

young adult, dropped his middle names and, for a short time, even spelled his last name as Dui.

The Story of Melvil Dewey

Page 4: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Dewey invented the Dewey Decimal Classification system when he was 21 years old and working as a student assistant in the library of Amherst College. His work created a revolution in library science and set in motion a new era of librarianship. Melvil Dewey well deserves the title of “Father of Modern Librarianship.”

The Story of the Numbers Dewey Used for Nonfiction

Books

Page 5: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Dewey changed librarianship to a modern profession. He helped establish the American Library Association (ALA) in 1876. He also co-founded and edited Library Journal.

The Story of the Numbers Used for Nonfiction Books

In addition, Dewey promoted library standards and formed a company to sell library supplies.

Page 6: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

A pioneer in library education, Dewey became the librarian of Columbia University in New York City in 1883, and founded the world’s first library school there in 1887. In 1889, he became director of the New York State Library in Albany, NY.

The Story of the Numbers Used for Nonfiction Books

Page 7: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

The Dewey Decimal System

The Dewey Decimal Classification is the most widely used library organizational system in the world.

The system groups books by topics by dividing them into 10 basic categories, and each of those categories is further split into 10 categories, and so on.

Page 8: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Dewey’s PlanHe chose these subjects by imagining himself to be a Caveman.  When time first began, what were the cave man’s thoughts?

He asked himself questions he thought such a man would have asked.

???

Page 9: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

000'sBefore I Begin

GeneralitiesInformation I need to know before I begin any research in a library. These are books which

contain information on many subjects such as encyclopedias and other reference books.

Page 10: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

100's Who am I?

PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY Man thinks about himself.

Page 11: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

200's Who made me?

RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY Man thinks about God.

Page 12: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

300's Who is the man (or woman) in the next

cave? SOCIAL SCIENCE

Man thinks about other people.

Page 13: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

400'sHow can I make that man understand me?

LanguageMan learns to communicate with others

through words.

Page 14: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

500'sHow can I understand nature and the world

about me? NATURAL SCIENCE Man learns to understand nature on the land, in the sea, and in the sky.

Page 15: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

600'sHow can I use what

I know about nature? APPLIED SCIENCE AND USEFUL ARTS (Technology)

Primitive man learned about fire and how to make weapons.  He learned through the ages about the wheel, about medicine, planting crops, cooking food, building bridges, and how to make all the things we use.

Page 16: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

700's

How can I enjoy my leisure time?

FINE ART AND RECREATION or (Arts) By this time, primitive man had more time to do the things he enjoyed.  He learned how to paint pictures and to create music. 

He also learned how to dance

and play games.

Page 17: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

800'sHow can I give my children a record of man's heroic

deeds? LITERATURE

Man became a storyteller.  He created fables, poetry, and plays about his ancestors and the people he knew.  Later, man recorded these stories for all people to read.

Page 18: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

900'sHow can I leave a

record for men of the future?

GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY

Man began to write about events that had occurred everywhere, and about people who had participated in these events.

Page 19: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Dewey Decimal System

000 General Knowledge• Almanacs, Encyclopedias, Dictionaries

100 Psychology & Physiology• Feelings, Emotions

200 Religion• Bible stories

300 Social Sciences & Folklore• Careers, Environment, Family, Fairy Tales

400 Languages & Grammar• Grammar, Sign Language, English, Foreign Language

Page 20: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Dewey Decimal System

500 Math & Science• Animals, Dinosaurs, Fish, Planets, Plants, Weather

600 Medicine & Technology• Computers, Farming, Health, Nutrition

700 Arts & Recreation• Drawing, Crafts, Jokes, Sports, Games

800 Literature• Poetry, Plays

900 Geography & History• Biographies, Countries, States, Travel, Native Americans,

Wars

Page 21: The Caveman’s Guide to the Dewey Decimal System. The Story of Melvil Dewey In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books which is used

Works CitedComplete Library Skills Activities

Program by Arden Druce who cited it from School Library Journal, February 1961. Copyright R.R. Bowker Company/Cahners magazine Division.

http://mte.anacortes.k12.wa.us/library/dewey/deweystory.htm

http://www.oclc.org/DEWEY/resources/biography/