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The Caveman’s Guide to the
Dewey Decimal System
The Story of the Numbers Used for Nonfiction Books
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.
The Dewey Decimal System
The Dewey Decimal Classification is the most widely used library organization system in the world.
The system groups books by topic by dividing them into 10 basic categories, and each of those categories is further split into 10 categories, and so on.
Dewey’s Plan
He chose these subjects by imagining himself to be a Caveman.
He asked himself questions he thought such a man would have asked.
000'sBefore I Begin
GeneralitiesInformation I need to know before I begin.
These are books which contain information on many subjects such as encyclopedias and
other reference books.
100's Who am I?
PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY Man thinks about himself.
200's Who made me?
RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY Man thinks about God.
300's Who is the man (or woman)
in the next cave? SOCIAL SCIENCE
Man thinks about other people.
400'sHow can I make that man
understand me? Language
Man learns to communicate with others through words.
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.
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.
700'sHow 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.
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.
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.
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
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
Works Cited
Complete 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
