The Dewey Decimal Classification System

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The Dewey Decimal Classification System
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Books, Books, Books

• Have you ever wondered how we began to organize
  all of the books and resources in the library?

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The Dewey Decimal System

• This is the system that puts all of our books
  into groups or classes.

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Bright Idea!

• The credit for this easy organization system goes
  to a fellow named Melvil Dewey.

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Melvil the Librarian

• Melvil was a librarian who got tired of not being
  able to find the books and information that he
  wanted. One day he decided to fix this problem
  and created the Dewey Decimal System.
• (Named after himself, of course!)

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Whos Melvil?

• Born December 10, 1851 in New York.
• Created the Dewey Decimal System in 1876.
• Founded the American Library Association.
• Founded the first professional library school.
• Died in 1931.

Wikipedia http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvil_Dewe
y
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How did he do it?

• Melvil decided to group the books into 10 general
  classes.
• The classes are named by number and subject.
• Books that fit under the same general class have
  the same call number.

• 000 Generalities
• 100 - Philosophy
• Psychology
• 200 Religion
• 300 - Social Science
• 400 Language
• 500 - Natural Science
• Mathematics
• 600 - Technology Applied
• Sciences
• 700 Arts
• 800 Literature
• 900 - Geography History

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Subclasses

• The 10 general classes are then divided into 10
  subclasses.
• This makes 100 subclasses. (10x10100)
• The example to the right is how the class for
  Natural Science and Mathematics, the 500s, is
  divided.

• Heres an example
• 510 Math
• 520 Astronomy
• 530 Physics
• 540 Chemistry
• 550 Earth sciences
• 560 Paleontology
• 570 Life sciences
• 580 Plants
• 590 Animals

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Sub-subclasses

• Heres an example
• using 590 Animals.
• 590 Zoological sciences 591 Zoology 592
  Invertebrates 593 Protozoa, Echinodermata,
• related phyla 594 Mollusca
  Molluscoidea 595 Other invertebrates 596
  Vertebrata (Craniata,
• Vertebrates) 597 Cold-blooded
  vertebrates
• Fishes 598 Aves (Birds) 599 Mammalia
  (Mammals)

• The 100 classes are then divided into even more
  specific sub-subclasses.
• Each subclass has 10 sub-subclasses.
• So, that is 1,000 sub-subclasses.
• (100x101,000)
• The Example to the right is how the Animal
  subclass, the 590s, is broken down into
  sub-subclasses.

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How do all of this fit together?

• Well, as we saw in the previous slides
• 500s Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• 590s Animals
• 596s Vertebrates
• SoAll of the books about the very specific
  subject of Vertebrates would be found in the
  596s.

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The Call Numbers

• We call the specific numbers given to books using
  the Dewey Decimal System, call numbers.
• Every book has a three digit call number. (Some
  books have a decimal point and a few more
  numbers.)
• Checkout how the call numbers are assigned to the
  books.

• Call Number for a book on Vertebrates
• 596
• 5-Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• 9-Animals
• 6-Vertebrates
• 596596

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Call Numbers Cont

• After the book is grouped in the correct
  category, division, and subdivision, the books
  are placed in alphabetical order by the authors
  last name.
• The example to the right
• has a call number 596 OHA
• because the authors last
• name is OHare.

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What about the decimal point?

• Well, the decimal point identifies an even more
  specific type of vertebrate book.
• For example, the book to
• the right might have a
• call number of
• 596.1BER because the
• book is about a specific
• type of vertebrates, bears.

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Dont let all of these numbers confuse you!

• Around the library we have Dewey Decimal System
  signs.
• They will guide you to the correct class of
  books.
• The subclasses and sub-subclasses are in
  numerical order.
• Once you find the correct number, look for the
  first three letters of the authors last name in
  alphabetical order.

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How to find a book using the Dewey Decimal System

• Step 1 Find the general class in the
  media center. (000-900).
• Step 2 Find the three digit number that is in
  number order.
• Step 3 If there is a decimal point and more
  numbers keep looking in number order.
• Step 4 Look for the first three letters in the
  authors last name in alphabetical
  order.

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What about fiction books?

• They are easy to locate too!
• Step 1 Find the fiction section. (Its
  says fiction on the sign. ?)
• Step 2 The call number for fiction
  books is an F.
• Step 3 The F is followed by the first
  three letters of the authors last name in
  alphabetical order.

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Now lets give it a shot
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References

• Clip Art Microsoft Clip Art Online
• Content gathered from the following websites
• http//sunsite.Berkeley.EDU/KidsClick!/dewey.html
• http//thrall.org/dewey/
• http//www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/tour/