The Dewey Decimal Classification System

by Jean Halsey

Description: 
 The purpose of this lesson is to teach students about the fundamentals of the Dewey Decimal System to enable them
to locate books in the library.   Many students are overwhelmed when entering the library because of the vast
amounts of books on the shelves.  Learning the Dewey Decimal Classification System will guide the students to the
books of their choice!

                                  

            
Background:
The Dewey Decimal Classification System is the most widely used method for classifying books in the library. This
system is a general knowledge organization tool that is continuously revised to keep pace with knowledge.  It is
named after Melvil Dewey, an American Librarian who developed it in 1876. This system is a numerical scheme for
the arrangement of subjects of nonfiction books, and it classifies books by dividing them into 10 main subject
groups that are called categories. Each category is represented by figures beginning with 000 and going on to 999. In
other words, it is a system of numbers used to mark and arrange mostly non-fiction books.

Each number stands for a special topic. Every book is given a number and is put on the shelf in number order. Books
with the same number are put in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.  There are three summaries of
the DDC.  The first summary contains the ten main classes. The first digit in each three-digit number represents the
main class. For example, 500 represents natural sciences and mathematics.  The second summary contains the
hundred divisions. The second digit in each three-digit number indicates the division. For example, 500 is used for
general works on the sciences, 510 for mathematics, 520 for astronomy, 530 for physics. The third summary
contains the thousand sections. The third digit in each three-digit number indicates the section. Thus, 530 is used for
general works on physics, 531 for classical mechanics, 532 for fluid mechanics, 533 for gas mechanic.  A decimal
point follows the third digit in a class number, after which division by ten continues to the specific degree of
classification needed. A subject may appear in more than one discipline. For example, "clothing" has aspects that
fall under several disciplines. The psychological influence of clothing belongs in 155.95 as part of the discipline of
psychology; customs associated with clothing belong in 391 as part of the discipline of customs; and clothing in the
sense of fashion design belongs in 746.92 as part of the discipline of the arts. 
The Dewey Decimal Classification System is used in most Public School libraries. It is essential for students to
understand why books are numbered and how to find the numbers on the shelves, so they can use the library
effectively and in a friendly manner. Dewey is also used for other purposes, e.g., as a browsing mechanism for
resources on the Web. One of Dewey's great strengths is that the system is developed and maintained in a national
bibliographic agency, the Library of Congress.

Objectives:
The students will be able to:
 Identify each of the 10 major classes of the Dewey Decimal System
 Identify the difference between fiction and non-fiction
 Identify the numbers in the 2nd and 3rd places
 Locate non-fiction books and explain the call number by using the Dewey Decimal System.
Materials:
Computer, pen, pencil, paper and handouts identifying the categories of the Dewey Decimal System.
 
Are You Ready To “Dew” It?

Activities:
THE MAIN DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM 
Numbers Categories
000-099 General References or Works (encyclopedias, biographies, periodicals and journalism)
100-199 Philosophy, psychology and logic
200-299 Religion (men’s faith)
300-399 Social Sciences (how people live and work in society; law, government and institutions)
400-499 Language (English, grammar and dictionaries)
Natural Science (Mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, paleontology,
500-599
biology, zoology, and botany)
Technology and Applied Science (medicine, engineering, agriculture, home economics,
600-699
radio, TV, and aviation)
Fine Arts and Recreation (architecture, sculpture, painting, music, photography and
700-799
recreation)
800-899 Literature (plays, poems, essays, literature in foreign languages)
900-999 History and Biography (history, biography, geography and other related disciplines)
 Activity 1:
1. The students will be placed in groups of 5 – 6 persons.
2. A student will identify a category and the other students will name a title of a book that will fall
under the category.
 Activity 2:
Make up a game using decimal jeopardy (for example: given the book title, “The Biography of Michael
Jordan” the student will have to identify the category and number of the book.)
 Activity 3:
Students will make up a Dewey Decimal System rap song using all the numbers and categories.
 Activity 4:
Students will write a biography about Melvin Dewey.
Evaluation
 Identify non-fiction books according to classification and add correct call numbers to each.
 Locate books on the shelf according to the Dewey Decimal System.
 Matching quiz using numbers and categories.

Dewey Decimal Quiz

1. The book “Fishing with Dad” has the Dewey number 799.  What does each number represent?
2. Using the Dewey numbers, arrange the following numbers in order:  796.1, 796.9, 796.4, 796.01, and
796.12.
3. Name the continent represented by the call number 916.
4. Books about trees have this call number ___________.
5. What class division would you check to locate a book on occupations?
Answers to Quiz:
1. 7 represents “Fine Arts”
the second 9 represents “recreation”
the third 9 represents “hunting fishing and shooting”
2. 796.01
796.1
796.12
796.4
796.9
3. Africa
4. 582
5. 300

Melvil Dewey, 1851 - 1931

Melvil Dewey was born in New York on the tenth of December, 1851. He went to school and
eventually became a librarian at Amherst College. In 1876, he published an important book, one
that would totally change the way books were arranged in libraries. Through this book Dewey
established the Dewey Decimal System.
Dewey did other things to affect the ways libraries operate today. He helped found the American
Library Association in 1876 and established the first professional library school in the United
States in 1887. Other associations Dewey was involved with include the Children's Library
Association, the Association of State Librarians, and the American Library Institute. He also
edited Library Journal (with which Middletown Thrall library is a subscriber).
Dewey died in 1931, but his revolutionary organization system still stands today as one of the
most convenient and comprehensive tools today helping librarians and readers locate and
classify information. His method continues to be adapted today as librarians apply the Dewey
Decimal system to catalog the growing amount of Internet resources. While there are other
systems in use throughout libraries and universities, such the Library of Congress Subject
Classifcation System, Dewey's system has proven to be one of the easiest and most intuitive
ways of grouping subjects and dividing library items into accessible, memorable sections.

Bibliography
Biographical information for this section was derived from the CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia
Americana, specifically the article entitled, "Dewey, Melvil - The Dewey Decimal System." This CD-
ROM product is available for public use at the library near the adult reference section. We also
have the print edition ofEncyclopedia Americana at Reference.
If you would like to learn more about Melvil Dewey and his classification system, come to the
library and visit these other sites:
 Melvil Dewey
 Dewey Decimal Classification

Learning Dewey!
You can find most books in many libraries around the world thanks to the Dewey Decimal Classification
(also written as "DDC"). 

Librarians and shelvers use the DDC to locate and store books on shelves in the library. Librarians
memorize many parts of the Dewey system. 

That's why, when you ask where a book on French or Italian might be found, librarians know where to
begin: the 400s section - the "Dewey number" for Language!
The major Dewey Decimal divisions are:
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
As you can see, there are ten major divisions or classes. These areas are further divided into subsections
by 10s. For example, Language (400) breaks up into:
410 - Linguistics
420 - English and Old English
430 - Germanic Languages
440 - Romance Languages, French
450 - Italian, Rumanian, Rhaeto-Romanic
460 - Spanish and Portuguese
470 - Italic Languages, Latin
480 - Hellenic Languages, Classical Greek
490 - Other Languages
So, looking at the chart above, we can see a book on Latin could be found in the 470s. At this point, the
Dewey Decimal system continues to divide into single digits, then eventually decimal numbers, such as
470.123. These additional divisions help decide where book "belongs" in the Dewey system, and it helps
us when we look for the book on a shelf. That's why it's important to keep books in order.
How is the Dewey Decimal Classification arranged at Middletown Thrall Library? Well, on the first floor
(where the Adult materials are) the Nonfiction books are in several major places:
 Reference
 New Nonfiction (in front of the Circulation desk)
 Older nonfiction (in the main Adult stacks)
 Large Print (to your right as you enter the library)
To locate a book (if you do not know its Dewey number--which is most of the time), ask one of our
librarians in Reference, or try on your own using the Public Access Catalog (PAC). If you've never used
the PAC, click here or, when at the library, ask a librarian for assistance.
When, through the PAC, you successfully locate a book you want that's at our library (and checked in),
the call number (Dewey Decimal number) will appear in the upper left portion of the screen. You may
also enter a 'C' to check the "copy status" of a book, if the book has been checked out, and determine the
call number.
Remember, if you have any difficulty, the Reference Department is eager to help you find everything you
need!

Volunteer’s Quiz Read each questions carefully! Follow Directions! Circle the correct answer. For questions 1 – 4,
select the book that would be FIRST. 1. These books were all written by John Steinbeck A. The Pearl B. The Grapes
of Wrath C. The Winter of Our Discontent D. Of Mice and Men 2. A. 005.962 B. 050.962 C. 005.692 D. 005.961 3. A.
560.361 B. 560.631 C. 561.631 D. 560.613 4. A. J382.22 B. J383.22 C. J382.33 D. J383.23 For questions 5-8, select
the book that would be SECOND. 5. These books were all written by Nicholas Sparks. A. The Notebook B. Dear John
C. The Lucky One D. Message in a Bottle 6. A. Smith, John B. Smithe, John C. Smith, Jack D. Smith, Jonas 7. A. 921
Hesse B. 921 Herman C. 921 Hernandez D. 921 Hermann 8. A. Woodley, James B. Woods, John C. Woodson, June
D. Woods, James Last Name, First Name _____________________________________________ Page Two For
questions 9-12, select the book that would be THIRD. 9. A. 831.456 J B. 813.456 M C. 831.654 N D. 831.456 L 10. A.
YA364.331 B. YA436.331 C. YA364.313 D. YA346.133 11. A. McCourt, Frank B. MacCullen, Frank C. McKey, Arnold
D. McKey, David 12. A. J438.13 B. J439.03 C. J429.03 D. J438.23 For questions 13-16, select the book that would be
LAST. 13. A. 237.111 H B. 237.111 F C. 237.011 H D. 237.001 G 14. A. 313.565 R B. 313.655 S C. 313.556 T D.
313.565 T 15. A. 007.001 A B. 070.001 B C. 007.010 A D. 070.001 A 16. A. Adams, Douglas B. Adams, Donna C. Abra,
Dawn D. Acorn, David When complete, bring to the Volunteer Coordinator with signed Code Of Conduct.