Dewey Decimal

Classification System

Presented to Second & Third Grade Students

Developed by Karen Ward
Library Media Specialist
Eichold-Mertz Elementary School
Who created the Dewey Decimal
Classification System?

 Melvil Dewey was born on December 10, 1851

 Melvil Dewey created the number order system
for library books when he was 21 years old.
 Melvil Dewey started the first school for
librarians.
Ten Main Classifications in
Dewey’s System

 The world’s knowledge is divided

into 10 categories or groups.
 Each group has a main title and is
represented by three numbers.
 The Big Ten!

 Generalities – 000  Science & Math – 500

 Philosophy – 100  Technology – 600
 Religion – 200  The Arts – 700
 Social Science –  Literature – 800
300  Geography & History - 900
 Language – 400
Brings order to the massive
amount of world knowledge
You Can Judge A Book by Its
Cover!
 The Dewey Decimal
Classification call
number can be found on
the spine label.
 Why?
 When the book is
shelved, the Dewey
Decimal Classification
200 500
000
Mea Bya Lee call number can be
easily seen.
Generalities - 000
 Encyclopedias
 News media
 Rare Books

Encyclopedias, References
Philosophy - 100

 Paranormal phenomena
 Psychology
 Logic

Man thinks
Religion - 200

 Bible
 Historyof Christianity
 Other Religions

About God
Social Science - 300

 Law
 Education
 Folklore

About man’s neighbors

Language - 400
 English
 Spanish
 Other Languages

Man talks with other men

 Natural Science
& Math - 500

 Mathematics
 Earth sciences
 Plants
 Animals

Man discovers
all that is
around him
Technology – 600

 Medicine
 Agriculture
 Family living

Man makes useful

things
 The Arts - 700

 Drawing
 Music
 Recreational & performing
arts
Man makes
beautiful things
Literature - 800

 American Literature
 Old English Literature
 Literatures of Other Languages

Man writes
 Geography
& History - 900

 Geography
 Biographies
 Ancient History

Man writes about

travel, people, and
events
 Flashback!
What Do You Remember?
 Who created the Dewey Decimal
Classification System?
 What does the DDCS do for our
library?
 How many main classifications are
there?
 Where do you find the DDCS number
on a library book?
 Resources Used…
All clipart taken from the Microsoft Clipart web site:
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us&cag=1

Information on the Dewey Decimal Classification taken from:

Weisburg, H. & Toor, R. Teacher’s Portfolio of Library Skills
Lessons & Activities (1985). The Center for Applied Research in
Education, Inc.