Where can I find....

1
Where can I find....?
(Getting to know the Dewey Decimal System)
2
Call Numbers
Books in the library are put on the shelf in a
special order. Each book has a number. This
number is called a call number. It is found on
the spine of the book. A call number is a group
of numbers and/or letters that tell you where to
find a book.
Remember A call number is not made up of just
numbers. Some call numbers are made up of letters
or both numbers and letters.

• Library books are sorted by fiction and
  non-fiction books.
• Fiction books are stories that are made up by the
  author and are not true.
• Non-fiction books are true and give you
  information about all kinds of things.

3
Fiction Books
Fiction books have call numbers that use the
author's last name. They are put on the shelf in
alphabetical order by the author's last name.

• Easy books (or picture books) are sorted using
  the first letter of the author's last name.
• Chapter books are sorted using the first three
  letters of the author's last name under the
  letter F.

4
Non-Fiction Books
Non-fiction books are also sorted by the first
letters of the author's last name. But, they are
also organized by their subject or what the book
is about.
Each subject has its own number. This number is
based on the Dewey Decimal System.
When you sort non-fiction books, the number comes
first. After the numbers have been put in order,
you can put the letters in alphabetical order.
5
The Dewey Decimal System
The Dewey Decimal System was created by a
librarian named Melvil Dewey. It is a way to give
numbers to library books so that we can find them
easily.
Mr. Dewey sorted books into 10 main groups.
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000-099 General Stuff 

• Encyclopedias
• Libraries
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Rare Books

7
100-199 Ideas and Feelings

• Ideas, Feelings and Values
• How the Mind Works
• ESP and Supernatural
• The Senses
• Dreams

Titles of some of the books in this section
8
200-299 Religions

• Christianity
• Religions of the World
• Places of Worship
• Mythology

Titles of some of the books in this section
9
300-399 Getting Along in the World Fairy Tales,
Folklore
Titles of some of the books in this section
10
400-499 Languages and Speech
Titles of some of the books in this section
11
500-599 Science and Nature
Titles of some of the books in this section
Weather
Planets
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600-699 Technology (Useful Science)

• How Things Work or Are Made
• Health and Medicines
• Farming and Farm Animals
• Cooking and Taking Care of the Home
• Pets and How to Care for Them

Titles of some of the books in this section
13
700-799 The Arts
Titles of some of the books in this section
14
800-899 Literature  

• Poems
• Plays
• Jokes
• Stories from Around the World

Titles of some of the books in this section
15
900-999 History, Biography, Geography

• History
• Famous People
• Ancient Civilizations
• Travel
• Places around the World

Titles of some of the books in this section
16
Power point created and adapted from the
following website http//www.emerson.k12.nj.us/st
aff/rmkelly/custom/mediacenter/Kids20Corner/Dewey
/DeweyDecimal.html