The Dewey Decimal Classification System

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The Dewey Decimal Classification System
Rob Case MEDT 6463 Project 3
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Why Study the Dewey Decimal System?

• We will look at the Dewey Decimal Classification
  System so that you can learn how materials are
  organized in your Media Center.
• This will make it possible for you find materials
  you need for class and for pleasure reading.

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Who Was Melvil Dewey?

• Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey was born on December
  10, 1851 in Adams Center, New York.
• Keenly interested in simplified spelling, he
  shortened his first name to Melvil as a young
  adult and dropped his middle names. For a short
  time, even spelled his last name as Dui.

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Who Was Melvil Dewey? (cont.)

• Dewey invented the Dewey Decimal Classification
  (DDC) system when he was 21 and working as a
  student assistant in the library of Amherst
  College.
• Melvil Dewey is known as the Father of Modern
  Librarianship.
• Dewey founded the first library school.
• Dewey helped establish the American Library
  Association (ALA) in 1876, and is credited with
  creating the world's first library science
  curriculum.

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Dewey Decimal Classification System

•  000 - General Works 
• 100 - Philosophy and Psychology 
• 200 - Religion 
• 300 - Social Science 
• 400 - Language 
• 500 - Natural Science and Mathematics 
• 600 - Technology (Applied Sciences) 
• 700 Arts and Recreation 
• 800 - Literature 
• 900 - Geography and History

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General Works 000-099

• Books with many subjects all in one
• These books include Bibliographies,
  Encyclopedias, Books of Facts, etc
• This section also includes books related to news
  media, journalism and publishing as well as
  magazines, journals and serials

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Philosophy and Psychology 100-199

• Books on philosophy, psychology, paranormal,
  logic and ethics
• Books on feelings, thoughts and ideas
• Books on how to study and other self-improvement

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Religion 200-299

• Books on all the ideas of religion and natural
  theology
• Books on the bible and the Christian denomination
• Books on different world religions and what they
  believe

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Social Science 300-399

• Books about sociology, anthropology, economics
  and education
• Books regarding laws and government
• Also includes books about customs, etiquette and
  folklore.

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Language 400-499

• Books involving language and linguistics
• Books about foreign languages such as Spanish,
  French, German, etc
• Also includes Thesauri, Dictionaries and books
  about English grammar

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Natural Science and Mathematics 500-599

• Books about science, mathematics, astronomy,
  physics and chemistry
• Includes books about rocks, animals, insects,
  fossils, weather, etc.
• These books help us understand our environment
  and the world around us

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Technology (Applied Sciences) 600-699

• Books about technology, medicine and engineering
• Includes books about agriculture, home economics
  and chemical engineering
• Also includes books on manufacturing and buildings

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Arts and Recreation 700-799

• Books about art and recreation
• Includes books about painting, photography,
  landscaping, and architecture
• Also includes books on music and sports

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Literature 800-899

• Books about literature and rhetoric
• Includes books about poems, plays, short stories,
  riddles and jokes
• This section features classic works of writing by
  William Shakespeare

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Geography and History 900-999

• Books about geography and history
• Includes books about groups of people, countries,
  and war
• This section features books about travel and
  atlases

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How does the Dewey Decimal System Work?

• The DDC classifies or categorizes nonfiction
  books into ten main divisions which are arranged
  from lowest number (000) to highest number (999).
  
• - 133.5
• - 255.3
• - 333.5
• A book is assigned a Dewey number based on its
  subject matter. In most libraries the Dewey
  number and the first three letters of the
  author's last name become the book's call number.
  They are arranged alphabetically if the call
  number is the same.
• - 133.5 Abc
• - 133.5 Bcd
• - 133.5 Def

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Dewey Decimal System Review Activities

• Try these online review activities to practice
  what you
• have just learned
• Do We Really Know Dewey http//library.thinkques
  t.org/5002/index.shtml
• Quia Matching Game (need Java script to run)
• http//www.quia.com/jg/7265.html
• Library Skills Game http//www.ccsd.edu/bardonia/L
  earningGames/LibrarySkills/
• Lets Do Dewey
• http//frank.mtsu.edu/vvesper/dewey2.htm

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Sources

• Flickr (2006). Melvil Dewey Image. Retrieved
  April 2009 from http//www.flickr.com/photos/br
  ianbrarian/200420263/
• OCLC (2008). How one library pioneer profoundly
  influenced modern librarianship. Retrieved
  April 2009 from http//www.oclc.org/dewey/resou
  rces/biography/
• OCLC (2008). A Brief Introduction to the Dewey
  Decimal Classification. Retrieved April 2009
  from http//www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/biogra
  phy/
• Patschke, K. (2000). Melvil Dewey The Father of
  Librarianship. Retrieved April 2009 from
  http//www.booktalking.net/books/dewey/