1. A simple guide to using the Dewey Decimal System
Searching for Books
A simple guide
to using the
Dewey Decimal
System

2. Melvil Dewey
In 1847 an American librarian named Melvil Dewey made up a way of classifying books called the ‘Dewey Decimal Classification System’
This system is now used in most libraries all over the world.
It uses 10 categories of numbers, with decimal places to group similar things together

4. Puts similar things together
Dewey Decimal System
Puts similar things together

5. Dewey Decimal System
Insects
Sea creatures
591.77
595.7

6. Dewey System - 000s General Knowledge Encyclopedias
Books about libraries & museums
Journalism
Computers
Controversial or unexplained topics

7. Dewey System - 100s Psychology Philosophy Thinking about ourselves
Who am I?
Why am I here?
Ideas
Image from:

8. Dewey System - 200s Beliefs Religions Mythologies
Where did we come from?
Who created us?
Images from:

9. Dewey System - 300s Communities - Learning to get along together Trade
Commerce
Politics
Government
Education
Law
Transport
Welfare
Folklore and fairy tales

10. Dewey System - 400s Languages How do we communicate with each other?
Images from:
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11. Dewey System - 500s Natural Science Math
Nature and the world around us
The universe
The earth
Animals
Birds
Reptiles
Fish

12. Dewey System - 600s Applied Science Technology
How we have changed the natural world to make it more useful
Anything that people invent, engineer, grow, manufacture, process and build

13. Dewey System - 700s Sport Recreation How people use their leisure time
Art
Craft
Dance
Music

14. Dewey System - 800s Literature
The stories, poems and plays people write in their leisure time

15. Dewey System - 900s Geography History Biographies
The rest of the world
How they live now
How they lived long ago

16. How do the numbers work? 500 - Natural Sciences
Zoological science (animals)
Other Invertebrates (animals without backbones)
Insects
Lepidoptera (creatures with 4 wings & scales)
Butterflies

17. Book Labels / Call Numbers
Dewey Decimal number
First 3 letters of the author’s last name
TER

18. Fiction books
FIC
First 3 letters of the author’s last name
FIC
MEY

19. Location Codes FIC – Fiction 92 – Biography REF – Reference
SC – Story Collection
G – Graphic Novel
Dr. Seuss, etc. (children’s books)
Oversized books