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Books are arranged in our library by the Dewey Decimal Classification system. This system groups material in the same field of study and format to make them easier to find. It is subdivided into ten classes, listed below. These three numbers are always on the left of the decimal point in the call number. There is no set amount of numbers that need to be to the right of the decimal point. These numbers determine how specific the classification is. Click on a class to learn more about it, and to see how it is subdivided even further.
Besides numerical classification, our library also places letters at the end of these nonfiction call numbers. The letter is usually the last name of the author, so that all of the author's work can be found in the same place. If there is no author, the first letter of the title is used as the letter distinction in the call number.
Also, in our library, for fiction books, reference books, paperbacks, videos and audio cassettes, different call numbers are used.
This class encompasses "works not limited to any specific discipline." Such works include encyclopedias, newspapers and periodicals. Also, if a field deals with general knowledge, such as computer science and journalism, it is included here.
010 Bibliography
020 Library and information sciences
030 General encyclopedic works
040
050 General serial publications
060 General organizations and museology
070 News media, journalism, publishing
080 General collections
090 Manuscripts and rare books
Example: The World Book Encyclopedia's call number is REF 031 W. The REF tells us it is in the reference section. Since it starts with a "0," it is considered general knowledge, and since the second number is a "3," you can see above that it belongs under "General encyclopedic works."
100's - Philosophy and Psychology
110 Metaphysics
120 Epistemology, causation, humankind
130 Paranormal phenomena
140 Specific philosophical schools
150 Psychology
160 Logic
170 Ethics (Moral philosophy)
180 Ancient, medieval, Oriental philosophy
190 Modern western philosophy
Example: Basic Psychology : A Study of the Modern Healthy Mind by Leonard Carmichael's call number is 150 C. You can see above that Psychology books are under "150."
210 Philosophy and theory of religion
220 Bible
230 Christianity, Christian theology
240 Christian moral & devotional theology
250 Christian orders & local church
260 Social & ecclesiastical theology
270 History of Christianity & Christian church
280 Christian denominations & sects
290 Comparative religion & other religions
Example: A History of Christianity by Paul Johnson has a call number of 270 J. We know that since it deals with religion, it should be in the 200 class. If you look at the divisions above, you see that under 270 is History of Christianity, which is exactly the topic of this book.
310 Collections of general statistics
320 Political science
330 Economics
340 Law
350 Public administration & military science
360 Social problems & services; association
370 Education
380 Commerce, communications, transportation
390 Customs, etiquette, folklore
Example: African Folk Tales, edited by Charlotte Leslau can be found in 398.2 L. You can see since it is folklore, it would be in the 390's.
410 Linguistics
420 English & Old English
430 Germanic languages German
440 Romance languages French
450 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic
460 Spanish & Portuguese languages
470 Italic languages Latin
480 Hellenic languages Classical Greek
490 Other languages
Example: Harrap's New Collegiate French and English Dictionary's call number is Ref 443 H. Since it is a work dealing with language, it is in the 400's, and you can see that since it is French, it belongs in the 440's.
500's - Natural Science and Mathematics
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy & allied sciences
530 Physics
540 Chemistry & allied sciences
550 Earth sciences
560 Paleontology Paleozoology
570 Life Sciences Biology
580 Plants
590 Animals
Example: Pictorial Astronomy by Dinsmore Alter can be found at 520 A. It is easy to see that since this book deals with astronomy, and astronomy works go under 520's, then it's call number is 520 A.
600's - Technology (Applied Sciences)
610 Medical sciences Medicine
620 Engineering & allied operations
630 Agriculture & related technologies
640 Home economics & family living
650 Management & auxiliary services
660 Chemical engineering
670 Manufacturing
680 Manufacture for specific uses
690 Buildings
Example: Invention by Design : How Engineers Get from Thought to Thing by Henry Petroski's call number is 620 P. Since it deals with engineering, you can see in the above table that it would belong in the 620's.
710 Civic & landscape art
720 Architecture
730 Plastic arts Sculpture
740 Drawing & decorative arts
750 Painting & paintings
760 Graphic arts Printmaking & prints
770 Photography & photographs
780 Music
790 Recreational & performing arts
Example: A History of Women Photographers by Naomi Rosenblum can be found at 770.02 R. Since it deals with photography, it would go under 770. The ".92" further delineates the work, since it deals with a specific type of photography or photographers.
810 American literature in English
820 English & Old English literatures
830 Literatures of Germanic languages
840 Literatures of Romance languages
850 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic
860 Spanish & Portuguese literatures
870 Italic literatures Latin
880 Hellenic literatures Classical Greek
890 Literatures of other languages
Example: The Greek way by Edith Hamilton is shelved under the call number of 880.9 H. Since it deals with Classical Greek literature, you can see why it would fall under 880.
910 Geography & travel
920 Biography, genealogy, insignia
930 History of ancient world to ca. 499
940 General history of Europe
950 General history of Asia Far East
960 General history of Africa
970 General history of North America
980 General history of South America
990 General history of other areas
Example: The great hill stations of Asia by Barbara Crossette's call number is 950.0943 C. It's field of study is Asia, so it belongs in the 950's, then you can see how a call number can be very specific to the right of the decimal point.
Information obtained from:
Dewey, Melvil, 1851-1931. Dewey decimal classification and relative index. Albany, N.Y. : Forest Press, a division of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, 1989.
Dewey Decimal Classification : a practical guide. Albany, N.Y. : Forest Press, 1996.
