DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION 

A working knowledge of the system that organizes the library is a must for some people who supervise that system.  You must know the main sections of the Dewey Decimal system and where they are in our library in order to help patrons find the materials they need.  The more you know about this system, the more valuable you will be to patrons who ask questions.

The following is an overview of the Dewey Decimal system highlighting the categories that are important for the patrons who use our collection: (Be sure to ask me to explain subjects or definitions with which you are not familiar).

000'S Generalities includes bibliographies, library science, encyclopedias, and journalism, as well as items that don't seem to fit anywhere else. (Where do you put books on Bigfoot or flying saucers, for instance, that are not really nonfiction?  You will often find them here in generalities).

100'S Philosophy includes psychology, logic, ethics, different philosophies, astrology. parapsychology and some occult works.

200'S Religion includes the Bible, Christian theology and history, religious books of all sects, and ancient religions including mythology if the myths were once part of a religion.

300'S Social Sciences includes statistics, political science, economics, law, public administration and welfare, education, commerce, folklore, and customs (such as etiquette books).

400'S Language books are works on language and linguistics.  Each language has a specific number: 420--English, 430--German, 440--French, 450--Italian, 460--Spanish, 470--Italic languages (Latin), 480--Classical and Greek, 490--Other Languages.

500'S Pure Sciences include mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, earth sciences, paleontology, anthropology, biology, and zoology.

600'S Technology (Applied Sciences) includes medicine, engineering, agriculture, domestic arts (cooking and sewing), business, manufacturing and building.

(A main difference between the 500s and the 600s:   In general, pure science books explain or illustrate scientific subjects.  Applied science books apply scientific knowledge to provide a service or product.  For example, the books in the 500s about animals tell you about them; books in the 600s tell you how to raise them and care for them).

700'S Arts include landscaping, architecture, sculpture, drawing, painting, graphic arts, photography, music, dance, films, and recreation.  Sports are found in 790-799.

800'S Literature is language used as art.  The second number (tens) indicates the language, and the third number (units) indicates the type:

810      American                                 

820      English/Anglo-Saxon                

830      German                                   

840      French                                     

850      Italian                                       

860      Spanish/Portuguese                 

870      Latin (Italic)                             

880      Classical/Greek                       

890      Other Languages                     

001      Poetry

002      Drama 

003      Fiction

004      Essays

005      Speech 

006      Letters

007      Humor

008      Collections

009      History, description, and criticism

900'S Geography and History comprise geography (910-919),         Collective Biography (920s), and history by area:

920      Collected biography                 

930      Ancient history             

940      Modern Europe                       

950      Modern Asia                           

960      Modern America 

970      North America

980      South America

990      Rest of the world 

SC Story Collection - short stories: These books can also be classified as fiction.