Dewey Decimal Classification. Who put the Dewey in the Dewey Decimal System?

Dewey Decimal Classification

Who put theDeweyin the

Dewey Decimal System?

Melvil Dewey lived

an extraordinary life! He was born in

Adams Center, New York, onDecember 10, 1851,

and died onDecember 26, 1931.

He was a librarian who invented adecimal classification system for

library books called theDewey Decimal System.

In 1876, he founded the American Library Association

and published the first Library Journal,which included

new library trends and book reviews.Melvil opened the first library school in 1887 located at

Columbia University.

Before we get startedwe're going to do a quick review.

We are going to coverthe difference betweenfiction and non-fiction

and how to organize them.We will also discuss

call numbersand what they look like.

Fiction - Books that are made up by  the author, or are not true,are fiction

Nonfiction - is the opposite of fiction.

Books that are nonfiction, or true,are about real things, people,events, and places.

Still confused?

Well, here's another way to remember it:

You can only say no once.

Fiction = not trueNonfiction = true

Fiction books are put on the shelf inalphabetical order by

the author's last name.

Let's pretend you wrote a book and your last name was Cleary.  If kids liked your book, they would want to read more of them, so by having your books in the same place it would make finding them a lot easier.

Non-Fiction books are shelved by their subject's category

For example, if you wanted a book about cars, you would want them to be in the same area.  You wouldn't worry about the author, you would just want

the facts about cars.

Fiction and non-fiction books are shelved this way

so you can easily findthe book of your choice.

If they weren't shelved this way,

libraries would be in total chaos !

A call number

is a group of numbers and/or lettersput together to tell you

where in the libraryto find your book.

A call number is locatedat the bottom of the book on the spine.It helps you to find your books quicker.

Once you've got your call numberfrom the card catalog,

it's time to go find your book!

This is where a

call number is located:

Here's something to remember:Don't let it confuse you, but just because it's a

call number doesn't mean it has numbers!  Some call numbers are made up of letters.

I'll show you some examples later.

Now, if you're having trouble finding your book on the shelf,

remember this rule forhow the books are shelved:

left-to-right, top-to-bottom

That means you start at the left on the top shelfand move to the rightuntil the shelf ends.

Then, you go to the next shelf beneath thatand do the same,

left to right, top to bottom.

When you get to the end of the bottom shelf,

move up to the top shelf of the next section,and continue...

What does a FICTION call number look like?

We have been talking about call numbers a whole lot.One thing we have not taught you is what a call number looks like.

We need to teach you how fiction and Dewey call numbersare different.

F = Fiction                     McD = first 3 initials of theauthor's last name

Next, there is the call number that we use for nonfiction books and that is the

Dewey Decimal Number.A Dewey call  number always has

three numbersto the left of the decimal. 

To the right of the decimal, there is no limit on number.

The more numbers you add to the right of the decimal,the more specific the subject is.

We are going to tell you how to remember what each of the Dewey hundreds groups represents.

One day, while Melvil Dewey was walking in Central Park, he saw a UFO.  He became terrified of it, and ran to take cover.

The UFO approached Central Park with a loud noise and bright lights surrounding it.  A weird looking creature stepped out of the space craft.  Dewey got up from the ground and peeked out from behind a tree.

They stood staring at each other, and then they got up enough nerve to ask:

We think  about ourselves:  100s - Psychology and Philosophy

Melvil and the alien looked at each other with puzzled expressions and noticed how different they were from each other.  As they stood, they wondered to themselves:

Dewey realized that the alien's world must be very different from the United States.  He decided to take him to learn about our government.

People learn to get along together:  300s - Social Sciences

Alien Story700 - 800

Dewey knew that the alien would  need to learn how to communicate with people.

400s - Languages

We communicate with each other

Dewey and the alien began to stroll around, and Deweyexplained life on Planet Earth.

We learn about Nature and the world around  us:

500s -  Natural Science.

Dewey explained to the alien that humans have changed Nature to make life easier.

How we can make Nature useful?  600s - Applied Science

Dewey explained to the alien that technology has made life easier on Planet Earth.  It gives us more free time to do what we want.  Dewey and the alien took a spare moment to shoot hoops.

700s - Fine Arts and Recreation

800s - Literature

Dewey and the alien had a fabulous day.  He invited the alien to visit the library where he worked.   Dewey gave him a tour of the library and explained how his decimal classification system worked.

While there, they decided to make a memory of their day on Planet Earth by making a scrapbook.  They wrote what will become history sooner or later - their day together!

900s - Geography and History

As the Alien prepared to leave, he told Dewey, "When I get backto my planet, I want to group all my books in this new awesome way.  But, which hundred group should I put my scrapbook in?"

Dewey replied, "That's easy!  You would put it in the 000s - General Works.  That's where we put encyclopedias because they contain so much information that you can't describe them in one category!"

000s - General Works - Encyclopedias, books about libraries,museums, journalism, computers, and controversial or unexplained topics.

100 - Philosophy and Psychology

150   -  Psychology 155.2 - Psychology for Kids 158.1 -  Chicken Soup for the Soul177   -  Random Acts of Kindness

200 - Religion

292   -  Greek and Roman mythology293 - 299   -  World Religions - Buddhism, Islam, Judaism

300 - Social Sciences       (government, economics, law, education, transportation, customs, folklore)

400 - Languages

419 -   Structured verbal language other than spoken or written -                 Sign Language

420 -  English 423 - Dictionaries430 - German 440 - French 450 - Italian 460 - Spanish470 - Latin480 - Greek490 - Other languages

500 -  Natural Science

523 - The Universe - galaxies, solar system, comets, sun,          stars, etc.551.2 - Volcanoes, earthquakes551.5 - Meteorology - Weather, climate552 - Rocks595.1 - Worms595.7 - Insects597.9 - Reptiles

600 - Applied Science

611-612 - Human body613.6 - Survival, Complete Wilderness Training Book629.1 - Airplanes629.2 - Cars629.4 - Space travel636  - Pets641.5 - Cooking649.1 - Child care - babysitting

700 - Fine Arts and Recreation

736 - Origami741 -  Drawing - general743 -  Drawing by subject (cartoons, animals, etc.)780s - Music793.73 - Games without action, puzzles, riddles        (see also 398.6, 817-818)796 - Sports796.323 - Basketball796.325 - Volleyball796.332 - Football796.334 - Soccer796.357 - Baseball

800 - Literature

811  - American Poetry812 - Plays (American)817 - Humor (see also 398.6, 793.73 and 818)818 - Miscellaneous writings822 - Plays (English)822.33 - Shakespeare

900 - Geography and History

904 - Collected accounts of events, disasters - Titanic910.9 - Explorers912 - Atlases913 - Ancient World914 - Europe915 - Asia916 - Africa917 - North America

929.4 - Personal Names, Baby Name Handbook.     (NIC students like to see what their names mean!)930 - History of the Ancient World932 - Ancient Egypt - Mummies (see also 393)937 - Ancient Rome 938 - Ancient Greece940 - General History of Europe940.1 - Medieval History940.53 - Holocaust940.53 - 940.54 - World War 2 950 - General History of Asia, Orient, Far East960 - General History of Africa