The key to Library resources

How to unlock it

What is a shelf number and why is it important?

It is the number that appears on the spine of a book A shelf number can also be called a call number or class

number It consists of 2 parts, namely the Dewey Decimal

Classification number and a suffix of 3 letters The suffix are usually made up of the first 3 letters of an

author’s surname or the title The shelf number can be seen as the “address” of the item It is important because it groups together materials on the

same subject and on related subjects to make items easier to find on the shelves

Dewey Decimal Classification : a history

The Dewey Decimal Classification System was developed to bring order in the Library and to promote easy access

Melville Dewey published the first Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDC) in 1876

Today we are using the 22nd edition of Dewey’s classification

What is a DDC number?

According to the DDC system each item in the Library is given a DDC number

The number given depends on the subject field that the item covers

MAINOS658MAN

MAINOS658.022SMA

MAINOS658.15FIN

MAINOS658.8MAR

MAINOS659ADV

DDC : divided into 10 main classes

000 Generalities

100 Philosophy & Psychology

200 Religion

300 Social Science

400 Language

500 Natural Science & Mathematics

600 Technology

700 Arts

800 Literature

900 Geography & History

Division of the 10 main classes

The 10 main classes each have ten divisions

Each of the divisions are further divided, which makes it more specific

As the number expands it moves from the general to the specific

DDC uses the decimal place to make the number even more specific

Example

To find the classification number for personnelmanagement we need to start with the class forTechnology (Applied Sciences), 600’sTherefore, the first number of the shelf number will be 6The 10 divisions of the 600’s is:

• 600 Technology• 610 Medical Sciences• 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 continue

Personnel management will be classified under “Management and Auxiliary services” 650Now we know the second number of the shelf number will by 5Let’s see the divisions of the 650's to find the next number:• 651 Office service• 652 Processes of written communication• 653 Shorthand• 657 Accounting• 658 General Management• 659 Advertising & Public relations

…example still continuing

Business Management, including Personnel Management, would be under 658The 658’s are further divided by the use of decimals to specify what type of management

600 – Technology (Applied Science)

650 – Management & Auxiliary Services

658 – Business Management

658.3 – Personnel Management