Dewey Decimal Classification&

“WebDewey”

Brenton Stewart, MSLS, Ph.D.

Announcements Next Week • Ignite Project Workshop

– No chat next week (Due 11/18)• Metadata System Review (Due 12/2)

– start thinking about a site – Archive / Museum – Library OPAC (academic, school, special) – Digital Libraries

• Subject Analysis • Classification Web• How did it go?

Last Week

Dewey Decimal Classification

• Melvil Dewey (1851-1931)

• Amherst College Librarian

• A Classification and Subject Index for Cataloging and Arranging Books and Pamphlets of a Library ~1876

DDC Basic Principles

• Decimal Structure • Ten main classes • Ten divisions in each main class • Pure Arabic numbers

Image from OCLC

Assigning Classification Numbers

• Look the subject up in the index

• Consult the schedule for the suggested number(s) (WebDewey – click on suggested numbers)

• If more than one number is suggested decide which one is the best for the item being classified

Shellfish as Public Health issue

Shellfish as human food (Cookbook)

Shellfish: as Marine Animal ( Zoology)

What do you mean by shellfish?

Methods of Assigning Numbers

• Schedule numbers - these numbers are taken directly from the schedules with no modifications required.

• Adding a full number - Combining two numbers from the schedules to create the number assigned. You only do this when instructed to do so in the schedules.

Building Numbers

• Libraries specializing in the fine arts

• Libraries = 026• Fine Arts = 700• 026 + 700 = 026.7• (drop the trailing zeros - Dewey

classification numbers never end with a zero after a decimal, although they may end with a zero if there is no decimal)

Fine Arts Library: IU

Image Source: libraries.iub.edu

• Adding part of a number, e.g.,• Wages in textile industries 331.2877 • Wages 331.28 • Textiles 677• The note under 331.28 says "Add to base

number 331.28 the numbers following 6 in 620-690.

• The classification number for textiles is 677. Only the 77 is used as per the instructions.

BIOGRAPHY

• Classification of Biography

• Biography 920

• Possible treatments - depends on needs of library and whether local policy dictates that all biographies be shelved together in one section or

classified by subject orientation.

“BIO”

“B”

DRILL DOWN THROUGH SCHEDULES!

LEVEL ONE

LEVEL TWO

LEVEL

THREE

LEVEL

FOURImage Source: Wikipedia

Dewey Exercise

• Laws regarding loans

• Dictionaries, Encyclopedias,

Concordances

• Hierarchy

EXAMPLE 1: Classification

EXAMPLE 2

• Dictionary of Biological terms

EXAMPLE 3: Hierarchy

Hierarchy