How does the Dewey Decimal system work?
The basic thing to remember about the Dewey Decimal filing system is this: file digit by digit - not by whole number. For example:. 451
. 451.01
. 451.012
. 451.023
. 451.04
. 451.04217
. 451.1
. 451.136
. 451.3
451.04217 comes before 451.1 because 0 is smaller than 1. Take it number by number and stop when two numbers are different. So in the example of 451.04217 and 451.1, you would stop at the 0. That is the first number in the sequence that is different, and 0 is smaller than 1 so it will be placed first. Look at our example list again. Does it make more sense now?
. 451
. 451.01
. 451.012
. 451.023
. 451.04
. 451.04217
. 451.1
. 451.136
. 451.3
To learn more about the way the Dewey Decimal system works, read on!
What is a call number? Every book in the library is given a unique call number to serve as an address for locating the book on the shelf. The call number itself is composed of two parts - Dewey Decimal Classification and the Cutter number or book number.
Dewey Decimal Classification The Dewey Decimal system coordinates materials on the same subject and on related subjects to make items easier to find on the shelves. The system uses a combination of letters and numbers.
The Dewey system has ten main classes, as shown:
. 000 Generalities
. 100 Philosophy and Psychology
. 200 Religion
. 300 Social Science
. 400 Language
. 500 Natural Science and Mathematics
. 600 Technology (Applied Sciences)
. 700 Arts
. 800 Literature
. 900 Geography and History
Each of the above classes has ten divisions. For example, consider the 800's, Literature.
800 Literature & rhetoric
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
REMEMBER: The more numbers, the more specific! Each class division is divided again. For example, English & Old English literatures, the 820's, are divided as follows:
820 English & Old English literatures
821 English poetry
822 English drama
823 English fiction
824 English essays
825 English speeches
826 English letters
827 English satire & humor
828 English miscellaneous writings
829 Old English (Anglo-Saxon)
These divisions continue on, narrowing the subject matter with each number added. This is how books are organized in the library. Each book has a number assigned to it depending on the subject matter of the book!
Cutter Numbers
The cutter number for a book usually consists of the first letter of the author's last name and a series of numbers. This series of numbers comes from a table that is designed to help maintain an alphabetical arrangement of author's names within a subject area. For example:
| 636.73 B38R | Beauchamp, Richard G. Rottweilers for dummies |
| 636.73 B69C | Boyd, Lee. Canaan dog: a complete and reliable handbook |
| 636.73 B72B | Brace, Andrew H. Dog owner's guide to the boxer |
What if the library has several works by the same author? How do we keep the call number unique? To do that a work mark or work letter is used to distinguish the various works of a single author. The work mark is a letter that is usually the first letter of the title of the book. For example:
| 746.4320432 W43K | Weiss, Rita Knitting for the pampered baby |
| 746.434041 W43T | Weiss, Rita 24-hour crochet projects |
| 746.46 W43L | Weiss, Rita Little folks' quilts from big folks' patterns |
REMEMBER: the cutter number is a decimal, not a whole number, and is also read digit by digit.
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