2. Call Numbers
• As you recall in our last lesson, we
learned about call numbers for
fiction books.
• FIC at the top means that it is a
fiction book.
• The bottom three letters are the
first three letters for the author’s
last name.
3. • These letters help us find a fiction
book on the shelves.
• Nonfiction books are arranged in
number order and work a little
differently.
4. Now you are ready for
Nonfiction Call Number
Numbers at the top
first three letters of the
author’s last name on the
bottom
13. 10 general groups
for sorting all of the
subjects
General means broad,
lots of subjects will fit
into each group.
14. Here are the 10 general
groups for sorting books in
the Dewey Decimal System:
General Works Philosophy
Religion Social Studies
Language Science
Technology Arts and Leisure
Literature History/Geography
15. This seems like a
lot to remember,
but don’t worry
you’ll learn it all
quickly.
So let’s get going !!!!
16. 000s-General Works
Books that fit in this group
have many different
subjects in them. Like:
Encyclopedias or The Guinness Book of
Records
This is also where books on
unexplained subjects would be
found-like The Loch Ness Monster.
25. 800s-Literature
Books in this group are
stories, jokes, plays, or
poetry.
This is the group fiction
books were put in long ago
when The Dewey Decimal
System was first invented.
26. Today we have too many
fiction books in our
libraries to organize them
in this way, so fiction
books have their own way
of being organized.
You know, in ABC order, by
author !
29. Knowing these big
groups will help make
it easier to find the
books you want in the
nonfiction section.
30. Remember, nonfiction call
numbers are placed in
number order first, so
that means all of the
books about the same
subject end up near each
other on the shelf.
That’s Smart !!!!
31. Let’s See What You’ve
Learned
Call numbers
help us find
the books we
want to read !!!
32. 1. What is the recipe
for a nonfiction call
number?
Numbers (for the subject)
First three letters in
the author’s last name
33. 2. What system tells us
what numbers go with
each subject?
Dewey Decimal System
34. 3. Who is responsible
for inventing the Dewey
Decimal System?
Melvil Dewey
35. 4. Mr. Dewey matched
a number with each
_____________.
a) author
b) subject
c) title
36. 5. All school libraries
use the Dewey
Decimal System.
a) false
b) true
Editor's Notes
In Melvil’s day there was no set way for library books to be organized. This made it hard for people to find the books they wanted, so Melvil started thinking and came up with a brilliant idea!!
He decided it would make it easier to find books if they were grouped by subject, so first he came up with 10 general groups to use for sorting all subjects.
Today we have too many fiction books in our libraries to organize them in this way, so fiction books have their own way of being organized.
