Melvil Dewey created the Dewey Decimal Classification system in 1876 to bring order to the massive amount of world knowledge. The system divides all knowledge into 10 main categories, with each category represented by three numbers. The Dewey Decimal Classification number can be found on the spine of library books and is used to organize books on the shelves by subject.

1. Dewey Decimal
Classification System
Library Media Class

2. Melvil Dewey
 Created Dewey
Decimal system, a
library classification
system
 Copyrighted the
system in 1876

3. Who created the Dewey Decimal
Classification System?
 Melvil Dewey was born on December 10, 1851
 Melvil Dewey created the number order system
for library books when he was 21 years old.
 Melvil Dewey started the first school for
librarians.

4. Ten Main Classifications in
Dewey’s System
The world’s knowledge is divided
into 10 categories or groups.
Each group has a main title and is
represented by three numbers.

5. The Big Ten!
 Generalities – 000
 Philosophy – 100
 Religion – 200
 Social Science –
300
 Language – 400
 Science & Math – 500
 Technology – 600
 The Arts – 700
 Literature – 800
 Geography & History - 900
Brings order to the massive
amount of world knowledge

6. You Can Judge A Book by Its
Cover!
 The Dewey Decimal
Classification call
number can be found on
the spine label.
 Why?
 When the book is
shelved, the Dewey
Decimal Classification
call number can be
easily seen.
500
Lee
200
Bya
000
Mea

7.  Call # is what you
see on the spine of
the book
 It tells you where the
book is found
 It’s the book address
 In early libraries,
closed stacks were
used
 Patrons had to
request or “call for”
the book using that
number
Call Number

8. Generalities - 000
Encyclopedias
News media
Rare Books
Encyclopedias, References

9. Philosophy - 100
Paranormal phenomena
Psychology
Logic
Man thinks

10. Religion - 200
Bible
History of Christianity
Other Religions
About God

11. Social Science - 300
Law
Education
Folklore
About man’s neighbors

12. Language - 400
English
Spanish
Other Languages
Man talks with other men

13. Natural Science
& Math - 500
Mathematics
Earth sciences
Plants
Animals
Man discovers
all that is
around him

14. Technology – 600
Medicine
Agriculture
Family living
Man makes useful
things

15. The Arts - 700
Drawing
Music
Recreational & performing
arts
Man makes
beautiful things

16. Literature - 800
American Literature
Old English Literature
Literatures of Other Languages
Man writes

17. Geography
& History - 900
Geography
Biographies
Ancient History
Man writes about
travel, people, and
events

18. Flashback!
What Do You Remember?
Who created the Dewey Decimal
Classification System?
What does the DDCS do for our
library?
How many main classifications are
there?
Where do you find the DDCS number
on a library book?

19. Resources Used…
All clipart taken from the Microsoft Clipart web site:
Information on the Dewey Decimal Classification taken from:
Weisburg, H. & Toor, R. Teacher’s Portfolio of Library Skills
Lessons & Activities (1985). The Center for Applied Research in
Education, Inc.
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us&cag=1