The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system, created by Melville Dewey in 1873, is the most widely used library classification system globally, adopted by over 135 countries and translated into more than 30 languages. It organizes knowledge into ten main categories, allowing for efficient categorization and accessibility of books by subject. The 22nd edition includes detailed guides, schedules, and indexing features to support users in navigating the system.

1. Dewey Decimal Classification
(DDC)
Class on
“Classification Practice”
by
Sudipta Biswas
DRTC
Indian Statistical Institute
Bangalore
20/08/2014

2. DDC (General Information)
• World’s most widely used library classification system
• More then 135 countries use DDC
• DDC numbers are featured in the national bibliographies of more then 60
countries
• DDC has been translated into over 30 languages
– E.g. Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek
• DDC is maintained in a national bibliographic agency, Library of Congress
• DDC’s basic classes are organized by disciplines or fields of study
• A subject may appear in more than one class

3. DDC (Background)
• Melville Dewey devised the system in 1873 while he was a student
at Amherst College in Massachusetts
• First published in 1876.
• as “A Classification and Subject Index for Cataloguing and Arranging
the Books and Pamphlets of a Library”.
• It appeared in the form of a small book of 44 pages.
• The Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) was
established in 1937.
• In 1988, Online Computer Library Centre (OCLC) acquired the DDC.
• The editorial headquarters was located at the Library of Congress in
the Decimal Classification Division.
• DDC is published by Online Computer Library Centre, in full and
abridged editions.
 The abridged edition targets the general libraries having less than
20,000 titles.
• Both the full and abridged editions are available in print as well as
in electronic version.

4. Melvil Dewey
• Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey
• Dewey was born in Adams Centre,
New York
• Born in 10 December, 1851
• His intense interest in simplified
spelling caused him to once change
his name Melvil Dui
• Established the American Library
Association in 1876
• Co-founded and edited Library
Journal
• Died 26 December, 1931 at age 80

5. The caveman’s Guide to the DDC
• DDC groups books by topic by dividing
them into 10 basic categories, and
each of those categorises is further
split into 10 categories, and so on
• It has been explained that he devised
the system by imagining himself as a
prehistoric or primitive man or a
caveman and asked himself question
he believed such a man would ask

6. 000
(General)
Before I Begin
• Information I need to
know before I begin
– These are books which
contain information on
many subjects
• Such as encyclopaedias and other
reference books

7. 100
(Philosophy)
Who am I ?
• Man thinks
about himself

8. 200
(Religion)
Who made me ?
• Man thinks
about his
Creator

9. 300
(Social Science)
Who is the man/woman in the next
cave ?
• Man thinks
about other
people

10. 400
(Language)
How can I make that man/woman
Understand me ?
• Man learns to
communicate with
others through words
and sign

11. 500
(Science)
How can I understand nature and the
world around me ?
• Man learn to
understand the
nature of air, land,
and sea

12. 600
(Applied Science)
How can I use what I know about
nature ?
• Primitive man learn about fire
and how to make weapons;
over time, he also learn about
the wheel, medicine, planting
crops, cooking food, building
useful structures, and how to
make things to ease our
burdens

13. 700
(Fine Arts and Recreation)
How can I enjoy my leisure time ?
• As time passes, man
learns about painting
pictures, creating
music, as well as
dancing to music,
playing games, sports,
and hunting

14. 800
(Literature)
How can I give my children a record of
man’s heroic does ?
• Man become a
storyteller; he creates
sagas, fables, epics,
poems, plays about
relatives, friends and
characters; he writes for
others to read, learn and
enjoy

15. 900
(History, Geography and Biography)
How can I leave a record for people of the
future ?
• Man writes about
what happened,
where it
happened, and
who made it
happen

16. Understanding the Structure of DDC
• DDC system uses simple decimal notation to divide recorded
knowledge into 10 main classes at the broadest level
– which together cover the entire world of knowledge
• Each main class is further divided into 10 divisions
• Each division into 10 sections
– giving 100 divisions and 1000 sections
• All the numbers for the divisions and sections have not been
used

17. Tables
• T1 Standard Subdivisions
• T2 Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons
• T3 Subdivisions for the Arts, for Individual Literatures, for
Specific Literary Forms
• T4 Subdivisions of Individual Languages and Language
Families
• T5 Ethnic and National Groups
• T6 Languages
(The notation from T1can be added to any numbers unless there is an
instruction in the schedules or tables to the contrary. The other table
notations may be added only when instructions are given in the
schedules or tables)

18. Introduction to 22nd Edition of DDC
• DDC 22 is composed of the following major parts in four
volumes.
– Volume 1: It includes special features of edition 22, introduction
regarding how to use the DDC, glossary, index to the introduction and
glossary, a manual (guide to the use of the DDC), and six numbered
tables. It also has the lists that compare editions 21 and 22 with the
list of relocated, discontinued and reused numbers
– Volume 2: It includes DDC summaries (the top three levels of the
DDC), and schedules (from 000-599). The summaries will help you to
visualize at a glance the structure and scope of various subjects as laid
down in DDC.
– Volume 3: It includes the organization of knowledge schedules from
600-999
– Volume 4: It includes a relative index. The relative index (it relates
subjects to discipline) contains an alphabetical list of subjects with the
disciplines in which they are treated as sub-arranged alphabetically
under each entry

19. Thank You