The Dewey Decimal System: An Overview

1. The Dewey Decimal System: An Overview Presented by Debra Yocum Melillo Middle School Library

2. Melvil Dewey • He was a librarian • Wanted the libraries to be easy for everyone to use • Created the Dewey Decimal Classification System in the 1870’s • He helped found the American Library Association and published the first library journal • He started the first school to train librarians

3. Dewey Classifications • Classification means to arrange things based on attributes they have in common • Dewey came up with 10 main categories to classify books • All books, both Fiction and Nonfiction can fit in the Dewey Decimal Classification System. (What we think of as the Non-fiction section!)

4. The Difference between Fiction and Non-Fiction • Check out this ThinkQuest activity: http://library.thinkquest.org/5002/Basic/ficnf.htm • The ThinkQuest was created by 5th and 6th grade students at Nettleton Intermediate Center and it has some great explanations • So “Why Dewey?” – what do you think?

5. Dewey Classification System

6. 000 - Generalities • The things that won’t fit in your head! • Encyclopedias • Dictionaries • Almanacs • Computers • Libraries • The Unexplained

7. 100 – Psychology & Philosophy • Why do people act the way they do? • Feelings and Emotions • Supernatural • Ethics

8. 200 - Religion • Religions around the world and stories of Mythology • World religions • Bible stories • Creation myths • Classical mythology

9. Your turn… • I’m looking for a book on UFOs, where would I go? 000 ‘s 100 ‘s 200 ‘s • Click on the number above for your answer.

10. 300 – Social Sciences • How people interact in the world • Social and environmental issues • Fairy tales and folklore • Holidays • Armed forces • Government and economics

11. 400 - Language • The study of the languages of the world • Sign language • Foreign languages • English grammar • Word origins

12. 500 – Natural Science • Learn about the natural world around us. • Solar systems • Astronomy • Physical science • Chemistry • Environments • Animals • Math

13. Quiz Time! • What have you learned so far? • Where would you find a book of fairy tales? 200 ‘s 300 ‘s 500 ‘s Click on the number above for your answer.

14. 600 – Applied Sciences • Learning about the way things work in the world. • Automobiles • Aircraft • Inventions & Technology • Medicine • The Human Body • Cooking • Pets

15. 700 – The Arts • The things that make our world beautiful and fun. • Sports • Crafts • Music • Art & Drawing • Dance • Graphic novels

16. 800 - Literature • The stories of our world • Poetry • Writing techniques • Plays • Joke books • Side note: all fiction books would go here in a perfect Dewey system!

17. 900 – Geography & History • The history of our world • Maps & cartography • Exploration • American & World history • States & Countries • Pirates • Collective biographies • All individual biographies would go here in a perfect Dewey system (we keep ours in a separate section)!

18. I Spy… • A book on the Jonas Brothers, where am I? 600 ‘s 700 ‘s 900 ‘s • Click on the number above for your answer.

19. Some more fun with Dewey… • You have learned some about the unique way we organize information in the library, • You can now practice some more by going to this ThinkQuest at: http://library.thinkquest.org/5002/Games/deweytest.htm • Print out the test • Complete it and return it to the librarian for the prize drawing before Christmas • Print out the puzzles for more fun.