Dewey Decimal

Classification System
Presented to Sixth through Eighth Grade
Students
Developed by Monica Rogers
Library Media Specialist
Tuskegee Institute Middle School
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.
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.
 The Big Ten!

 Generalities – 000  Science & Math – 500

 Philosophy – 100  Technology – 600
 Religion – 200  The Arts – 700
 Social Science –  Literature – 800
300  Geography & History - 900
 Language – 400
Brings order to the massive
amount of world knowledge
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
000 200 500 can be easily seen.
Mea Bya Lee
Generalities - 000
Encyclopedias
News media
Rare Books

Encyclopedias, References
Philosophy - 100
Paranormal phenomena
Psychology
Logic

Man thinks
Religion - 200
Bible
Historyof Christianity
Other Religions

About God
Natural Science
& Math - 500
Mathematics
Earth sciences
Plants
Animals

Man discovers
all that is
around him
Technology – 600
Medicine
Agriculture
Family living

Man makes useful

things
The Arts - 700
Drawing
Music
Recreational & performing
arts
Man makes
beautiful things
Literature - 800
American Literature
Old English Literature
Literatures of Other Languages

Man writes
 Geography
& History - 900

Geography
Biographies
Ancient History

Man writes about

travel, people, and
events
 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?
 Resources Used…
All clipart taken from the Microsoft Clipart web site:
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us&cag=1

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.