Melvil Dewey created the Dewey Decimal Classification system in 1876 when he was 21 years old to bring order to the massive amount of world knowledge. The system divides all knowledge into 10 main categories represented by 3-digit numbers. These numbers can be found on the spine label of library books and are used to easily shelve books by subject. The 10 main classifications are Generalities, Philosophy, Religion, Social Science, Language, Natural Science & Math, Technology, The Arts, Literature, and Geography & History.

1. Dewey Decimal
Classification System
Presented to Second Students
Developed by Karen Ward
Library Media Specialist
Eichold-Mertz Elementary School

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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
500
Decimal Classification
200
000
Mea Bya Lee call number can be
easily seen.

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

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

8. Religion - 200
Bible
Historyof Christianity
Other Religions
About God

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. 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?

17. 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.