The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), or Dewey Decimal System, is a proprietary library classification system first published in the United States by Melvil Dewey in 1876.
The Dewey Decimal Classification organizes library materials by discipline or field of study. The scheme is made up of ten classes, each divided into ten divisions, each having ten sections.
It is currently used by public libraries and smaller academic libraries throughout the world as a method for organizing books that ensures books on the same subject are near each other on the shelves. DDC assigns each book a number based on its subject matter. Subjects fall into 10 main classes, 100 divisions and 1000 sections creating a three-digit number that can be expanded with an unlimited number of decimal places to capture additional details about the item.
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DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION (DDC)
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000-099
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General
works, Computer science and Information
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100-199
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Philosophy
and psychology
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200-299
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Religion
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300-399
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Social
sciences
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400-499
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Language
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500-599
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Pure
Science
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600-699
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Technology
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700-799
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Arts &
recreation
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800-899
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Literature
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900-999
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History
& geography
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Information taken from Wikipedia
Decoding Dewey Decimal Call Numbers
Example: 813.54 MAC 2007
| Main Class | 800 | Literature |
| Division | 810 | American literature in English |
| Section | 813 | American fiction in English |
| 813.54 | ...further narrowing of topic | |
| 813.54 MAC | first 3 letter - identifying author’s name | |
| 813.54 MAC 2007 | Edition date (if any) |
