The Dewey Decimal System

The Dewey Decimal System

is a method of organizing

books at a library.

This system is used in over

135 countries around the

world, including the

United States.

Melvil Dewey, an

American librarian,

developed this system in

1876.

The Dewey Decimal System

The Dewey Decimal System organizes

books according to their subjects.

There are numbers for each subject. For
example, the category for history is 900.

After each number, there are decimal

numbers that stand for smaller

categories in the

main subject.

How It Works

Explain to a partner what the numbers in the Dewey
Decimal System stand for.

Turn and Talk

If you were looking for a book about history,

you would look in the 900 section.

If you were looking for a book
about the history of China and
adjacent areas, you would look

in the 951 section.

Then, to get even more specific, if

you were writing a report on the
history of Hong Kong, you would
find books about this in 951.25.

Dewey Decimal Example

The Dewey decimal number
for each book is usually
located on the book’s spine.

Books

This system is convenient

because it makes it easy and
predictable to find a book on

a particular subject.

Benefits

The Dewey Decimal System is very
popular because it is a great way to

organize books.

How is the Dewey Decimal System helpful to

people checking out books at the library?

Exit Ticket

How is the system helpful to librarians?

Multiple Choice

The Dewey Decimal System was devised by Melvil _____.

• Deley
• Deney
• Dewey
• Dawey

Multiple Choice

Classification puts items together that are ____

• Different
• Unusual
• Wrong
• Similar

Multiple Choice

This book can be found in what section?

• Picture books (E)
• Chapter books (FIC)
• Comic books (741.5)
• Cookbooks (641.5)

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the section where the "comic book" type books are kept?

• graphic novels
• fiction
• easy
• biography

Multiple Choice

Where would you go to find a book about PM Anwar Ibrahim?

• fiction
• series
• non-fiction Dewey number 590
• biography

Multiple Choice

The SPINE of the book is:

• The front cover
• The back cover
• The edge of book with title and author
• The pages

Multiple Choice

The book's SPINE includes:

• Illustrator
• Sub-Title
• Spine Label, Title, Author
• Resource

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Picture books (E)
• Chapter books (FIC)
• Graphic Novels (741.5)
• Cookbooks (641.5)

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Horse books (636)
• Learning languages (413)
• Biography/about a person books (921)
• Fairy tales (398.2)

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Horse books (636)
• Learning languages (413)
• Biography/about a person books (921)
• Fairy tales (398.2)

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Dog books (636.7)
• Armed forces books (350-356)
• Medieval History (940)
• Reptiles (597.9)

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Dog books (636.7)
• Armed forces books (350-356)
• Medieval History (940)
• Reptiles (597.9)

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Dog books (636.7)
• Armed forces books (350-356)
• Medieval History (940)
• Reptiles (597.9)

Multiple Choice

It goes in...

• Dog books (636.7)
• Armed forces books (350-356)
• Medieval History (940)
• Reptiles (597.9)

Multiple Choice

Non-fiction books in the Dewey Decimal System are arranged according to their ______.

• Subject
• Color
• Size
• Title