A Guide To The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
A Guide To The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
A Guide To The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
Research Guide 13
A guide to the
Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
This library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification scheme (DDC) to arrange books and other library
materials on the shelves so they may be easily retrieved. It is used in many libraries and allows items
about the same subject to be shelved together.
DDC is an hierarchical number system that organizes all human knowledge into ten main categories.
These are:
Each main category is then divided into ten sub-categories. For example:
500 Science
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy
530 Physics
540 Chemistry
550 Earth sciences and geology
560 Fossils and prehistoric life
570 Biology
580 Plants (Botany)
590 Animals (Zoology)
Each sub-category is then also divided into ten specific topics. For example:
530 Physics
531 Classical mechanics
532 Fluid mechanics
533 Gas mechanics
534 Sound and related vibrations
535 Light and related radiation
536 Heat
537 Electricity and electronics
538 Magnetism
539 Modern physics
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Each of these topics may be further divided into more specific subject areas. A decimal point is used
after the first three digits to separate the specific subjects - it also makes the numbers easier to read.
You will see that as the subject becomes more specific, so does the numbering. For example:
When an item arrives in the library it is assigned a DDC number, often called the “classmark” or
“shelfmark”. Each of the numbers in this shelfmark has a meaning and is not assigned randomly.
For example, the book “The Royal doctors 1485-1714” by Elizabeth Furdell has been assigned the
shelfmark 610.6952094205 FUR. These numerals indicate:
Most items will also be assigned some letters at the end of the numerals, “FUR” in the above example.
These are taken from the author’s surname or the first word of the title.
The shelfmark will always have at least three numbers, followed by some letters. It is usually displayed
on the spine of the item, but is sometimes placed on the front cover. Here are some examples:
The DDC system places items about the same subject at the same number. This means that once you
have identified the DDC number for the subject you are interested in, you can browse the shelves at that
number.
On each shelf the items are arranged in a numerical sequence from left to right by their DDC number.
Where several items have an identical DDC number, the letters are used to further arrange them. For
example,
If you are looking for a specific item you should check the library catalogue and make a note of the full
shelfmark (numbers and letters) and any words that appear before the shelfmark. The majority of library
materials are shelved together but there are several separate sequences that are kept in different areas,
but which are all indicated on LibrarySearch. Look out for sequences such as Oversize, Local Collection,
Short Loan, Music Scores, Paul Oliver Vernacular Architecture Library.
Journals
Journals are also shelved in a separate section. The same DDC numbers are used, but LibrarySearch
shows these items with a shelfmark that is preceded by a “J”, and which only has one letter after the
numbers. For example, the journal “Nursing Standard” has the shelfmark J 610.73 N.
When looking for items in this area you may be confused to find two alphabetic sequences at the same
number. For example, general items about French painting can be found at the shelfmark 759.4 and
have three letters after the numbers. At the end of these come works about specific French artists, at the
same number 759.4, but these have four letters after the numbers. For example:
This happens in some other areas in the 700s, so when checking LibrarySearch remember to make a
note of the full shelfmark – numbers and letters.
If you have any questions or would like more help, please ask a member of library staff.
Quick guide to Dewey numbers used in this library
This is only a brief guide to subjects. For more information, especially when looking for specific items,
please remember to check LibrarySearch.
VG/DC/JF
06/19