The History of the Dewey Decimal
Classification System
Dewey the Library Cat
Melvil Dewey
1851-1931
Melvil Dewey
1851- 1913
Facts about Dewey
• He originated the DDC in 1873
• It was published & patented in 1876
• DDC identifies shelf space for a
specific book
• DDC has been translated into over 30
languages
• DDC is currently being used in 95%
regular and public libraries- 25%
academic libraries- 20% special
libraries
• He established the first library school
• He helped establish the American
Library Association in 1876
• He was the director of the NYS Library
The DDC's Assets & Flaws
Assets:
Flaws:
•
There is a bias towards
Protestant/American aspects in both
history & religion
DDC is being maintained by the Library
of Congress
•
 DDC is available in both print & online,
full and abridged versions(Web-Dewey)
There is a potential for very large
classification call numbers
•
DDC is constantly being revised
 Easily understandable from one
language & culture to another
•
Within the DDC some works are
closely related, but very separated
numerically
 Well structured and in order of
disciplines, divisions, and sections
•
Also, DDC has classes such
as Technology in the 600s where call
#s are crowded, and others sparse
DDC adapts to the needs of
the communities it serves
DDC numbers can easily be
determined using MARC 21, OCLC, &
LC
 DDC system is expandable
Dewey Classification
200 Religion
210 Natural theology
220 Bible
230 Christian theology
240 Christian moral & devotional theology
250 Christian orders & local church
260 Christian social theology
270 Christian church history
280 Christian denominations & sects
290 Other & comparative religions
Each new digit represents a new subdivision of
knowledge, with increasing specificity.
For example, to find books about butterflies, you'd
follow this organization scheme:
500 - Natural Science
590 - Zoological science
595 - Other vertebrates
595.7 - Insects
595.78 - Lepidoptera
*Remember that books are filed by digit,
595.789 - Butterflies
not by whole number!
" WebDewey 2.0 - DDC 23 & Abridged (15) "
Complete Online Dewey Decimal Classification System
WebDewey and Abridged WebDewey, the enhanced
electronic versions of the full and abridged editions,
respectively, and supplemental web postings are the chief
sources of ongoing updates to the DDC 23 databases.
On the Dewey web site, the bi-weekly and monthly changes
include new Library of Congress Subject Heading mappings,
plus Relative index terms and built numbers not available in
the print edition, as well as, BISAC headings mapped to
Dewey numbers.
http://www.oclc.org/dewey/versions/webdewey/
OK, I know you're asking - Relative index? BISAC ?
Relative index
BISAC
(Book Industry Standards and
Communications)
An index to the DDC classification
scheme that not only provides
alphabetical references to the
subjects and terms in the scheme
but also shows some of the
relationships
between subjects and aspects of
subjects.
The BISAC Subject Headings List, also
known as the BISAC Subject Codes List, is
a standard used by many companies
throughout the supply chain to categorize
books based on topical content. The
Subject Heading applied to a book can
determine where the work is shelved in a
brick and mortar store or the genre(s) under
which it can be searched for in an internal
database.
WebDewey Features
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Online searching & browsing
Maps DDC to LCSH and to corresponding LCSH authority records
Abridged version maps to Sears SH
Selected MeSH are mapped to DDC numbers
Work area for catalogers to build numbers
constantly saves work automatically
Local notes & comments can be added, then displayed in context
so that local classification practices are appropriately available
Beginners - easier to start with the printed volumes, then tutorial
Experienced researcher - great online - lots of bells and whistles:
Multi index searching, Boolean operators, proximity searches,
truncation, Relative Index, browse sequential indexes of DDC
numbers, hierarchical displays show relation to broader and
narrower classes...
Webdewey(s) are by subscription...
Publication of DDC 23 is here; in print a four-volume set in North America.
Abridged Edition 15 is perfect for libraries with fewer than 20,000 titles, this
condensed version of the DDC system covers all classes and key index terms.
Pricing: 4 Vol. DDC23 - $399
WebDewey 23
$260/yr Single staff in library
$575/yr
2-9 staff members
$860/yr
10+ staff
Abridged WD 15
$75/yr
$175/yr
$235/yr
Web Resources
• WebDewey 23 Free Class Trial Until Nov. 5th!
• Name: 100394355
Password: DEWEY4U
•
• You may log on to WebDewey with this account
at www.dewey.org/webdewey
• New Dewey numbers and LCSH mappings
• Classification research at OCLC
• Educational resources for new librarians and new users
http://www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/tutorial/default.htm
025.431: The Dewey blog
Everything you always wanted to know about the
Dewey Decimal Classification® system but were afraid
to ask
... http://ddc.typepad.com/025431/
Contact Info :
Dewey Editorial Office
Library of Congress
Dewey Section
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4292
dewey@loc.gov
Legal information: All copyright rights in the Dewey Decimal
Classification system are owned by OCLC.
Connexion, DDC, Dewey, Dewey Decimal Classification, OCLC,
WebDewey, and WorldCat are registered trademarks of OCLC. All other
service names are registered with their respective companies.
An Abandoned Kitten Transforms the
Spirit of an American Town.
Just wanted to share a story with you about
Dewey, the library cat. Written by Vicki
Myron & Bret Witter. It is the true story of an
abandoned kitten, left in a library book
return mailbox in Spencer Iowa. This cat
actually brought this farming community
together. This is a great story, I encourage
all to read it.
http://www.spencerlibrary.com/dewey.shtml
Fun Facts...
Dewey: Beyond the Shelves...
Dewey Day at the Shrewsbury Public
Library
activities and events based on DDC (i.e.,
balloon animal artist, 797.5)
Princeton Public Library's Amazing Race
children's programming to "race" through
the nonfiction categories all summer
Dewey Decimal Day!
celebrated December 10th, Melvil Dewey's
birthday
DeweyDigger.com
approaches internet searching from a
DDC point of view
Dewey Browse
websites classified using DDC for
grades k-12
Fun Facts...
The Library Hotel
--floors correspond to ten
classes
--rooms on each floor are
filled with books and art to
represent a specific topic
within that class
--lawsuit brought by OCLC
Library Hotel's DDC System
Not-so-fun facts...
Dewey: Rejected?
--libraries in Arizona, Colorado, and Chicago have replaced DDC with
BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communication) Subject Headings
--some are taking "Dewey lite" approach
Dewey Resources
Let's Do Dewey!
Do the Dewey
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/dewey2.ht http://dracutlibrary.wordpress.com/tag/de
m#What
wey-decimal-system/
Fairly comprehensive overview of DDC for Dewey Decimal Rap to introduce kids to
kids
DDC
Dewey Browse
DDC System
http://www.deweybrowse.org/
http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/dewey1.htm
Selection of websites organized by DDC
for grades k-12
List of DDC classes and divisions from
the IPL
Dewey Services
http://www.oclc.org/dewey/
They do own the copyright, after all
Quick Quizz
Name the subject of this DDC#
641.8654