LIBRARY
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.
How does the Dewey Decimal system work?
DDC is an hierarchical number system that organizes all human knowledge into ten main categories.
These are:
000
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Computer Science, information and general works
Philosophy and psychology
Religion
Social sciences
Language
Science
Technology
Arts and recreation
Literature
History and geography
Each main category is then divided into ten sub-categories. For example:
500
510
520
530
540
550
560
570
580
590
Science
Mathematics
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry
Earth sciences and geology
Fossils and prehistoric life
Biology
Plants (Botany)
Animals (Zoology)
Each sub-category is then also divided into ten specific topics. For example:
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
Physics
Classical mechanics
Fluid mechanics
Gas mechanics
Sound and related vibrations
Light and related radiation
Heat
Electricity and electronics
Magnetism
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:
Sound and related vibrations
534.1
Generation of sound
534.2
Transmission of sound
534.22 Transmission in solids
534.23 Transmission in liquids
DDC at Oxford Brookes
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:
610
610.6
610.69
610.695
610.6952
610.69520942
610.6952094205
= Medical sciences
= Professions
= Medical personnel
= Specific kinds of medical personnel
= Physicians
= Physicians in England and Wales
= Physicians in England and Wales 1485-1603
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.
Finding items on the shelves
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:
361.
3
HIG
382.
63
COC
576
JON
599.
935
PHI
647.
944
21
LON
823.
914
BAI/B
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,
361.
3
HIG
361.
32
BOR
361.
32
STO
363.
35
CIV
363.
377
PRE
363.
377
PRO
Beware of separate sequences
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 the Library catalogue. Look out for sequences such as Oversize, Local
Collection, Short Loan, Music Scores, Quick Reference, Subject Floor Quick Reference.
Journals
Journals are also shelved in a separate section. The same DDC numbers are used, but the catalogue
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.
And finally … Art and Architecture materials
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:
759.
4
BOI
759.
4
FRI
759.
4
ROS
759.
4
DEL/J
759.
4
LAT/C
759.
4
LAT/O
This happens in some other areas in the 700s, so when checking the library catalogue 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 the library catalogue.
000
010
020
030
040
050
060
070
080
090
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
390
400
410
420
430
440
450
460
470
480
490
Computer science, knowledge and systems
Bibliographies
Library and information sciences
Encyclopaedias and books of facts
Not used
Magazines, journals and serials
Associations, organizations and museums
News media, journalism and publishing
General knowledge
Manuscripts and rare books
Philosophy and Psychology
Metaphysics
Epistemology, causation and humankind
Parapsychology and occultism
Specific philosophical schools
Psychology
Philosophical logic
Ethics
Ancient, medieval, and eastern philosophy
Modern western philosophy
Religion
Philosophy and theory of religion
Bible
Christianity
Christian moral and devotional theology
Christian orders and local church
Social and ecclesiastical theology
History, geography, biography of Christianity
Christian denominations and sects
Other religions
Social sciences
Collections of general statistics
Political science
Economics
Law
Public administration & military science
Social problems and services
Education
Commerce, communications, transportation
Customs, etiquette, folklore
Language
Linguistics
English and Old English language
German and related languages
French and related languages
Italian, Romanian and related languages
Spanish, Portuguese, Galician
Latin and related Italic language
Classical Greek and related languages
Other languages
500
510
520
530
540
550
560
570
580
590
600
610
620
630
640
650
660
670
680
690
700
710
720
730
740
750
760
770
780
790
800
810
820
830
840
850
860
870
880
890
900
910
920
930
940
950
960
970
980
990
Science
Mathematics
Astronomy and allied sciences
Physics
Chemistry and allied sciences
Earth sciences
Palaeontology
Biology
Plants (Botany)
Animals (Zoology)
Technology
Medicine and health
Engineering and allied operations
Agriculture and related technologies
Home economics, catering
Management
Chemical engineering, food technology
Manufacturing
Manufacture for specific uses
Construction of buildings
Arts and recreation
Planning and landscape architecture
Architecture
Sculpture and related arts
Graphic arts and decorative arts
Painting and paintings
Printmaking and prints
Photography, computer art, film, video
Music
Recreational and performing arts, sport
Literature
American literature
English and Old English literatures
German and related literatures
French and related literatures
Italian, Romanian and related literatures
Spanish, Portuguese, Galician literatures
Latin and Italic literatures
Classical Greek and related Literatures
Literature of other languages
History and geography
Geography and travel
Biography
History of the ancient world
History of Europe
History of Asia
History of Africa
History of North America
History of South America
History of other areas
WJ
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