Dewey Decimal System: How It Works

Use this document to find out where each section of the collection is located in the Livingston Library.  Paper copies are available at the Circulation Desk.

The Dewey Decimal classification system groups together books on similar subjects by call numbers.  At the broadest level, the Dewey Decimal System is divided into ten main classes, which together cover the entire world of knowledge.  

All parts of a call number are important! Make sure you write down the whole number!

Let's dissect this call number: 973.7 C29t  

• 973: The first three numbers of a Dewey Decimal call number indicate the general subject of the book.
• .7: Numbers following the first 3 numbers and the decimal point make things more specific.
  • 973 United States 
    • 973.7 Administration of Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865  Civil War
• C29t: The Cutter Number indicates the author or title of the book. Why? It's a librarian thing.

There may be some additional information attached to a call number.

For example: J 728.0942 L346i, 1904 v.1 

• J means it's in the Juvenile Collection
• 1904 is the year it was published
• v.1 tells you which volume

There’s also:

• DVD for DVDs
• CD for CDs
• Fiction for Adult Fiction

So how do you find books on the shelves?

Let’s use 973.7 C29t  The American Civil War: A Military History by John Keegan as an example.

The call # will be on the spine of the item.  

Break the number down from left to right in chunks: 973  .7  C29  t

• Look for the 973 section
• Then look for .7
• After you find 973.7, look for Cutter #s that start with C
• Then find C29
• If there are several books by that author, they will be filed by title, in this case, t.

DVDs, CDs, magazines, children's books, sheet music, and oversize books have special locations in the library. 

REMEMBER! If you can't find an item on the shelf, ask a staff member to help!