Dewey Classification
This system of organising information was invented by Melvil Dewey in 1873. It is the most widely used classification system in the world and it allows many books on the same subject to be shelved together.
These are the ten main general areas:
Each general area can be broken down further to give a more exact three figure number for different subjects. For example:
Most of the Learning Centre resources are allocated a classmark; on a book this is found on a label on the bottom of the spine. Some classmarks include decimal points. The shorter the number the more general the subject; the longer the number the more specific the subject. Often the first 3 letters of the author's surname follow the classmark, e.g.: 301.15 HEW.
Items are ordered as follows:
301 REX, 301.03 JAR, 301.072 SHI, 301.15 HEW, 301.22 MID, 301.22 PAD
i.e., nothing comes before something, numerical order 0-9 comes before alphabetical order A-Z.
NB: Certain collections do not conform to this system, e.g., journals, Ordnance Survey maps, atlases and newspapers, and have their own shelving areas, outside the main book stock. These items should have a description in the Location field of the OPAC results which indicates where they may be found. Please ask at the Desk in the Learning Centre if you can't find what you're looking for.
These are the ten main general areas:
- 001-099 - General Information
- 100-199 - Thoughts and Ideas
- 200-299 - Religion
- 300-399 - Environment
- 400-499 - Languages
- 500-599 - Science
- 600-699 - Technology
- 700-799 - Art and Leisure
- 800-899 - Poetry, Drama and Fiction
- 900-999 - History and Geography
Each general area can be broken down further to give a more exact three figure number for different subjects. For example:
- 700 = Art and Leisure
- 790 = Leisure
- 796 = Outdoor Sports and Games
- 796.3 = Ball Games
- 796.334 = Football
Most of the Learning Centre resources are allocated a classmark; on a book this is found on a label on the bottom of the spine. Some classmarks include decimal points. The shorter the number the more general the subject; the longer the number the more specific the subject. Often the first 3 letters of the author's surname follow the classmark, e.g.: 301.15 HEW.
Items are ordered as follows:
301 REX, 301.03 JAR, 301.072 SHI, 301.15 HEW, 301.22 MID, 301.22 PAD
i.e., nothing comes before something, numerical order 0-9 comes before alphabetical order A-Z.
NB: Certain collections do not conform to this system, e.g., journals, Ordnance Survey maps, atlases and newspapers, and have their own shelving areas, outside the main book stock. These items should have a description in the Location field of the OPAC results which indicates where they may be found. Please ask at the Desk in the Learning Centre if you can't find what you're looking for.