In my mind the Dewey Decimal System is fairly basic and easy to follow. It is a classification system that has been tweaked over the years to become more and more user friendly. With the ever changing world and the never ending storm of technology that continues to sweep through our world, it is hard for any system to adapt. Yet I feel that The Dewey Decimal System converted well from paper catalogues to computerized ones. Whether using paper or a computer this system follows the same principles.
The Dewey Decimal System is broken down into ten main classes:
- 000 Generalities
- 100 Philosophy and Psychology
- 200 Religion
- 300 Social Science
- 400 Language
- 500 Natural Science and Mathematics
- 600 Technology
- 700 Arts
- 800 Literature
- 900 Geography and History
These ten main classes are further broken down and become more specific. Lets look at the 500's for instance, 500 Natural Science and Mathematics breaks down to:
- 510 Mathematics
- 520 Astronomy
- 530 Physics
- 540 Chemistry
- 550 Earth Sciences
- 560 Paleontology
- 570 Life Sciences
- 580 Botanical Sciences
- 590 Zoological Sciences
As things get even more specific more numbers are added and decimal numbers are even added. In addition at times a cutter number or even letter (from the authors name or title of the book) is added to the call number in order to make it original and unlike any other call number so that the book can be located.
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