Dewey Decimal System

Part of the relative index of the Dewey Decimal Classification

The Dewey Decimal System is a way to sort books and other publications by subject. It is often used in public libraries and schools. It places the books on the shelf by subject using numbers from 000 to 999. It is called "Decimal" because it uses numbers to the right of the decimal point for more detail (e.g. 944.1 for History of Brittany). Each subject has its own set of numbers. The system was created by Melvil Dewey in 1876. It is also called the Dewey Decimal Classification. The classification has been revised and expanded many times. The latest edition was published in 2004.

Each subject is broken up into 10 smaller, more specific categories.

• 000 – Computer science, information, and general works
• 100 – Philosophy and psychology
• 200 – Religion
• 300 – Social sciences
• 400 – Language
• 500 – Science
• 600 – Technology
• 700 – Arts and recreation
• 800 – Literature
• 900 – History and geography

Other pages

• Literature
• Reading
• Book