Understanding the Dewey Decimal System

Most libraries arrange materials on their shelves according to subject.

To do this, they use some kind of numbering system in which each number stands for a subject.

At Pauline Johnson Collegiate, we use the Dewey Decimal System, a guide to which is presented below.

Major Headings (for sub-divisions see below)

000

Generalities

100

Philosophy and psychology

200

Religion

300

Social sciences

400

Language

500

Natural sciences and mathematics

600

Technology (Applied science)

700

The arts

800

Literature and rhetoric

900

Geography and history

Complete Listing

Major Divisions

000 Generalities

010 Bibliography

020 Library & information sciences

030 General encyclopedic works

040

050 General serials & their indexes

060 General organizations & museology

070 News media, journalism, publishing

080 General collections

090 Manuscripts & rare books

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100 Philosophy & psychology

110 Metaphysics

120 Epistemology, causation, humankind

130 Paranormal phenomena

140 Specific philosophical schools

150 Psychology

160 Logic

170 Ethics (Moral philosophy)

180 Ancient, medieval, Oriental philosophy

190 Modern Western philosophy

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200 Religion

210 Natural theology

220 Bible

230 Christian theology

240 Christian moral & devotional theology

250 Christian orders & local church

260 Christial social theology

270 Christian church history

280 Christian denominations & sects

290 Other and comparative religions

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300 Social sciences

310 General statistics

320 Political science

330 Economics

340 Law

350 Public administration

360 Social services; association

370 Education

380 Commerce, communications, transport

390 Customs, etiquette, folklore

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400 Language

410 Linguistics

420 English & Old English

430 Germanic languages German

440 Romance languages French

450 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic

460 Spanish & Portuguese languages

470 Italic languages Latin

480 Hellenic languages Classical Greek

490 Other languages

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500 Natural sciences & mathematics

510 Mathematics

520 Astronomy & allied sciences

530 Physics

540 Chemistry & allied sciences

550 Earth sciences

560 Paleontology Paleozoology

570 Life sciences

580 Botanical sciences

590 Zoological sciences

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600 Technology (Applied Sciences)

610 Medical sciences Medicine

620 Engineering & allied operations

630 Agriculture

640 Home economics & family living

650 Management & auxiliary services

660 Chemical engineering

670 Manufacturing

680 Manufacture for specific uses

690 Buildings

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700 The arts

710 Civic & landscage art

720 Architecture

730 Plastic arts Sculpture

740 Drawing & decorative arts

750 Painting and paintings

760 Graphic arts Printmaking & prints

770 Photography & photographs

780 Music

790 Recreational & performing arts

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800 Literature & rhetoric

810 American literature in English

820 English & Old English literatures

830 Literatures of Germanic languages

840 Literatures of Romance languages

850 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic literatures

860 Spanish & Portuguese literatures

870 Italic literatures Latin

880 Hellenic literatures Classical Greek

890 Literatures of other languages

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900 Geography & history

910 Geography & travel

920 Biography, genealogy, insignia

930 History of ancient world

940 General history of Europe

950 General history of Asia Far East

960 General history of Africa

970 General history of North America

980 General history of South America

990 General history of other areas

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