NYC School Librarian Guidebook: Dewey Decimal System
Dewey Decimal System
The Dewey Decimal System is almost universally used as the organizing protocol for all school and public libraries. The location skills the students learn in your school library are directly transferable. Even at the college level, where the Library of Congress system is used, students will have learned basic location skills in your school library that will then transfer to the college level.
The basic breakdown of the Dewey Decimal System is as follows:
000 Generalities
100 Philosophy and Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Sciences
400 Language 500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics
600 Applied Sciences and Technology
700 The Arts
800 Literature and Rhetoric
900 Geography and History
Dewey Decimal Resouces
- The Dewey BlogEverything Dewey explained on an ongoing Blog.
- Dewey Decimal Classification SystemThe Dewey Decimal Classification System outlined on the Internet Public Library.
- Dewey Decimal Classification SystemA brief summary of the Dewey Decimal Classification System by OCLC.
- Dewey Decimal System by Encyclopedia BritannicaA short description of the Dewey Decimal System by Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Dewey Decimal for KidsA kid-friendly listing of Dewey Decimal categories.
Sears Subject Headings
Libraries must follow an authority in determining subject headings in order to maintain the integrity of the catalog. Most libraries commonly use either Library of Congress Subject Headings or Sears List of Subject Headings as the authoritative source of subject headings. Generally, schools use Sears. Sears offers a controlled vocabulary so that all books on the same subject are accessible through the same words. Main headings may be subdivided by: topic, aspects of a topic, geography, and chronology. Every subject heading in Sears is linked to the corresponding Dewey number.
Typically, librarians with both print and electronic catalogs offer both “see” and “see also” references to help patrons refine their search and find additional resources. If you are automated, request both types of headings in the MARC records, but activate the Sears headings only.
More Information about Sears Subject Headings