LIBRARY

Research Guide 13

A guide to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme

This library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification scheme (DDC) to arrange books and other library materials on the shelves so they may be easily retrieved. It is used in many libraries and allows items about the same subject to be shelved together. How does the Dewey Decimal system work? DDC is an hierarchical number system that organizes all human knowledge into ten main categories. These are: 000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Computer Science, information and general works Philosophy and psychology Religion Social sciences Language Science Technology Arts and recreation Literature History and geography

Each main category is then divided into ten sub-categories. For example: 500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 Science Mathematics Astronomy Physics Chemistry Earth sciences and geology Fossils and prehistoric life Biology Plants (Botany) Animals (Zoology)

Each sub-category is then also divided into ten specific topics. For example: 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 Physics Classical mechanics Fluid mechanics Gas mechanics Sound and related vibrations Light and related radiation Heat Electricity and electronics Magnetism Modern physics

WWW.BROOKES.AC.UK/LIBRARY

Each of these topics may be further divided into more specific subject areas. A decimal point is used after the first three digits to separate the specific subjects - it also makes the numbers easier to read. You will see that as the subject becomes more specific, so does the numbering. For example: Sound and related vibrations 534.1 Generation of sound 534.2 Transmission of sound 534.22 Transmission in solids 534.23 Transmission in liquids

DDC at Oxford Brookes When an item arrives in the library it is assigned a DDC number, often called the classmark or shelfmark. Each of the numbers in this shelfmark has a meaning and is not assigned randomly. For example, the book The Royal doctors 1485-1714 by Elizabeth Furdell has been assigned the shelfmark 610.6952094205 FUR. These numerals indicate: 610 610.6 610.69 610.695 610.6952 610.69520942 610.6952094205 = Medical sciences = Professions = Medical personnel = Specific kinds of medical personnel = Physicians = Physicians in England and Wales = Physicians in England and Wales 1485-1603

Most items will also be assigned some letters at the end of the numerals, FUR in the above example. These are taken from the authors surname or the first word of the title.

Finding items on the shelves The shelfmark will always have at least three numbers, followed by some letters. It is usually displayed on the spine of the item, but is sometimes placed on the front cover. Here are some examples: 361. 3 HIG 382. 63 COC 576 JON 599. 935 PHI 647. 944 21 LON 823. 914 BAI/B

The DDC system places items about the same subject at the same number. This means that once you have identified the DDC number for the subject you are interested in, you can browse the shelves at that number. On each shelf the items are arranged in a numerical sequence from left to right by their DDC number. Where several items have an identical DDC number, the letters are used to further arrange them. For example, 361. 3 HIG 361. 32 BOR 361. 32 STO 363. 35 CIV 363. 377 PRE 363. 377 PRO

Beware of separate sequences

If you are looking for a specific item you should check the library catalogue and make a note of the full shelfmark (numbers and letters) and any words that appear before the shelfmark. The majority of library materials are shelved together but there are several separate sequences that are kept in different areas, but which are all indicated on the Library catalogue. Look out for sequences such as Oversize, Local Collection, Short Loan, Music Scores, Quick Reference, Subject Floor Quick Reference.

Journals Journals are also shelved in a separate section. The same DDC numbers are used, but the catalogue shows these items with a shelfmark that is preceded by a J, and which only has one letter after the numbers. For example, the journal Nursing Standard has the shelfmark J 610.73 N. And finally Art and Architecture materials When looking for items in this area you may be confused to find two alphabetic sequences at the same number. For example, general items about French painting can be found at the shelfmark 759.4 and have three letters after the numbers. At the end of these come works about specific French artists, at the same number 759.4, but these have four letters after the numbers. For example: 759. 4 BOI 759. 4 FRI 759. 4 ROS 759. 4 DEL/J 759. 4 LAT/C 759. 4 LAT/O

This happens in some other areas in the 700s, so when checking the library catalogue remember to make a note of the full shelfmark numbers and letters. If you have any questions or would like more help, please ask a member of library staff.

Quick guide to Dewey numbers used in this library

This is only a brief guide to subjects. For more information, especially when looking for specific items, please remember to check the library catalogue.

000 010 020 030 040 050 060 070 080 090 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490

Computer science, knowledge and systems Bibliographies Library and information sciences Encyclopaedias and books of facts Not used Magazines, journals and serials Associations, organizations and museums News media, journalism and publishing General knowledge Manuscripts and rare books Philosophy and Psychology Metaphysics Epistemology, causation and humankind Parapsychology and occultism Specific philosophical schools Psychology Philosophical logic Ethics Ancient, medieval, and eastern philosophy Modern western philosophy Religion Philosophy and theory of religion Bible Christianity Christian moral and devotional theology Christian orders and local church Social and ecclesiastical theology History, geography, biography of Christianity Christian denominations and sects Other religions Social sciences Collections of general statistics Political science Economics Law Public administration & military science Social problems and services Education Commerce, communications, transportation Customs, etiquette, folklore Language Linguistics English and Old English language German and related languages French and related languages Italian, Romanian and related languages Spanish, Portuguese, Galician Latin and related Italic language Classical Greek and related languages Other languages

500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690 700 710 720 730 740 750 760 770 780 790 800 810 820 830 840 850 860 870 880 890 900 910 920 930 940 950 960 970 980 990

Science Mathematics Astronomy and allied sciences Physics Chemistry and allied sciences Earth sciences Palaeontology Biology Plants (Botany) Animals (Zoology) Technology Medicine and health Engineering and allied operations Agriculture and related technologies Home economics, catering Management Chemical engineering, food technology Manufacturing Manufacture for specific uses Construction of buildings Arts and recreation Planning and landscape architecture Architecture Sculpture and related arts Graphic arts and decorative arts Painting and paintings Printmaking and prints Photography, computer art, film, video Music Recreational and performing arts, sport Literature American literature English and Old English literatures German and related literatures French and related literatures Italian, Romanian and related literatures Spanish, Portuguese, Galician literatures Latin and Italic literatures Classical Greek and related Literatures Literature of other languages History and geography Geography and travel Biography History of the ancient world History of Europe History of Asia History of Africa History of North America History of South America History of other areas

WJ 08/12