Dewey Decimal Classification System

Dewey Decimal Classification System

Cataloguing can't be learned in a day.
Dewey is not a perfect system; not all books fit neatly into 1 number
Some books can legitimately be catalogued in several numbers; choose the one most appropriate to the curriculum and the conditions in your school
Always put a book in a number where it will get maximum usage; move excellent books if they don't seem to be used
Bend the rules to suit local needs
Avoid censorship: put literature in the 800s
Catalogue biographies into subject areas. ie. a biography of Tiger Woods should be in golf, not biography
There are standard subdivisions that can be added to almost any number:
.03 = dictionaries, encyclopedias. ie. 503 for a dictionary of science; 610.3 dictionary of medical terms
.09 = history and criticism. ie. 809 = criticism of literature; 385.09 for a history of railways
place numbers can be added where appropriate:
.71 = Canada; ie. 385.0971 Canadian railways;
.73 = US; ie. 330.973 American economics
country codes are already present in the 900s. ie. 971 means Canadian history; 917.3 means American geography
.07 = education; ie. 507 = studying science; 622.07 = the study of mining
Begin by estimating the Dewey number. Then check the Dewey index. Never assign a number without looking up the actual number in the schedules. If you are truly stuck, check the online catalogue at the North Bay Public Library.
Sears Subject Headings - Be Consistent
Use standard subject headings.
Check our online catalogue for previously used headings and be consistent
Remember some local variances we have made:
no spaces around a dash. ie CANADA-HISTORY-1841-1867; SCIENCE-HISTORY
always use a dash between titles & sub-titles. ie. PIERRE TRUDEAU-CANADIAN MAGUS
Add sub-titles when they are going to clarify a title &/or fit on the line. ie. SUPERSTRINGS-GLUE OF THE UNIVERSE does help clarify the title SUPERSTRINGS, but in HOW TO FIX STOVES-OR WHAT TO DO TIL THE REPAIRMAN COMES, the sub-title doesn't really add anything.
never begin with A, AN, THE, LE, LA, LES, L'
use BLACKS, NATIVES, INUIT, INDIANS OF SOUTH AMERICA
Think like a student: what subject heading would a student use? ie. COOKERY may be the official term but students would look under RECIPES, FOOD, COOKING. AUTOMOBILES is the official heading, but students would look under CARS
Be generous with the use of subject headings
Think curriculum. If we know that students always do a paper on biographies of Canadians, then we should always use CANADA-BIOGRAPHY as a subject heading when appropriate. If LOCAL HISTORY is a really important part of your collection, then use that as a heading.
Any sub-title can be used as a subject within the rules of Sears