Dewey Decimal System (DDC)

Melville Dewey created the Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDC) to help library users find books. Under this system, every book is assigned a call number. The call number is like the book's address and is placed on the book's spine. The call number has two components, the DDC number and the Cutter number. Most public libraries and schools use the DDC. Most academic libraries use the Library of Congress Classification system (LCC). Donnelly College uses the DDC because it is affiliated with the Kansas City, Kansas Public Libraries. 

The DDC has ten major divisions:

000 Computer Science, knowledge, and systems
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 religion
300 Social sciences
400 Language
500 Science
600 Technology
700 Arts and Recreation
800 Literature
900 History & geography

Each division has 10 subdivisions and each subdivision has 10 additonal subdivisions. Below are the major divisions and subdivisions.

000s (Computer science, information & general works)
000  Computer science, knowledge & systems
010  Bibliographies
020  Library & information sciences
030  Encyclopedias & books of facts
040  [Unassigned]
050  Magazines, journals & serials
060  Associations, organizations & museums
070  News media, journalism & publishing
080  Quotations
090  Manuscripts & rare books

100s (Philosophy and psychology)
100  Philosophy
110  Metaphysics
120  Epistemology
130  Parapsychology & occultism
140  Philosophical schools of thought
150  Psychology
160  Logic
170  Ethics
180  Ancient, medieval & eastern philosophy
190  Modern western philosophy

200s (Religion)
200  Religion
210  Philosophy & theory of religion
220  The Bible
230  Christianity & Christian theology
240  Christian practice & observance
250  Christian pastoral practice & religious orders
260  Christian organization, social work & worship
270  History of Christianity
280  Christian denominations
290  Other religions

300s (Social sciences) 
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology
310 Statistics
320 Political science
330 Economics
340 Law
350 Public administration & military science
360 Social problems & social services
370 Education
380 Commerce, communications & transportation
390 Customs, etiquette & folklore

400s (Language)
400 Language
410 Linguistics
420 English & Old English languages
430 German & related languages
440 French & related languages
450 Italian, Romanian & related languages
460 Spanish & Portuguese languages
470 Latin & Italic languages
480 Classical & modern Greek languages
490 Other language

500s (Science)
500 Science
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy
530 Physics
540 Chemistry
550 Earth sciences & geology
560 Fossils & prehistoric life
570 Life sciences; biology
580 Plants (Botany)
590 Animals (Zoology)

600s (Technology)
600 Technology
610 Medicine & health
620 Engineering
630 Agriculture
640 Home & family management
650 Management & public relations
660 Chemical engineering
670 Manufacturing
680 Manufacture for specific uses
690 Building & construction

700s (Arts & recreation)
700 Arts
710 Landscaping & area planning
720 Architecture
730 Sculpture, ceramics & metalwork
740 Drawing & decorative arts
750 Painting
760 Graphic arts
770 Photography & computer art
780 Music
790 Sports, games & entertainment

800s (Literature)
800 Literature, rhetoric & criticism
810 American literature in English
820 English & Old English literatures
830 German & related literatures
840 French & related literatures
850 Italian, Romanian & related literatures
860 Spanish & Portuguese literatures
870 Latin & Italic literatures
880 Classical & modern Greek literatures
890 Other literatures

900s (History & geography)
900 History
910 Geography & travel
920 Biography & genealogy
930 History of ancient world (to ca. 499)
940 History of Europe
950 History of Asia
960 History of Africa
970 History of North America
980 History of South America
990 History of other areas

The DDC makes it easier to find books about a particular subject.  For example, nursing books are found in the 610 category, biology in 570, and biographies are located in the 920 category.

Because there so many books on so many different subjects, DDC call numbers may also have numbers after the decimal.  The Cutter number is placed below the DDC number on the book's spine and it is used to identify the author for arranging books on the shelf.  The first letter of the Cutter number is the first letter of the author's last name.  The following numbers represent the next letters in the author's name according to a chart.
If you want to learn more about the Dewey Decimal Classification System, check out the Internet Public Library Dewey FAQs.

Library of Congress System

If you transfer to another college or university, you will no doubt encounter the Library of Congress Classification System (LCC).  This system was developed by the Library of Congress to organize and arrange its vast holdings.  The LCC system has 21 classes of information represented by letters of the alphabet.