Let's Do Dewey
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Dewey
Melvil |
To begin this library exercise, go to What is a call number? If you wish information on just one topic, choose from the list below.
Psst.......over here for the real info on Mr. Dui
The call number for a book in the library is composed of two parts—the Dewey Decimal Classification number and the Cutter number.
In large libraries, it is possible that many books will be classified with the same Dewey classification number. The library must give each book a unique number that serves as the address for locating each book on the shelf.
Dewey Decimal Classification System
Each of the above classes each have ten divisions. These divisions are further divided--and then further divided. Each division becomes more specific. The more numbers, the more specific the subject. In this way, the Dewey classification system progresses from the general to the specific. For a detailed summary for each number see theDewey Decimal Classification System The decimal place is used to make the number even more specific. Let's look for butterflies......
To find the classification number for butterflies, we need to start with the class for natural sciences the 500's This means that the first number of the call number will be a 5
Let's look at the ten divisions of this 500 class.
Butterflies will be classified under the Zoological Sciences 590. Now we know that the second number of the call number will be a 9. Let's look at the ten divisions of the 590's to find the next number.
Insects, including butterflies would be under 595. Now we have the first three numbers of the The 595's are further divided by the use Beginning to get the picture......the more numbers, the more specific. |
500--Natural Science![]() 590--Zoological Sciences ![]() 595--Other Invertebrates ![]() 595.7--Insects ![]() 595.78--Lepidoptera ![]() ![]() 595.789--Butterflies ![]() |
REMEMBER: In a decimal system, books are filed digit by digit--not by whole number.
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Look at this example:
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Let's try putting some call numbers in correct shelving order.............
But wait..................what happens when two books have the same number?
In large libraries, it is possible that many books will be classified with the same Dewey classification number. The library must give each book a unique number that serves as the address for locating each book on the shelf.
To create this unique number, a Cutter number is added to the classification number.
The cutter number for a book usually consists of the first letter of the author's last name and a series of numbers. This series of numbers comes from a table that is designed to help maintain an alphabetical arrangement of names.
Conley, Ellen Conley, Robert Cook, Robin Cook, Thomas |
C767 C768 C77 C773 |
Chamber of Secrets 823.914
J.K. Rowling R797c
Prisoner of Azkaban 823.914
J.K. Rowling R797p
Goblet of Fire 823.914
J. K. Rowling R797g |
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REMEMBER: the cutter number is a decimal not a whole number and is also read digit by digit.
813.54 | 813.54 | 813.54 | 813.54 | 813.54 |
C767s | C768m | C77a | C77g | C773e |
Now, which call number comes first on the shelf ? |
813.54 C781d |
813.54 C78a |
813.54 C787h |
In order to keep books of literary criticism about an author and his/her works shelved together, a capital Z is placed at the end of the first cutter line. The capital Z, the last letter in the alphabet, insures that all criticisms are shelved after the author's work. A second cutter line will begin with the first letter of the name of the author of the criticism.
Biographies, the written histories about a person's life, are also cataloged and shelved a little differently. To keep all the biographies about a person shelved together, a cutter number is assigned for the biographee. For example, all the biographies about George W. Bush are shelved by the call number. 973.931 |
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A second cutter number is assigned for the author of the biography. Bushworld : enter at your own risk / Maureen Dowd. 973.931 Administration of George Walker Bush
B62 Cutter number for subject of biography(Bush)
D85 Cutter number for author/editor, Maureen Dowd
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Books of literary criticism and biographies both have two cutter numbers. When you have a large collection, this can become confusing for both the library shelvers and library users. Remember that cutter numbers are used to keep the titles on the same subject together. And, remember that we are still using decimals and not whole numbers.
Let's look at some examples of call numbers for titles in American Literature.
Line 1 is in order by the Dewey Classification Number.
Line 2 in is ordered by the Cutter number for the author and the title of his book.
Line three is the cutter number for the writer who is critiquing the author's book.
813.52 F26p M68f |
813.52 F27a B45 |
813.52 |
813.52 F27as |
813.52 |
813.52 F27c A82 |
813.52 F27c C26 |
813.52 F27c F62 |
813.52 F27c K18 |
813.52 F27Z D79 |
As you can see by the color coding, the cutter numbers
keep the same title and the works of criticism about this title together.
Which number would be shelved first?
833.912 M31Z B91 |
833.912 M31bu S42 |
Multiple CopiesMulitple copies of the same book are shelved in order by the copy number.
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833.912 M31 |
833.912 M31 c.2 |
833.912 M31 c.3 |
Various EditionsVarious editions of a book are shelved in order by the year of publication. |
378.242 M72h |
378.242 M72h 1984 |
378.242 M72h 1988 |
Call numbers sometimes have prefixes to identify a special location where the book or other material is shelved. Prefixes used in the MTSU Library include the following. |
R for Reference
R |
OS for Oversize books
OS |
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Are you Ready to Shelve ?
Let's Do Dewey |