Understanding
Dewey
Robinson Library
Classification systems are a way of organising materials in the library. There are a few different common
classification systems in current use, but the Dewey Decimal System is the most common. Once you know
the shelfmark of a book, you can find it easily in the library. The DDS runs from the number 0 through to
999 with each “century” responsible for a different topic:
Within these broad topics, extra numbers make the classification more specific. The longer a number the
more specific the book is and vice versa. So while Introduction to Marketing is shelved at 658.8, Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing strategies for Engaging the Digital Generation is at 658.872. All the
numbers used in the DDS are decimals and not whole numbers - so 958.11 would be shelved immediately
after 958.1