You’ve probably heard of the Dewey Decimal system, but have you ever wondered how library books end up with their specific call numbers?
The jumble of numbers and letters on the spine of library books may look like gibberish, but each digit and character has a very specific meaning.
Dewey Decimal numbers trace their origins back to the late 1800s when American librarian Melvil Dewey created his system of organizing library books.
The system works by using 10 broad subject areas arranged into numbered sections starting with the 000s all the way to the 900s. Within each section, each succeeding number signifies a more specific sub-topic.
For example, call numbers that start in the 900s are under the general subject of history and geography. Each number following the ‘9’ corresponds to a more specific topic. Anything in the 940s will have something to do European history and 944 relates to French history specifically.
The numbers following the decimal point break down the topic even further.
One of a librarian’s many jobs is to assign a Dewey number to each non-fiction book.
After the Dewey number you may find a combination of letters and numbers. This set of characters is called the Cutter and is created using a code for the author’s name. The Cutter typically starts with the first letter of the author’s last name, with the following few letters being assigned a number. This system ensures that books with the same Dewey number will be arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.
Recently, the New Westminster Public Library introduced a new system to simplify the Cutter number and make books easier to find.
The Cutter number of all new non-fiction books and DVDs is being replaced by the first three letters of the author’s last name and the year of publication.
If you’re interested in learning more about library classification, stop by the New Westminster Public Library for a chat.
