What Is the Dewey Decimal System?

The Dewey Decimal System is an organizational system to categorize the content of a library. There are 10 groups of the system: general works, philosophy and psychology, religion, social sciences, languages, natural science and mathematics, technology, the arts, literature and rhetoric, and history. These 10 groupings contain content media content that is organized systematically. The Mark T. Coppenger Library uses the Dewey Decimal System to classify and organize media in its collection.

How Is the Dewey Decimal System Organized?

000

 General Knowledge
100 Philosophy and Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Sciences
400 Languages
500 Science
600 Technology
700 Arts and Recreation
800 Literature
900 History and Geography
Generalities
000 Generalities
010 Bibliography
020 Library and Information Sciences
030 General Encyclopedic Works
040 [Unassigned]
050 General Serial Publications
060 General Publications and Museology
070 Journalism, Publishing Newspapers
080 General Collections
090 Manuscripts and Book Rarities
Philosophy & Related Disciplines
100 Philosophy & Related Disciplines
110 Metaphysics
120 Epistemology, Causation, Humankind
130 Paranormal Phenomena & Arts
140 Specific Philosophical Viewpoints
150 Psychology
160 Logic
170 Ethics (Moral Philosophy)
180 Ancient, Medieval, Oriental
190 Modern Western Philosophy
Religion
200 Religion
210 Natural Religion
220 Bible
230 Christian Theology
240 Christian Moral and Devotional Theology
250 Local Church & Religious Orders
260 Social & Ecclesiastical Theology
270 History & Geography of Church
280 Christian Denominations and Sects
290 Other & Comparative Religions
Social Science
300 Social Science
310 Statistics
320 Political Science
330 Economics
340 Law
350 Public Administration
360 Social Problems & Services
370 Education
380 Commerce (Trade)
390 Customs, Etiquette, Folklore
Language & History
400 Language & History
410 Linguistics
420 English & Anglo-Saxon Language
430 Germanic Languages German
440 Romance Languages French
450 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic
460 Spanish & Portuguese Languages
470 Italic Languages Latin
480 Hellenic Classical Greek
490 Other Languages
Pure Sciences (Belles-Lettres)
500 Pure Sciences (Belles-Lettres)
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy & Allied Sciences
530 Physics
540 Chemistry & Allied Sciences
550 Sciences of Earth & Other Worlds
560 Paleontology & Paleozoology
570 Life Sciences
580 Botanical Sciences
590 Zoological Sciences
Technology (Applied Sciences)
600 Technology (Applied Sciences)
610 Medical Science Medicine
620 Engineering & Allied Operations
630 Agriculture & Related Technologies
640 Home Economics & Family Living
650 Management & Auxiliary Services
660 Chemical & Related Technologies
670 Manufactures
680 Manufacture for Specific Uses
690 Buildings
The Arts
700 The Arts
710 Civic & Landscape Art
720 Architecture
730 Plastic Arts Sculpture
740 Drawing, Decorative, & Minor Arts
750 Painting & Paintings
760 Graphic Arts Prints
770 Photography & Photographs
780 Music
790 Recreational & Performing
Literature
800 Literature
810 American Literature in English
820 English & Anglo-Saxon Literatures
830 Literatures of Germanic Languages
840 Literatures of Romance Languages
850 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic
860 Spanish & Portuguese Literatures
870 Italic Literature Latin
880 Hellenic Literature Greek
890 Literatures of Other Language
General Geography
900 General Geography
910 General
920 General Biography & Genealogy
930 General History of Ancient World
940 General History of Europe
950 General History of Asia
960 General History of Africa
970 General History of North America
980 General History of South America
990 General History of Other Areas

Frequently Asked Questions

What books are on each side of the MBTS Library?

Call numbers 000-229 are located in the west reading room. As you enter the library it is on the left side.

Call numbers 230-999 are located in the east reading room. As you enter the library it is on the right side.

Why is it important for me to know the Dewey Decimal System?

Knowing the Dewey Decimal System will help you navigate the Mark T. Coppenger Library and aid in your search for books.

Where can I find books about the Old Testament?

221-224

Where can I find books about the New Testament?

225-228

Where can I find books about Christian theology? 

230

Where can I find books about ecclesiology?

262

Where can I find books about church history? 

270