The DDC System is a numeric system used by most libraries to organise their information resources (books, journals, etc.) in certain subject groups, so that they are easily accessible to users. In other words, these numbers on the items (books, magazines, audio-visual, etc.) are there to help you find them among all the other items in the Library.

For example:

Since all the books on sociology will have the number 301, the books will all be at the same shelf location. This means that you can go to that shelf location and browse all the sociology books easily. When you do a search on the OPAC (the Library online catalogue), next to each record you will find the shelf number (the location) of the item.

Why is it important to understand the Dewey Decimal Classification system?

You need to understand the basics of the DDC system to be able to find the items in the Library that you are looking for.

An example of a Dewey nr. (location) on the spine of a book. The number 005.72 YOU indicates the location of the book in the Library.