Nonfiction books are…

…true!

They contain real facts They contain real facts about real things or they about real things or they explain the beliefs of a explain the beliefs of a

society.society.

Non-fiction books are…

…arranged in numerical

(1, 2, 3) orderaccording to the according to the Dewey Dewey

Decimal SystemDecimal System..

The Dewey Decimal System

places books that are about the places books that are about the same topic together in the same topic together in the

same place.same place.

The Dewey Decimal System

divides EVERYTHING into divides EVERYTHING into 10 general areas or topics…10 general areas or topics…

000-099:General Works

(Encyclopedias, (Encyclopedias, The Guinness Book The Guinness Book of Recordsof Records))

100-199:Philosophy &

Psychology(Ghost Books, Stress, (Ghost Books, Stress,

Responsibility, Self-Confidence)Responsibility, Self-Confidence)

200-299:Religions

(The Bible, Mythology)(The Bible, Mythology)

300-399:Social Sciences

(The Environment, Crime, the (The Environment, Crime, the Military, Mummies, Festivals, Fairy Military, Mummies, Festivals, Fairy

Tales )Tales )

400-499:Language

(Dictionaries, Sign Language (Dictionaries, Sign Language Books, Foreign Language Books)Books, Foreign Language Books)

500-599:Natural Sciences

(Wild Animals, Weather, Volcanoes, (Wild Animals, Weather, Volcanoes, Space, Math, Dinosaurs)Space, Math, Dinosaurs)

600-699:Applied Sciences

(The Human Body, Space Travel, (The Human Body, Space Travel, Inventions, Cars, Pets, Cooking)Inventions, Cars, Pets, Cooking)

700-799:Arts & Entertainment(Drawing, Graphic Novels, Crafts, (Drawing, Graphic Novels, Crafts,

Music, Movies, Sports)Music, Movies, Sports)

800-899:Literature

(Poetry, Short Stories, Shakespeare)(Poetry, Short Stories, Shakespeare)

900-999:Geography & History(Countries, States, Ancient Worlds, (Countries, States, Ancient Worlds,

Historic Events)Historic Events)

So…how do I find a book in these sections?

000-099-General 000-099-General WorksWorks

100-199-Psychology100-199-Psychology 200-299-Religion200-299-Religion 300-399-Soc.Sciences300-399-Soc.Sciences 400-499-Language400-499-Language 500-599-Natural 500-599-Natural

SciencesSciences

600-699-Applied 600-699-Applied SciencesSciences

700-799-Arts & 700-799-Arts & EntertainmentEntertainment

800-899-Literature800-899-Literature 900-999-Geography & 900-999-Geography &

HistoryHistory

The call number tells us where the book belongs. The call number on books can be

found on the book’s spine label.

Spine Label

The call number contains the book’s Dewey decimal

numberplusplus the first 3 letters of the the first 3 letters of the

author’s last name.author’s last name.

598.44

WEX

A book about Penguins

By author John Wexo

Call Number

Call number = addressCall number = address Where does the book live?Where does the book live?

031GUI

FICSTI

Biographies are different.

They have “B” plus the They have “B” plus the first 3 letters of the first 3 letters of the famous famous

person’sperson’s last name. last name.

B

LIN

The letter for a biography…

…about Abe Lincoln

Collective Biographiesare books about

more than one person. They have “920” plus the first 3 letters of the

author’s last name.

920

FRE

This is a book about the Wright Brothers by Russell Freedman.

How do I know if a nonfiction book has

the information I need?

Look at the table of contents.

Is there an entire chapter Is there an entire chapter on your subject?on your subject?

Look at the index.

Can you find information Can you find information on your subject there?on your subject there?

Always check the copyright date.Is your source up to Is your source up to

date?date?

CONGRATULATIONS!You are now ready to You are now ready to

begin finding the begin finding the information you need!information you need!Use the online catalog to start Use the online catalog to start

searching for your book.searching for your book.