Dewey Table

SUBJECT	DEWEY NUMBER	NOTES
Alzheimer’s disease	616.8311	For Alzheimer’s specifically. Class comprehensive works on dementia in 616.831. Favor these over 618.97 (Geriatrics) or 615.547 (Geriatric therapeutics) – numbers sometimes used on pre-processed dementia books.
Brain, general works	612.82	Class general works on the human brain here. Items should describe the physiology of the brain and central nervous system, or provide guidance on maintaining optimum brain health. For titles that address specific problems associated with this area of the body – i.e., dementia, Parkinson’s, ALS – use 616.8XXX.
Breast cancer	616.99449	Use for works on breast cancer/cancer of the mammary glands. Prefer this number over 618.19 (Diseases of the breast), even if the item-in-hand provides a comprehensive look at breast health.
Business writing	658.4XXX	Dewey assigns a number in the 800s (rhetoric, 808.06665) for style manuals on business writing. We’ve decided to keep these in the 600s. Use 658.4XXX for works on management communications (i.e., writing a business proposal or a strategic plan); use 651.7X for guides to everyday office communications – writing memos, taking minutes, etc.
Cancer therapies	616.99406	Class chemotherapy here, along with other cancer-related drug and nutritional therapies.
…	…
Chocolate	641.6374	Put collections of recipes using chocolate as the main ingredient here. These can cover patisserie, candies, puddings, souffles, drinks, and even unusual main-course dishes. Prefer this number over 641.3374, which appears to be used for narrative-style works on the cacao bean. Chocolate: a healthy passion, for instance, discusses the history, production, and health benefits of cacao products; we’ve relocated it from 641.3374 to 641.6374 to group all our works on chocolate together. NOTE: should we eventually acquire more works like this – books on chocolate that aren’t primarily comprised of recipes – we may break them off to the 641.3374 number. For now, use 641.6374 for all.
Cooking, African-American	641.59296	Recipes based on African-American cooking traditions go here.
Cooking, dairy-free and gluten-free	641.5639	Use for cookbooks excluding both dairy and gluten. Do not use 641.5638 for books focusing on these two ingredients. Use the .5638 number for cooking with respect to carbs, fat, and/or protein.
Cooking, dairy-free	641.56397	Use for cookbooks excluding dairy and related products, such as eggs. Any item focused on dairy-free cooking, casein-free cooking, or lactose-free cooking goes here. Remember, all 641 items should be primarily comprised of recipes; if the text has substantial narrative sections on lactose and casein and how they affect the body, use 613.2687.
Cooking, East Asia	641.595X	641.595 is the base number for Asian cooking. To group specific cuisines from the region, add the appropriate digit for the country: China: 641.5951, Japan: 641.5952, Korea: 641.59519.
Cooking, gluten-free	641.5639311	Use the specific number for this topic so that we can group together our many gluten-free cookbooks, separating them out from other titles under the broader 641.5639 number (Cooking for diets that exclude specific foods).
Cooking, low carb	641.56383	Collections of low-carbohydrate recipes go here. Make sure all Atkins and Keto cookbooks are shelved under this number.
Cooking, low salt	641.56323	…
Cooking, New England	641.5974 (regional in scope) 641.5974X (add 5th digit for a specific country)	Put cookbooks with recipes from multiple northeastern states in the -5974 number. Use this breakdown for state-specific cookbooks: VT: 641.59743, ME: 641.59741, Mass.: 641.59744, RI: 641.59745, CT: 641.59746, NY: 641.59747.
Cooking, science of	641.5015	Use for books that focus exclusively on the science of food and drink – chemical reactions, culinary math, the whys of different heating techniques, etc. Use the broader 641.3 “Food” heading if only a portion of the text covers scientific principles.
Cooking, Southeast Asia	641.5959 (regional in scope) 641.5959X (add 5th digit for a specific country)	We have enough books on Thai and Vietnamese cuisine to warrant the longer number. Use this breakdown for country-specific cookbooks from SE Asia: Myanmar: 641.59591, Thailand: 641.59593, Malaysia: 641.59595, Vietnam: 641.59597, Indonesia: 641.59598, Philippines: 641.59599.
Cooking, special occasions	641.568	Class here recipes for birthday parties, anniversaries, holidays, and other special events. Because of our large number of Christmas-themed cookbooks, use the extra digit for items focused exclusively on that holiday: 641.5686. NOTE: Titles shelved under 641.568X should be entirely comprised of recipes. Use 642.4 for works that also include general entertaining advice – how to set a particular mood, create floral arrangements, etc.
Cooking, specific medical conditions	641.5631	Collections of recipes for specific diseases or conditions go here, not in the 61Xs with other books on the health topic. If a substantial portion of the work is narrative text on the medical condition itself — not recipes — then it’s OK to stick with the “medicine and health” number in 61X. Note: put cookbooks for diabetics here, not in 641.5638.
Cooking, specific nutrient contents	641.5638	Use for collections of recipes with specific carbohydrate, fat, and/or protein contents. Paleo, for instance, (a high-fat, low-carb diet) goes here. Consider a more specific number (i.e., 641.563837 for sugar-free cooking or 641.56383 for low-carb recipes) if the work focuses on a single nutritional element and a number for that nutrient is established in Dewey.
Cooking, sugar-free	641.563837	Put cookbooks emphasizing sugar-free recipes here. Narrative works about the relationship between sugar and overall health go in 613.28332. Also consider 616 numbers for items about diseases stemming from sugar’s impact on metabolic health (i.e., 616.462 for diabetes). Note: cookbooks for diabetics go with the other “medical condition cookbooks” in 641.5631, not here in sugar-free cooking.
Cooking, vegan	641.56362	For collections of recipes omitting animal products, including dairy. Put regular vegetarian cooking one number up, in 641.5636.
Cooking, vegetarian	641.5636	Use for collections of plant-based recipes; these should exclude meat from land animals, but may include milk products, eggs, or seafood. Also class raw food cookbooks here.
COVID-19, science of	614.588	Use for titles focusing on scientific themes (how the RNA virus works, the technical aspects of the immunization effort, doctor/nurse narratives relating the experience of treating COVID patients, etc.). See 362 for interdisciplinary works on the pandemic and 808 for literary ones. For more information, also see the WebDewey notes on 362 vs 614.
Dating, guides/practical advice	646.77	This number falls under the broader classification for “Management of personal and family life”, so items put here should be practical in nature. Look for pages with “Do” and “Don’t” sections, bullet-pointed lists of tips, worksheets, and other features common in self-help books and guides. Use the related “Dating” number in the 300s (306.82) for narrative works that analyze the topic in sociological terms.
Diet, dairy-free	613.2687	Class here works about dairy-free eating. Texts here should focus on how dairy products affect personal health; they may or may not include some recipes, but the bulk of each work shelved here should be narrative text.
Diet, sugar-free	613.28332	Use for works about diets that avoid added and refined sugars. Texts classed here may also address the nutritional science behind substitute sweeteners (e.g., honey), but their focus should be on why and how to avoid sugar. Again, draw a distinction between works about sugar-free diets and cookbooks that focus on cooking sugar-free snacks and meals. Use 61X numbers for the items discussing sugar and its effects on health; use 641 numbers for straight collections of recipes.
Diet, gluten-free	613.268311	…
Dogs, care and maintenance	636.7083	Use for works on dog training and maintenance, as well as other dog welfare topics (i.e., shelters, rescue organizations). Also consider 636.707 for books exclusively covering puppy training.Do not put general training/care guides in the broader 636.7 number. And do not use 636.7088, an alternate number for dog care and maintenance.
Dogs, selection	636.7081	Class here works on choosing a breed. Also use this number for shelter adoption guides. Put overviews of specific breeds with the number for the general group the breed belongs to, i.e. 636.73 for working and herding dogs.
Dyslexia	618.928553	Use this as our default number for works on dyslexia; most of the titles we carry address treatment of the disorder in children and young adults, and the 618 Pediatrics number is appropriate for those items. Any books intended for adult dyslexics should be shelved under the broader 616 Diseases number, which covers the general population. Though Dewey guidance is to class works on “Students with reading disorders” at 371.9144, for now favor a 61X number. Do this even if the work mostly covers instructional techniques, school policies, etc. We’ll consider incorporating the 371 number if our collection on the topic grows.
Entertaining	642.4	Class here guides on entertaining for social and public occasions. This includes banquets, catered events, and other hosted affairs.
Family life, guides/practical advice	646.78X	Like the number for “Dating” (see above), this number falls under the broader classification for “Management of personal and family life”, so items put here should be practical in nature. Look for pages with “Do” and “Don’t” sections, bullet-pointed lists of tips, worksheets, and other features common in self-help books and guides. Use the related “Family life” number in the 300s (306.85) for works that analyze the topic in sociological terms.
Food and drink, general works	641	For broad, general discussions of food and drink. Used rarely.
Food allergies	616.975	Class here allergies of the digestive system, comprehensive works on food allergies, and food intolerance. Use the more general 616.97 number for comprehensive works on allergies (wheat, dust, dogs, etc.). Put cookbooks for people with autoimmune conditions in 641.5631.
Gardening	635.9XXX	Class here guides on growing and caring for plants in man-made settings, not the wild. Be careful with works on specific plants, as the designations for the different taxonomic groupings (the part after the -9) has changed over time. Also note: the alternate area for plants — the 58Xs — should be reserved for works that are more technical in nature (titles that address the botanical analysis of flowers and/or ornamental plants rather than how to garden with them).
Gardening, urban	635.0917	Use for works that cover multiple city gardening areas/techniques — balconies, rooftops, raised beds, containers, indoor, etc. If an item-in-hand is focused on one type, say rooftop gardening, look for a number specific to that topic. If we end up having a good number of books on rural gardening and a good amount on urban gardening, we’ll go out an additional digit for each topic — 635.09174 vs 635.09173.
Guns, civilian use	683.4XXX	Shelve titles on handguns and rifles manufactured for, or frequently used by, civilians here. Put works on military-grade weaponry in 355.82 or 623.443
Health foods	641.302	Use for general works on cooking with natural/organically grown foods. Titles here should be more about which items to choose, how to select them at stores/farmers’ markets, and why they’re considered to have healthy nutritional contents. Use 641.5637 for healthy cooking. The latter number should have cookbooks only.
Heart disease, women	616.120082	Use for works on women’s cardiovascular health.
Home improvement	643.XXXX	Home renovation/remodeling guides intended for use by home owners or renters undertaking the work themselves go here. Class general do-it-yourself work, home repairs, and comprehensive works on maintenance and repair in 643.7. Use the 643.3–643.5 range for works on renovating, improving, or remodeling specific areas of the home. NOTE: Related titles may come in with a 690.XXXX number, but reserve that division for works geared toward professional builders. Also separate out works on interior design (layout ideas, suggestions for furnishings and color schemes, etc.). Those go in the 740s, not in the 600s. For example, a work on renovating your kitchen: 643.3; a work on interior design ideas for kitchens: 747.797
Homesteading	640.286	Class works on sustainable/green living here. Look for chapters on canning, raising chickens, ecologically-friendly methods of generating energy, and related topics. We have some homesteading material in the broader 640 slot; do not continue to use this number. Put incoming works here, in 640.286.
Hydrofracking technology	622.338	Use this number (or others in the 6XXs, such as 665.5 Petroleum technology) ONLY for works that explicitly cover relevant engineering topics. Titles here might address extraction and processing methods, for example, or the science of particular mechanisms for mitigating pollution. Most of our works on natural gas and other fossil fuels are in the 3XXs; favor those numbers for any fracking-related titles that address the topic as it relates to climate change, energy policy, etc.
Instant pot	641.587	Watch out for books on cooking with this appliance, as they may come in under this .587 number (“steam and pressure cooking”) or 641.5884 (“electric slow cooking”). To group them together, just use the .587 number. Also put cuisine-specific instant pot cookbooks here (i.e., cooking Indian food with your instant pot), not in the number for the type of cuisine. Put straight “slow cooker” books (slow cookers and crock-pots) in 641.5884.
Longevity factors	612.68	Class general works on anti-aging practices here. Use 613.2 “Personal health, dietetics” if the item focuses on nutritional strategies for a long, healthy life.
Lyme disease	616.9246	Use for all works on the topic except cookbooks (put collections of recipes meant for treating the infection in 641). Do not use the nearby 614.5746 number for lyme disease titles, even if they focus on preventative measures (the criteria for classifying at that number). Just group all lyme books here at 616.
Management, food services	647.9506	Use for guides on operating food and drink establishments – restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, catering businesses, etc. Also put titles on starting these types of business here, not in 658.1141; do this even if the book is directed toward readers planning an individually owned or home-based business.
Management, online marketing and sales	658.872	Use for works on how to market and sell goods/services on the web (think Etsy, eBay, Pinterest, etc.) Number also includes management of other types of electronic/digital commerce, such as phone or TV.
Management, small enterprises	658.022	For general works on small business operations. Include here NOLO legal guides with templates for contracts, leases, business plans, and related documents.
Management, starting a one-person or home based enterprise	658.1141	Put all non-food-related “starting a business” books here. Do not put these titles in the topic area associated with the type of business covered in the book. For example, a book on starting your own jewelry line would go here, not in 739.27 (jewelry).
Microdosing	615.7883	Prefer this number for books on the therapeutic use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs. Some books on this topic come in with a Dewey number for the underlying condition – PTSD, bipolar disorder, etc. Reserve those condition-specific numbers for works primarily about the mental disorders themselves, not the experience and/or science of treating them with psychotropics.
Parenting during/after divorce, practical guides	649.1086	Make sure to use only for practical works, not sociological analyses or memoirs about the children of divorced parents (class those in the 300s).
Pediatrics, neurology	618.9285	Shelve here works on mental disorders and miscellaneous diseases of the nervous system as they occur in children (infancy through early adolescence). Include scientific works on childhood emotional disorders (i.e., summaries of current evidence-based research on ADHD, autism, etc.), as well as parenting strategies. Do not class works on the latter topic in 649.154, even if the title-in-hand exclusively covers child-rearing topics and is intended for parents and other care-givers.
Plumbing, domestic	696.1	For works on home water systems, use a 69X number, not one of the 628.XXXX numbers under sanitary engineering (reserve those for works on civil engineering projects). Anything on maintaining or installing private wells, septic systems, or graywater reuse systems, put those here in 696.
Pruning	631.542	For now, class all books on this topic here, regardless of the specific area of horticulture covered. Dewey does have distinct numbers for pruning fruit crops, ornamentals, trees, etc., but we’ve decided to pull all of the relevant guides together under the classification for general agricultural pruning.
Real estate, selecting/buying/selling a home	643.12	Use for practical works on navigating the real estate market (private housing only, not commercial properties). Sample topics: site selection, home inspection/evaluation, purchasing, selling. Stop at two digits; don’t go past the “2”. Class moving in 648.9. Use 333.72, 333.338, or a related number for material about financing real estate transactions or the economics of the real estate market more broadly.
Retirement, general guides for older adults	646.79	This number falls under the broader classification for “Management of personal and family life” and is intended specifically for works targeting “people in late adulthood.” The titles we have here cover quality of life issues relevant to people near or new to retirement – where to retire, how to occupy your time, maintaining general physical and mental health in older age, budgeting, etc. They are not exclusively about financial matters. For works focusing on the money-side of retirement, use 332.024014.
Ships, civilian	623.8XXX	Class most works on the design, manufacture, or operation of non-military watercraft here. Sample topics include the history of boat-building, the architectural/design features of specific types of vessels (i.e., schooners, tall ships), seamanship (including safety, ship handling, and navigation), and small boat repair/restoration. NOTE: Use 797.XXXX for works on recreational boating; this includes pratical guides on sailing or motoring, as well as desciptive and pictorial works on the boating experience. Reserve 359.XXXX for works on ships and personnel associated with naval warfare.
Substance abuse, medical aspects	616.86	Put works on the science of drug addiction here. Material should cover the physiology of addiction, treatment and rehabilitation programs incorporating modern medical practices, or similar topics. Authors with professional qualifications — practicing physicians (MDs), researchers who study the brain (PhDs), etc. — are an indicator that a title probably fits here better than 362.29XX.
Typography	686.22	Class here typefaces for the Latin alphabet. Topics include design, style, ornaments, and other characters and devices — so long as they relate primarily to lettering and not to graphic design more broadly (use 74X for that).
…	…	…
…	…	…
…	…	…