Library Research Skills
How is the Dewey Decimal Classification arranged at Wexford Town Library?
When you enter the library the Adult library is to your left and the Juvenile or children’s library is to the right.
Adult Library:
The Adult Fiction section is organised alphabetically by Author surname on the shelves running around the walls of the area.
An example of a ‘call number’, which appears on the spine, for a book by Maeve Binchy would be F/BIN. The F/ indicating this is a work of fiction and BIN been the first three letters of the authors surname.
Within the fiction section you will find different types of book or novels such as Westerns, Romance, and books in Large Print. There are also three carousels in the Adult library for ‘paper-back’ fiction. To the left of the desk area you will find the Audio or Talking books section, which has books on tape or cd.
The Adult Non-Fiction section is organised using the Dewey Decimal Classification. It starts with the 000’s and runs through the middle (up and down) of the adult library. An example of a ‘call number’ for a book on the subject of Child Care would be: 362.709
300 being the Social Science classification.
360 being Social problems and services
362 being Social welfare problems and services
362.7 being problems and services to young people
362.709 being special and specific areas of interest for the above.
To locate a book (if you do not know its Dewey number--which is most of the time), ask one of the library staff, or try on your own using the On-line Public Access Catalogue (OPAC).
Do a quick search for Child Care under Subject and Wexford Town Library.
This is part of the resulting screen
When, you successfully locate a book you want that's in the library (and checked in), the call number (Dewey Decimal number) will appear in the upper left portion of the screen. Now click on the Details’ button…
