Library Catalog | The Library @ Burroughs Learning Center

What is a Library Catalog?
A library catalog, by definition, is a listing of all bibliographic items or materials owned by a particular library. Each of these items is a distinct entity and can be a book, DVD, painting, map, or other material that a library holds in trust for its users. These catalogs have been around for generations and, over the past 20 years, have evolved from printed or type-written cards to the on-line, computerized version commonly in use today. The Library Catalog is new and improved here at the Bethel Library. You may search the catalog by Keyword, Title, Author, or Subject to find the book or other item you are seeking. Once you have located a particular item, the catalog will also tell you where in the Library to find it using the Dewey Decimal System (see below) and whether or not it is currently available. If you have any questions, or are having problems finding what need, we are happy to help you.	Enter the Library Catalog by clicking the icon below

What is the Dewey Decimal System?
The subject classification system for non‐fiction materials used at Bethel College Burroughs Learning Center Library is the Dewey Decimal System. This system was devised by Melvil Dewey and was first published in 1876. It is one of the major systems used by libraries worldwide and is revised continuously. All non‐fiction items are identified by Dewey decimal numbering plus a series of letters and numbers. This is the call number. It is found in the catalog record for each non‐fiction item and on the spine label of each book. Subjects are divided into 10 main groups or classes, and these in turn are further subdivided.

000	GENERAL	500	NATURAL SCIENCES and MATHEMATICS
010 020 030 040 050 060 070 080 090	Bibliography Library/Information Sciences General encyclopedic works Special topics General serials & indexes General organizations & museums News, media, journalism, publishing General collections Manuscripts & rare books	510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590	Mathematics Astronomy & allied sciences Physics Chemistry & allied sciences Earth sciences Paleontology, Paleozoology Life sciences Botanical sciences Zoological sciences
100	PHILOSOPHY and PSYCHOLOGY	600	TECHNOLOGY and APPLIED SCIENCES
110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190	Metaphysics Epistemology, causation, humankind Paranormal phenomena Specific philosophical schools Psychology Logic Ethics (moral philosophy) Ancient, medieval, Oriental philosophy Modern Western philosophy	610 620 630 640 650 660 670 680 690	Medical sciences, medicine Engineering & allied operations Agriculture Home economics & family living Management & auxiliary services Chemical engineering Manufacturing Manufacturing for specific purposes Buildings
200	RELIGION (CHRISTIANITY)	700	ARTS and RECREATION
210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290	Natural theology Bible Christian theology Christian moral & devotional theology Christian orders & local church Christian social theology Christian church history Christian denominations & sects Other & comparative religions	710 720 730 740 750 760 770 780 790	Civic & landscape art Architecture Plastic arts; Sculpture Drawing & decorative arts Paintings & drawings Graphic arts; Printmaking & prints Photography & photographs Music Recreational & performing arts
300	SOCIAL SCIENCES	800	LITERATURE
310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390	General statistics Political science Economics Law Public administration Social services; association Education Commerce, communications, transport Customs, etiquette, folklore	810 820 830 840 850 860 870 880 890	American literature in English English & Old English literatures Literatures of Germanic languages Literature of Romance languages Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic literatures Spanish & Portuguese literatures italic literatures, Latin Hellenic literatures, Classical Greek Literatures of other languages
400	LANGUAGE	900	GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, TRAVEL
410 120 430 440 450 460 470 480 490	Linguistics English and Old English Germanic languages - German Romance languages - French Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic languages Spanish & Portuguese languages Italic languages - Latin Helenic languages - Greek Other languages	910 920 930 940 950 960 970 980 990	Geography & travel Biography, genealogy, insignia History of the ancient world General history of Europe General history of Asia/Far East General history of Africa General history of North America General history of South America General history of other areas

A pdf version of this Dewey Guide can be found here.