Q. What is the Dewey Classification System?

Classification systems are a way of organising hard copy materials in the library.  The University of Sheffield library uses the Dewey Decimal System (DDC).  It is broken down into subject areas. The National Library of Medicine classification system. Once you have found the shelfmark of a book on StarPlus, you can find it easily in the library. The DDC runs from the number 0 through to 999 with each “century” responsible for a different topic:

Within these broad topics, extra numbers make the classification more specific. The longer a number the more specific the book is and vice versa. So while Introduction to Marketing is shelved at 658.8, Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Engaging the Digital Generation is at 658.872. All the numbers used in DDC are decimals and not whole numbers - so 658.11 would be shelved immediately after 658.1