How to find information books in the library
Information is not just for homework. You might need information on how to improve your football skills, or maybe you want to know how to help improve your environment.
The information books in the library all have a number on the spine. You can use this number to find books about the information you need.
We group together the information books about the same subject, so each subject has its own number. We then use that number to put the books in order.
This number is called a class number, Dewey number, or subject number. Once you know the number, you will then know where to find the books you are looking for.
Who decided those numbers
Melvil Dewey worked out a plan over a 100 years ago, and we still follow it today.
| Subject | Numbers |
|---|---|
| General knowledge (encyclopaedias, etc) | 0 to 099 |
| Philosophy (why we are here, how we should live our lives) | 100 to 199 |
| Religion (what people believe) | 200 to 299 |
| Social studies (how we organise, such politics or education) | 300 to 399 |
| Languages (how people talk and communicate) | 400 to 499 |
| Science (the natural world, such as plants and animals) | 500 to 599 |
| Technology (the uses of science, such as cars) | 600 to 699 |
| Art, hobbies and sport | 700 to 799 |
| Literature (such as poems and plays) | 800 to 899 |
| Geography (places), Biography (people) and History (the past) | 900 to 999 |
What is in a subject (number)
Each subject breaks down into smaller subjects. For example, sports books are in the 700s. That number is also home for arts and hobbies. We separate out the smaller subjects and give them their own number. Sports becomes 796. To get to a specific sport, we break it down even further, and football becomes 796.334.
How to find the right information book
Use a subject index or the library catalogue. In the Children’s Library we have a printed “Children’s Subject Index”, or you can use an Information Point to type in the subject you are looking for.
Once you have found the subject and number you need, go to the shelf and find the books that have that number on the book spine.
If you need help, ask a member of staff in the library.
Page last updated: 26 May 2026