Meet Dewey: The Magic Behind Your Library

December 10 is Dewey Decimal System Day, celebrating one of the most useful and often overlooked organizational tools for helping readers find exactly what they're looking for at the library. In today's world of search bars and instant answers, learning the Dewey Decimal System can build children's independence, spark curiosity, and support learning and research skills across subjects, grade levels, and everyday life.

What Is the Dewey Decimal System? (And Why Should Families Care?)

The Dewey Decimal System is a method of organizing used by libraries to sort books into 10 main categories, each representing a different area of knowledge (from philosophy to science to the arts). Based on genre and subject matter, every book is assigned a number from 000-999, which becomes its “address” in the library stacks.

In a world where information can quickly feel overwhelming, the Dewey Decimal System introduces a skill children are rarely taught explicitly: how to organize knowledge. When a child learns that all dinosaur books live near 567.9 or that volcanoes are in the 551s, they're absorbing the idea that knowledge itself can have a structure. By grouping books by subject in a clear, predictable way, the Dewey Decimal System allows readers to follow their own curiosity in browsing the library.

Why the Dewey Decimal System Still Matters in 2025

Even in the digital age, the benefits of learning the Dewey Decimal System can’t be matched:

1. Building independence. By learning to navigate the library without needing an adult or search engine to guide them, children gain a sense of confidence and responsibility.

2. Boosting research skills. Understanding how topics are grouped helps students plan research projects, find sources, and compare information.

3. Strengthening critical thinking. Children begin to notice patterns: Why are math and science books next to one another? Why is history separate from geography?

4. Fostering curiosity. By wandering the bookshelves instead of making a targeted search, children discover exciting new books and build reading enthusiasm,

5. Encouraging exploration. Kids love to find out which "neighborhood" their favorite books belong to and hunt them down independently, like a treasure hunt!

Family-Friendly Dewey Activities

Want to celebrate the Dewey Decimal System at home?

Try building a Mini Dewey Library at home. Pick a small bookshelf and label each shelf by theme (science, stories, history, etc.) to mimic the logic behind Dewey categories. Kids will intuitively understand that certain topics live together because they have something in common. Have your child sort their own books into the shelves to reinforce their organizing and reasoning skills.

Turn the Dewey into a game by creating a Dewey Scavenger Hunt: Give your child a list of topics (dinosaurs, weather, mysteries) or a question ("Where would I find books about the moon?") and see if they can find the correct number sections at your local library. This activity encourages movement, critical thinking, and problem-solving all at once.

This Dewey Decimal System Day, make a family trip to your local library, letting children guide the visit, decode call numbers, and discover new interests. This fun, hand-on activity nurtures lifelong reading skills while reminding kids that the library remains a magical place where every number opens a door to something new.

Library Literacy to Support Students

At ILMS, we teach students how to navigate information through research guidance, writing support, and reading comprehension lessons. If your child could benefit from stronger research, reading, or writing skills, we’d love to help! Contact us at (708) 581-8617 or ilms_office@ilmstutor.com to schedule your free consultation today.