The Dewey Decimal Classification is a versatile system that adapts to the needs of different types of libraries, enabling users to navigate the shelves independently.
A book's location consists of two parts:
- a numeric part, which is the Dewey Decimal Classification notation;
- an alphabetical part consisting of the first 3 letters of the author’s last name or, if there are editors, the first 3 letters of the title.
The numbers in the Dewey Decimal System are not read as whole numbers, but as decimals—digit by digit. For example, 346.45066 comes before 346.4507.
To find a book on the shelf, you need to:
1. Search the Luiss Library Discovery by entering the title and/or author of the book you're looking for
2. Check the book's availability, location, and shelf position
3. Click the Map button to see the exact location of the volume in the room
Otteson, James R. Honorable Business : A Framework for Business in a Just and Humane Society. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019. (Location → Economics Room | 40 days loan ; 658.408OTT):
658. management
4 executive
08 social responsibility of executive management
OTT Otteson, James R.
Leyland, Peter, and Gordon Anthony. Textbook on Administrative Law. Eighth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016. (Location → Law Room - Closed stack | 40 days loan ; 342.4106LEY2016):
342. constitutional and administrative law
41 Great Britain
06 executive branch of government
LEY Leyland, Peter
2016 year of publication
Geographical area in law classes
Within the law classes (340-349), it is possible to insert the specific notation of the country to which the legislation or volume refers, immediately after the macro-class and the period.
Some practical examples
A textbook on Italian private law will have the following classification: 346.45
346. private law
45 Italy
A volume on European constitutional law will have the following classification: 342.24
342. constitutional and administrative law
24 European Union
A French handbook on criminal procedure will have the following classification: 345.4405
345. criminal law
44 France
05 procedure
The most common geographic areas within the Library's collections are as follows:
- 24 European Union
- 4 Europe
- 41 Great Britain
- 43 Germany
- 44 France
- 45 Italy
- 46 Spain
- 73 United States
In case the volume deals with a specific topic in the international or comparative field, there will be no geographical notation after the macro-class.
Legal codes
In the case of "Codes" or "Annotated Codes" the following notations will be present:
- 02632 Codes
- 02638 annotated Codes
Some practical examples
Italian Criminal Law Code: 345.45002632
345. criminal law
45 Italy
002632 Code
Annotated code of Italian criminal law: 345.45002638
345. criminal law
45 Italy
002638 annotated Code