Free Printable Dewey Decimal System Chart | USA Guide – A free printable Dewey Decimal System chart is one of the simplest tools you can hang in a U.S. school library, classroom, homeschool space, or public library. It shows how nonfiction books are grouped by subject so kids and adults can find a topic without guessing the shelf.
This page explains how the system works, lists the 10 main classes, and points only to legitimate places where you can download a chart, poster set, or official summary.
What the Dewey Decimal System Is?
The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) is a library numbering system created by Melvil Dewey in 1876. Most public libraries and school libraries in the United States still use it for nonfiction.
Every subject gets a number. Books with the same number sit together. That is why cookbooks cluster in the 640s and U.S. history lives in the 973s.
OCLC, a nonprofit library cooperative, now maintains the official system. The full schedules are licensed. Classroom charts and the official public summaries below are the versions most teachers and families actually print.
The 10 Main Dewey Classes
These are the headings you will see on almost every free printable Dewey Decimal System chart:
| Class | Subject | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| 000 | Computer science, information & general works | Encyclopedias, libraries, coding |
| 100 | Philosophy & psychology | Feelings, logic, ethics |
| 200 | Religion | World religions, Bible study |
| 300 | Social sciences | Government, law, education, folklore |
| 400 | Language | Dictionaries, grammar, world languages |
| 500 | Science | Math, space, animals, plants |
| 600 | Technology | Health, cooking, engineering, pets |
| 700 | Arts & recreation | Art, music, sports, crafts |
| 800 | Literature | Poetry, plays, essays |
| 900 | History & geography | Travel, biography, U.S. and world history |
A simple chart stops at these 10 classes. A detailed chart adds the next level, called divisions (010, 020, 510, 973, and so on).
How a Call Number Works?
A typical school-library call number looks like this:
973.7 LIN
- 973.7 is the Dewey number (U.S. Civil War).
- LIN is usually the first letters of the author’s last name.
Fiction is often shelved separately by author, not by Dewey. Picture books and graphic novels may also have their own sections. The chart is most useful in the nonfiction stacks.
Where to Get a Free Printable Chart?
Use these sources if you want a real download, not a look-alike calendar template or a paid poster sold as “free.”
1. Official OCLC Dewey summaries (best reference PDF)
OCLC publishes a free PDF of the official DDC 23 summaries. It is not a colorful classroom poster, but it is the most accurate printable outline of the 10 classes, 100 divisions, and 1,000 sections.
Download it from OCLC:
Dewey Decimal Classification summaries (PDF)
Learn more about the system on the official site:
OCLC Dewey Decimal Classification
Print the first-summary page on U.S. Letter paper if you only need the 10 main classes.
2. We Are Teachers classroom bundle?
We Are Teachers offers a free Dewey Decimal System printable bundle aimed at U.S. classrooms and school libraries. The set includes:
- 10 posters (one per main class)
- A simple chart of the main classes
- A detailed chart with divisions
- Bookshelf labels for the 10 classes
You request the files through the form on the page.
Free Dewey Decimal chart, posters, and labels from We Are Teachers
3. Rosie Reader labels and chart for young readers
Rosie Reader publishes a free zip file with a Dewey chart, shelf labels, and letter labels made for early elementary and classroom libraries. No payment is required.
Free printable Dewey Decimal chart and labels from Rosie Reader
4. Wikimedia Commons student chart
A student-made Dewey Decimal System chart is available under a Creative Commons license. You can print the image for education use if you keep the license terms (including attribution).
Dewey Decimal System Chart on Wikimedia Commons
Free Printable Dewey Decimal System Chart | USA Guide
How to Print It for a U.S. Library or Classroom?
- Use U.S. Letter (8.5 x 11 in) for handouts and binder copies.
- Use 11 x 17 in or tile-print a Letter PDF if you want wall posters.
- Choose Actual size or Fit to page, then print one test page.
- Cardstock holds up better on a bookshelf endcap.
- Laminate posters if students will touch them every day.
- Add your library’s local quirks (biography location, graphic novels, “everybody” picture books) on a sticky note or extra label. Dewey charts show the national pattern, not every local exception.
Who This Chart Helps?
School librarians can post the 10 classes above the nonfiction ranges and hand students a one-page chart during library orientation.
Classroom teachers can keep a chart next to the classroom library so students can sort donated books by subject.
Homeschool families can use the same numbers to organize a home collection that matches the public library.
Public library users can glance at a chart before walking into the stacks, especially in the 500s (science), 600s (health and cooking), and 900s (history and travel).
A Quick Way to Teach the Chart
- Show the 10 main classes.
- Give each student a real book and ask which hundred it belongs in.
- Walk to that range and find the decimal.
- Send students to find one book in a class they like (animals in 590, sports in 796, U.S. history in 973).
That short loop is usually enough for elementary and middle school.
What a Chart Cannot Do?
A free printable Dewey Decimal System chart is a map, not the full classification. Official DDC schedules are much more detailed and are copyrighted by OCLC. Do not copy the official schedules into a commercial product. For cataloging a whole library collection, use your library system and licensed Dewey tools, not a classroom poster.
Local libraries also make house rules. Biographies may be in 920, in 92, or in a separate BIO section. Always match the chart to the shelves in front of you.
FAQ
Is a Dewey Decimal System chart really free?
Yes, if you use the sources listed above. Some sites dress up paid posters or unrelated calendar templates as “free Dewey charts.” Skip those.
What paper size should I use in the United States?
Start with U.S. Letter. Blow it up only if you need hallway or endcap signage.
Do I need the detailed chart or the simple chart?
Younger students do better with the 10 main classes. Older students and staff usually want the divisions (the second summary).
Is the Dewey Decimal System still used in U.S. libraries?
Yes. Most public and school libraries use Dewey for nonfiction. Many academic libraries use Library of Congress Classification instead.
Can I sell a chart I printed from these links?
Follow each site’s license. OCLC owns the Dewey Decimal Classification. Classroom teaching charts are for education and library use, not for resale as an official DDC product.
A one-page chart will not teach every decimal, but it will get a student from “I want a book about planets” to the 520s without a scavenger hunt. Print the official summary for accuracy, then add a colorful classroom version if you need something kids will actually look at.