Dewey Pictograms from CLLS

Student: Perkins, Rebecca

Citation: Cutler, L. (n.d.). Dewey Pictograms. California Library Literacy Services [webpage]. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://libraryliteracy.org/staff/differences/dewey.html

This is a poster of all 88 icons,
each are available for download
and use at the CLLS webpage.

Summary: This webpage for the California Library Literacy Services (CLLS), which is a statewide program of the California State Library, contains “reproducible images portraying collections within the Dewey Decimal Classification System, enabling people with disabilities, low literacy skills, etc., to better locate materials in the library's collection.” These images were made at the Oakland Public Library during a grant project in 2003-2004 and were “chosen to represent often-requested subject areas.” Although the Oakland library has made these freely available, “all copyright rights in the Dewey Decimal Classification System are owned by OCLC; Dewey, Dewey Decimal Classification, DDC, OCLC and WebDewey are registered trademarks of OCLC.”  In other words, we can use them we just can’t claim them as our own.

Evaluation: This could be a great resource for our mapping projects as well as a way to provide uniformity in imaging collections across the state and perhaps beyond. Having a standard may assist not only those conduction collection mapping projects but also patrons (those with disabilities and those without) who may visit more than one library. The only drawback is that each is slow to load and although there are 88 icons there may not be one for a specific topic you want to cover.