What are the traditional arrangement of the library?
American Libraries traditionally use the Dewey Decimal Classification System for arranging books. Each book is classified by subject matter with a number, and is placed on the library shelf according to the number, not by title. It is a common misconception that all books in the DDC are non-fiction. The DDC has a number for all books, including those that generally become their own section of fiction. If DDC rules are strictly followed, American fiction is classified in 813. Most libraries create a separate fiction section to allow shelving in a more generalized fashion than Dewey provides for, or to avoid the space that would be taken up in the 800s. Fiction is generally alphabetized by author’s name.
