10 Broad Categories
Melville Dewey’s Creation of Nonfiction
Have you ever wondered why nonfiction books have numbers on their spines? You can thank Melvil Dewey, the creator of the Dewey Decimal Classification system.
Born in 1851, Dewey became interested in improving libraries while working as a librarian at Amherst College. At the time, libraries used many different methods to organize their books, making it difficult to find what you were looking for. Dewey believed there should be a simpler, more consistent system.
IN 1876, he published his new classification system, which organized books according to subject and assigned them numbers from 000 to 999. The ten major sections cover everything from general knowledge, science, and technology to art, literature, history, and geography. The more numbers a book has, the more specific its subject becomes.
Dewey’s idea helped bring order and consistency to library shelves. A book about animals could be placed with other books about animals, and a book about Kansas history could be found alongside other books about history. Even in today’s digital world, the Dewey Decimal Classification remains one of the most widely used library classification systems.
But perhaps the best part of Dewey’s system is that it makes browsing possible. Find one book you enjoy, and you may discover dozens of others nearby that you never knew existed. This September, Follow the Numbers!
In celebration of National Library Card Sign-Up Month, grab your library card and explore the nonfiction shelves. Choose a number you’ve never visited before and see what you can discover!
Internet Safety: Keeping Our Families Safe Online!
Life moves fast, and technology is no exception. The internet has become an important party of everyday life, offering convenience, connection, information, and entertainment at home and in our community.
But with those benefits come risks. Websites, videos, apps, and event strangers online can expose children and families to things we want to help them avoid. Knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming.
The Chapman Public Library, in partnership with the Dickinson County Police Department, invites families and community members to a free Internet Safety Talk. Local officers will discuss potential online dangers and what parents should watch for, and practical ways to help keep children safe while using technology.
Technology is a valuable tool, and families can take simple steps to make it a safer part of everyday life.
No registration is required-this is a drop-in event.
Date: Tuesday, September 15th
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Chapman United Methodist Church
426 Sheeran Ave,
Chapman, KS 67431
*The Chapman Public Library will close at 5 PM to set up for the event.
Have questions? Contact the Chapman Public Library. We hope you’ll join us!
September Dates:
- 9/5 Library Closed
- 9/10 Silent Book Club (18+ only)
- 9/15 Internet Safety Presentation
- Watercolor Wednesdays-every Wednesday after school, students can paint watercolor pictures.
- Fall Fantasy Reads-Draft 5 Books and read from September to November!
Fantasy Fall Read
Expect the Unexpected
Fantasy Fall Reads is a new twist on Fantasy Football, but with books. This is a chance for patrons to pick their 5 reads, score, and challenge themselves to read or listen to novels.
Drop by the library to pick up the bookmark reading log!
How to Play:
- Grab a reading log bookmark.
- Select your five books. It can be any genre of your choosing. There is a bonus of 10 points if you pick a book you would not normally consider.
- Pick a name for your team!
- Once you complete your scores, turn in your points to the librarian.
Choose wisely, form your strong team, and take home the victory!
How to Score Points:
- Start a drafted book: +5 pts
- Finish a drafted book: +25 pts
- Leave a star review on a bookmark: +5 pts
- FLEX book: a genre you wouldn’t consider.
- Start a FLEX book: +10 pts
- Finish a FLEX book: +10 pts
- Finish all 5 drafted books: +25 pts.
- Don’t have a FLEX book? Not a problem! All draft books are +5 points to start and +25 points to finish.
