Many of the Manuscripts I review are Memoirs also known as autobiographies. While most books do not include the Dewey Decimal Classification number on the copyright page, a writer may want to determine the classification and add it to the copyright page or use it in connection with the description of the book.
The Dewey Decimal System doesn’t have a single, specific class number just for “autobiographies.” Instead, autobiographies are generally classified within the 920s, which is the main class for Biography, Genealogy, and Insignia.
Here’s a breakdown of how autobiographies are typically handled within the 920s:
- 920: This is the general number for biography, genealogy, and insignia. Libraries might use this for collections of biographies or for individual biographies when they want to keep all biographies together. Autobiographies would fall under this broad category.
- 921-928: These subdivisions within the 920s are used for biographies of people in specific fields. For example:
- 921: Philosophers and psychologists
- 922: Religious leaders, thinkers, workers
- 923: People in social sciences
- 925: Scientists
- 927: People in the arts and recreation
- 928: People in literature, history, biography, genealogy
An autobiography would often be classified in the 920s with a further subdivision based on the person’s primary field of achievement. For instance, the autobiography of a scientist might be found under 925, or an autobiography of a writer under 928.
- 920.7: This sub-division is for people by gender or sex. An autobiography could potentially be further classified here if a library chooses to organize biographies in this way (e.g., 920.71 for men’s autobiographies, 920.72 for women’s autobiographies).
Important Considerations:
- Individual vs. Collective Biography: The 920s also differentiate between individual biographies (about one person) and collective biographies (about multiple people). An autobiography is, by definition, an individual biography.
- Library Practices: It’s important to note that individual libraries might have slightly different practices. Some libraries might have a separate “B” or “BIO” section for all biographies, regardless of the Dewey Decimal System. Others might strictly adhere to classifying biographies within the subject area the person is known for, using the “.092” notation as a standard subdivision to indicate biographical treatment within another subject (e.g., a scientist’s biography might be 500.092).
