Introduction to Kid's Cat Web
This program is designed to introduce children from grades 3 -5 to the Kid's Cat Web, the public access catalog at the Silas Bronson Library. In addition to being a catalog, Kid's Cat Web offers links to relevant World Wide Web sites. For example, if you are doing a search on "dogs", the catalog will display a list of materials (books, video, audio, etc.) available in the library and will have an icon to direct you to a list of related web pages. You are able to select from this list to connect to the web site.
Why have a catalog?
The Silas Bronson Library has thousands of books!! These books must be kept in order, so librarians can locate them for patrons. Books are first sorted by type, fiction or non-fiction. Fiction is stories that are not true. Examples: Wizard of Oz; Harry Potter or the Cat in the Hat. Non-fiction books are stories or information that is true. Examples: Where the Sidewalk Ends; Guiness Book of World Records, or Garden Craft for Kids.
All books, fiction and non-fiction, are written by authors. Some books have illustrations (pictures) in them. Illustrators draw the pictures for the book. The author writes the book. In some cases, but not all, the publisher will put the author together with an illustrator who draws the pictures for the book. Sometimes however, the author will illustrate his own book.
The next step is the publishing company, who "puts it all together". Each book is given a copyright date. This date is the year the publisher put the book together. Think of it as the books birthday. All fiction books are sorted by the author's last name and put on the shelves in alphabetical order by that author's name. Non-fiction books are sorted by subject. So, all books about animals are in one place, which makes it easier for you to find a book about a dog or a cat.
Related Terms:
Fiction – Stories that are not true
Non-fiction – Stories or information that is true.
Home page – This is the starting point for all Kid's Cat activities.
Icons – These are the small pictures that appear on the Home Page. They represent Explore the Library; Award Winners; Online References; Find It will help you to find Library materials by General Keyword, by Title, by Author, and by Subject.
Navigation Bars – Once past the Home Page navigation bars are displayed at the top of each page. The top navigation bar provides a Back button (this takes you to the last screen viewed) and provides the same function as a Back or Left Arrow on a web browser, a Home button (this returns you to the Home Page) and a picture of the Kid's Catalog Web Robot. A bottom navigation bar also displays a Back and Home button plus a Top button which takes you to the top of the current page.
Scroll – To move up or down a page.
Author – The person who writes the fiction or non-fiction stories.
Illustrator – The person who draws the pictures that appear in a book.
Publisher –The publishing company that puts the book together and publishes it.
Copyright date – The date the book was published.
Title – The name of the book.
Subject – What the book is about.
Dewey Decimal Number – All true books are sorted by subject, topic, etc., and placed in one of ten subject areas. Each subject area has a number.
000 = Reference work—encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines
100 = Philosophy and psychology
200 = Religion
300 = Social sciences-law, education, customs, everyday life
400 = Languages
500 = Basic sciences-mathematics, chemistry
600 = Applied sciences-technology, medicine, engineering
700 = The arts-architecture, painting, music
800 = Literature-poetry, novels, plays
900 = Geography, biography, and history
Each main group is then broken down into ten specific subject groups; take the 700s for example:
700 = The arts (general)
710 = Civic and landscape art
720 = Architecture
730 = Sculpture
740 = Decorative arts
750 = Painting
760 = Graphic arts
780 = Music
790 = Recreation
So, in order to find a book on magic you would look for books labeled 793.8 (Recreation).
Call Number – A call number is like an address. It tell us where the book is located in the library. The call number is printed on a label located at the bottom of the books spine. Look for the "J" on the first line, this tells you the book is in the Children's Department.
J = Juvenile (this book is located in the Children's Department)
025.4 = the Dewey number tells us the book is non-fiction and is located in the reference section. (These books may or may not be checked out).
FOW = These are the first three letters of the author's last name, Fowler.
A fiction book would look like this:
J = Juvenile (Children's Department)
Fiction = A story that is not true
Henry, M. = The author's last name and first initial. This book would be in the fiction section shelved in alphabetical order by the author's last name.
LEARN THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM ONLINE
www.oclc.org/dewey/about/ddctour Dewey to the Rescue
This is an animated introduction to the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) for grades 4-6.
www.tqjunior.thinkquest.org/5002/?tqskip=1 Do We Really Know Dewey?
An introduction to the Dewey Decimal Classification created by 6th graders for grades 4-6.
www.thrall.org/dewey Do the Dewey
A basic guide to the Dewey Decimal Classification for older kids, teenagers, and adults. Grades 4-12+
www.sunsite.Berkeley.EDU/KidsClick!/dewey.html KidsClick—Dewey Index
Grades 4-8.
www.deweybrouse.org Dewey Browse
This comprehensive list of sites is arranged by Dewey Decimal Classification and is a great recourse for homework help. Grades 4-12.
www.anthus.com/CyberDewey CyberDewey
This DDC-arranged index was recently updated and expanded. Excellent for high school homework help. Grades 9-12.
www.mte.anacortes.K12.wa.us/library/dewey/dewles.htm Dewey Lesson Ideas
Submitted by librarians this link contains creative ideas for teaching kids about the DDC. Grades 1-5.
www.k12.longmeadow.ma.us/Williams/williamswebquests/Ferris Dewey "Swat" Team to the Rescue
Kids help to put books in a library back where they belong in this WebQuest involving a library construction accident. Grade 4.
www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/tlapages/dewey.htm Dare to Do the Dewey!
This WebQuest teaches kids about the DDC and tells the story of its creator, Melvil Dewey. Grades 4-6.
Books on Library Use
Gibbons, Gail. Check it Out! : The Book About Libraries. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985. Discusses what is found in a library and how different libraries serve their communities.
Connor, Jane Gardner. Children's Library Services Handbook. Oryx Press, 1990. The subjects covered are libraries and children's books and reading.
Fowler. Allan. The Dewey Decimal System. Children's Press, 1996. Explains how the Dewey decimal system of classification for libraries was invented and how it works.
Mclnerney, Clair. Find It. Lerner Publications, 1989. Describes the numerous resources, new and old, of the library and describes how to use them.
Cytron, Barry D. Fire! : The Library is Burning. Lerner Publications, 1988. Describes the disastrous 1966 fire at the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and the massive rescue operation in which both the neighborhood and the city took part.
MacDonald, Bernice. How to Use Reference Materials. Franklin Watts, 1980. Introduces the Dewey Decimal and the Library of Congress classification systems, card and book catalogs, and reference sources. Also discusses using and evaluating materials and taking notes.
Munro, Roxie. The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries. Dutton Children's Books, 1996. Illustrations and brief text present all kinds of libraries, from bookmobiles and home libraries to the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress.
Weil, Lisl. Let's go to the Library. Holiday House, 1990. Discusses the history of libraries, the effects of the invention of the printing press on them, what goes on in libraries, and some prominent libraries of the world.
Carletti, Silvana. The Library/Classroom Connection. Heinemann, 1991. Subjects covered are school children and library orientation, school libraries activity programs, resource programs and libraries and education.
Heiligman, Deborah. The New York Public Library Kid's Guide to Research. Scholastic Reference, 1998. Provides guidance on how to do research, including how to use libraries and their resources, the internet, and other sources such as interviews and surveys.
Carlson, Ann D. The Preschooler & the Library. Scarecrow Press, 1991. Subjects covered are public libraries services to preschoolers, preschool children and books and reading.
Riechel, Rosemarie. Reference Services for Children and Young Adults. Library Professional Publications, 1991.