It's bad enough that we can't find our missing ancestor -- but often we can't even find where in the library to begin looking for him. Do you stand in the stacks of the genealogy library wondering where to start? Why aren't the books on Clermont County, Ohio anywhere near the books on Clark County, Ohio when they are side by side in alphabetical order?

The problem is that Melville Dewey wasn't thinking of the genealogical researcher when he devised his system of library organization in 1873. He was trying to organize all the knowledge in the world, not only the specific areas contained in genealogical collections. He classified all fields of study into 10 major areas, with the 900's being History and Geography. This was further subdivided into areas of the world, then into countries, then into areas, then local subdivisions. With each division another number was added - thus:

Area of World>> 970 - North America
Region>>                974 - Northeastern United States
                               975 - Southeastern United States
State>>                       975.8 - Georgia
                                   975.9 - Florida
Section of State>>          975.91 - Northeastern Florida
                                      975.92 - Central Florida
County>>                           975.924 - Orange County, Florida
                                           975.925 - Osceola County, Florida

The problem is that everything in the genealogical library falls under the 900s -- and all of North America is in the 970s. That puts thousands of genealogy categories into a very small group of numbers. In order to classify genealogical materials, the system keeps adding more numbers.

To locate materials on a specific area or county, first look at a map to see where it is located or what it is near. Many libraries that use the Dewey system have posted some location tools - such as state names on the ends of the shelves - to help make the search a bit easier. Books about the whole state [The History of Florida] will be filed first under the state call number [975.9]. Then books on more than one county will be shelved together by number [975.92 for anything on Central Florida.] Then will come the books on a specific area - 975.924 for anything on Orange County, Florida. Some libraries may break it down one more step if there is a great amount of material on a specific area within the county or the original county was divided.

If that sounds confusing... it is! Realizing that finding materials in a genealogical library is difficult to even the most experience researcher, the Central Florida Genealogical Society has published a booklet - Where Did They Put Wakulla? - a Genealogist's Guide to the Library. This lists the call number for every one of the more than 5000 counties in the United States (as well as those of major genealogical topics.) It's a 42 page stapled booklet, not fancy but small enough to put in your pocket or briefcase. It sells for $6.00 postpaid from CFGS, PO Box 536309, Orlando, FL 32853-6309. The genealogy department of the Orlando [FL] Public Library keeps several copies at the reference desk -- and it makes life much easier for the confused genealogist. [Author's note... I must admit a vested interest. I'm a professional librarian and I was getting lost in the stacks! So I put together the booklet for CFGS (and myself) -- but it is a great tool.]