Separate fiction books from nonfiction books.
Arrange fiction books using the first three letters of the author's last name. For example, if the fiction collection includes "Travels With Charley" by Ernest Hemingway, "Innocents Abroad" by Mark Twain, and "Pet Sematery" by Stephen King, the books would be arranged as follows:
Travels with Charley : HEM
Pet Sematery: KIN
Innocents Abroad: TWA
Group nonfiction books according to the general classifications designated within the Dewey system. These broad classifications are:
000 Computers, Information and General Reference
100 Philosophy and Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Science
400 Language
500 Science and Math
600 Technology (Applied Sciences)
700 Arts and Recreation
800 Literature
900 Geography and History
Drill down within each group of books and classify each book in the group more specifically. For example, the book "Goodfellas" is Henry Hill's description of life as a mobster. Its broad classification would be in the 300 range (social sciences), and a more specific classification would be 364 (criminology).
Complete the organizational process by arranging the books within each specific classification alphabetically by the first three letters of the author's last name. For example, if the books "Goodfellas," "Donnie Brasco," and "Serpico" were to be shelved together, they would be arranged: Goodfellas (HIL), Serpico (MAS) and Donnie Brasco (PIS).