Lightning round!

Let’s practice how to read call

numbers

Before we get started, keep this in mind …

In academic libraries, Library of Congress call numbers are assigned to every item the library owns.

(e.g. books, DVDs, music scores, maps, government documents, etc.)

Call numbers are like ‘license plate numbers.’ Each book is assigned it’s own unique number and

then grouped together by subject.

Here’s the big picture of “letters to subjects”

One other thing to keep in mind …

In the Catalog, call numbers appear on one line, and are read left to right:

In the book stacks, call numbers appear on the

spine of books, and are read line by line

from top to bottom.

Smith

PN4731.G532011

Let’s try some examples together...

Exercise 1

Imagine you searched the Catalog and found the book you want.

The location is:

Which floor would you go to get this book?

Look at the McKeldin Library Floor Plan.

Answer

7th floor, Stacks, R853.H8 M66 2000

Exercise 1Here’s the shelf. Where is the book placed?

Call Number is: R853.H8 M66 2000

Yang

QR

Jones

RA

Okenda

RC

Sanchez

RE

1 2 3

Answer

Yang

QR

Jones

RA

Okenda

RC

Sanchez

RE

1

Alphabetically, R comes after QR and before RA.

Let’s try another one …

Exercise 2Where is this book on the shelf?

Call number: R853.H8 M66 2000

Perez

R851

Parker

R852

Schuster

R854

Wong

R855

1 2 3

Answer R853.H8 M66 2000

Perez

R851

Parker

R 852

Schuster

R 854

Wong

R 855

2

Numerically, R “853” comes after 852 and before 854.

… there’s just one more!

Exercise 3Where is this book on the shelf?

Call number: R853.H8 M66 2000

Hank

R853

.H712

Higgins

R853.H78

Hart

R853

.H801

Hugo

R853.H82

2 3 41 5

Answer R853.H8 M66 2000

Hank

R853

.H712

Higgins

R853.H78

Hart

R853

.H801

Fuko

R853.H82

3

.H8 comes after .H78 … and

before .H801.

Let’s review!

You read call numbers:

Alphabetically(GA, GC, GN...)

Numerically(GA141, GA237, GA1401...)

And as a decimal(GV682.F41, GV682.F42, GV682.F43)

When finding a book …

… bring a floor plan, and know in advance if the book is in Folio, Stacks, or somewhere else

FOLIO STACKS

And …… when you’re at the book shelf …

Read call numbers on book spines starting on the TOP shelf …

… then read left to right all the way DOWN a section of shelves.

Let’s reviewhow to use an iPad

Quick Review

• On/off buttons• Safari browser icon

• Logging on to wireless network

We’re done!

Good luck on safari!