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How to Read a Call Number

Read call numbers one line at a time, from top to bottom and left to right.

1. Begin with the letter or letters. Letters are always read alphabetically (e.g. A, B, C, D, E, ... X, Y, Z.), with single letters coming before double or triple letters.

Example:

• H comes before HT
• HT comes before N
• N comes before ND

2. Next are whole numbers, read numerically, that are made up of one or more digits such as 2346 or 81 or 1. Some numbers appear with decimal points such as 384.25 or 1995.2.

Example:

• N3 comes before N43
• N43 comes before N548.4
• N548.4 comes before N1952.4
• N1952.4 comes before N8647

3. Next are letter and number combinations, with the letter always coming first.

• Letters are always read alphabetically.
• The number is read as a decimal (e.g. .2, .24, .29, .35, .35895)

In this instance, the following, going from top to bottom, are in call number order:

• PN1995 .A27
• PN1995 .A28 1972
• PN1995 .A376 1995
• PN1995 .A385 1999
• PN1995 .A49 1984

4. The year of publication is usually the last part of a call number. It is read chronologically. In other words, 1987 comes before 1988, 1988 comes before 1991, and 1991 comes before 2003.

In the example below, the call numbers are in order from left to right and the publication years are circled.

Figure 5

Note: Not all call numbers will have a year. Some will end with the letter/decimal combination while others will have volume or issue numbers or information regarding supplements.

Don't forget, it's always important to read the call number from LEFT TO RIGHT and from TOP TO BOTTOM.

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If you're having difficulty, break the call number into sections. For HC110 .C63 M37 2002,

• Begin with the letter(s) -- HC
• Move on to the whole number -- 110
• Continue with the letter/decimal combination(s) -- .C63 and then M37 (remember, the M37 here is the same as .M37)
• And then go on to the year, issue number, etc., if applicable. -- 2002

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What does the call number mean? - Sample call number: PN1995 .A385 1999

• The first two lines/parts of the call number (PN and 1995) represent the subject. (In technical terms: The initial letter or letters represent the main class (single letter) or subclass (double or triple letters.) To view classes or subclasses, click here. The whole number is the class number.
• The decimal/letter combinations (.A385) are Cutter numbers (named after Charles A. Cutter) which can represent the subject, or be a book number based on the author or title.
• If there is a year at the end, it represents the publication year for the item. 1999

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