S. E. Wimberly Library Tour - Finding a Library Book

FAU Libraries

How to Use a Call Number to Find a Book

The FAU Libraries use the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System when assigning call numbers to books and journals. The LC Classification System is a letter and number system that arranges books and other items by their subject. Call numbers are similar to a house address. The call number determines the book's location on the shelf. The call number for a book can be found in the online Catalog:
	The old man and the sea Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961.; 1980 Boca Raton PS3515.E37 O55 1980 -- Not checked out
The call number is also on the spine of the book:

PS
3515
.E37
055

Every call number has several parts, and finding a book on the shelf is just a matter of reading each part in the right order. When reading a call number, consider each element one at a time.

The first element is alphabetical, and is read A to Z. Books are placed on the floors by this letter sequence. These letters refer to the book's subject.
A B BF D DS L LB M ML PN PS TK TR Z

3515

The second element should be thought of as a whole number.
1 2 26 45 345 750 1274 3515 5615

.E37

The third line is read alphabetically, then numerically. Since a decimal begins this element, the number is read as a decimal.
.E3 .E37 .E387 .E4 .E47 .E6 .E75 .E8

O55

The fourth, and any subsequent line, is read first alphabetically, then numerically as decimals.

1980

This refers to the date this particular copy of the book was published. It can help distinguish between other editions of the same title.