A call number is basically just the address for the book. It is how we can tell where it lives on the shelf, and how we will be able to find it, or reshelve it when it is returned.
Call numbers are used in the Library of Congress system. This is how most academic libraries are organized, and how Reeves Library is organized.
When thinking about call numbers, we also want to note the location of the book. This will help us know where to go in Reeves.
The books at Reeves Library use the Library of Congress (LC) call number as a method to group like subjects together on library bookshelves. Each book has a unique identification number (or shelf address); this number is found on the spine of books (or sometimes on the front cover) and in the library's catalog records.
These unique shelf location numbers allow the books to be organized alphabetically by Library of Congress (LC) subject letters and numbers, grouping like subjects together for easier browsing.
Here's a sample call number, with an explanation for each line:
QE - indicates the general subject area; presented on the shelf in alphabetical order
862 - number line which indicates more specifically the subject area; presented on the shelf in numerical order within the QE section
.D5 - a combination of letters and numbers that often represent the author's last name; presented on the shelf in alphabetical then decimal order
E539 - the second combination of letters and numbers to further refine; not always present
2006 - the year of publication; presented chronologically on the shelf
Sometimes the library location is also indicated on the book label above the call number (for example REF, Reference, or JUV, for the Juvenile collection).
When you are looking for a print book in our libraries, always start with the top line of the call number. Remember, books are arranged alphabetically by this top line. For example, all BR numbers are together, after BP and before BS, and all B’s come after all combinations of A and before all combinations of C, like this:
B . . . BP, BR, BS, . . . C, CA, CB . . .
When books have identical letter lines, look to the number line next. Books are ordered using whole numbers on this line. For example:
When the top two lines are identical, look to the third line. Books are first ordered alphabetically; books with the same letter in the third line are then arranged by a decimal number (not whole number.) The following call numbers are in the correct order:
When the top three lines are identical, look to the fourth line. If it contains a letter followed by numbers, items are organized by letter and, within each letter, by a decimal number. (Note that this works just like the line above it, treating the numbers as a decimal even though there is no visible decimal point.) The following call numbers are in the correct order:
Multiple editions of a book will have the same call number, except for the last line, which will be the year of publication. Later years are shelved after earlier ones.
Some call numbers will include lines at the bottom to describe the volume, issue, or part of the larger publication. These are shelved in alphabetical or numerical order, whichever is used. The following example is in the correct order:
Part of understanding how to find books on the shelf is knowing where the different locations are in Reeves Library. If you are unsure, stop at the library front desk for help!
This guide was adapted from the University of Michigan Library's guide Library of Congress (LC) Call Numbers.