How the Library is organized

Every item in the collection is assigned both a call number and a location. 

 

Call Numbers

The library uses both the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classification systems. As a Circulation Assistant, it is important to learn both of these systems and be able to switch back and forth with total ease. 

                                                                                                                      

Dewey Decimal call number order

 

            Books are filed first by the classification number on the first line:

 

            750   before   759.3   before   759.385   before   759.4

 

            Then in alphabetical order by the letter or letters on the second line:

 

            759.4 W before        759.4 Z before        759.4 ZA before    759.4 Z

                     

            Then by the number following the letters 

Read this number as if it had a decimal point in front - as if every numeral is significant - not as if the groupings of numbers are being read as a whole number i.e. 753 should NOT be understood as “Seven Hundred and Fifty Three” (a number that is, of course, higher than 75.) In the Dewey Decimal System 753 would come after 75 as you see in this example below:

           

            759.4 ZB75  before   759.4 ZB753  before   759.4 ZB77113654   before   759.4 ZB78

                                                         

 

            Then by the letters after that number

 

            759.4     before          759.4     before          759.4     before          759.4    

            ZB77                           ZB77c                         ZB77ca                       ZB78ca

 

Library of Congress Call Number Order

 

            Books are filed first in alphabetical order by the letter or letters on the first line:

 

 B before  BF before  C before  L before  LA before LB before  LC before  M

 

Then by the numbers that follow (unlike Dewey, these are read as whole numbers):

 

            NA12   before   NA70   before   NA102   before   NA790   before   NA1029

        

The third line is a combination of letters and decimals.  Read the letters alphabetically, and the numbers as a decimal (like in the Dewey System this time):

 

            NA12 .B98   before   NA12 .C123   before    NA12 .C72   before   NA12 .D16     

        

The last line of a Library of Congress call number is the year that the book was             published.  Arrange these chronologically:

 

NA12 .B98 1893   before   NA12 .B98 1899   before   NA12 .B98 1903 

 

Other Number Systems 

 

Accession Numbers

Microform, archival material, and backlogs are arranged by an accession number including the year the material was acquired followed by a number Accession numbers are filed first by year, then by the secondary numbers.

    Archive example - 2001.3

    Microform example - 1994:4

     Backlog example - b19.5684 

 

Pamphlet Files

Are given a five digit number as they are created and are filed numerically (i.e. p-00678).                                                   

 

Auction Catalogs

Auction catalogs are assigned a call number according to the Date of Sale of the auction in question. When auction last multiple days, the first date of the sale is used. The format for the call number is a small letter “a” followed by the four digit year, two digit month, and two digit day. The call number would be a19820916 for an auction catalog from a sale that took place on September 16th, 1982. It is common for there to be more than one auction on any given day in history, making auction catalogs the one part of the collection where multiple items might have the same call number with no additional volume information. In these cases, it is important to attend to the title of the auction and occasionally the auction house (Sotheby’s, Christies, etc.) which is listed in the Author/Creator field of the catalog’s record. 

 

Locations

Once you have learned to read call numbers, shelving is complicated by the fact that the library has many areas where the call numbers are repeated.  This is because different sizes and types of books belong in different locations.  The location of each book is usually printed on the call number label. ALMA uses the terminology “Permanent Location”

 

In general, books are located as follows (this is just a select group.  If you come across a location you do not recognize, ask the Circulation Manager):

Stack Location

Locations in the Reading Room                                                          

Specials, Restricted, Backlogs and Pamphlets

Locations of Oversize Materials                                                                                            

Locations in Departments