Call numbers
Introduction
The Access Services department of the library is responsible for the shelving of most library materials. The majority of shelving is performed by Student Assistants, but full time staff may be assigned shelving during busy times, and are involved in arranging carts for shelving at the Circulation desk on a daily basis.
All library materials are arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Each item in the collection has a ‘call number’ which individuates that item from every other item in the collection, and which identifies its location in the library to patrons and staff.
There are at least three lines on every call number. Outlined below is the structure of each line:
- Line 1- a letter or a series of letters
- Line 2- a number which may be followed by multiple decimal places
- Line 3- a ‘cutter number’ or a letter number combination
- Line 4- may be followed by one or more additional cutter number line
The following lines may or may not be present:
- Date line
- Volume or Series number
- SMUOVER or some variation e.g. OVER, indicating 'Oversize Collection'
- REF or SMREF, indicating 'Reference Collection'
- VIDEO, SMVID or MEDIA
All of the books in our regular collection are organized according to call number. Following is a more detailed explanation of the components of the call number and how each one helps to determine where a book is shelved.
Letters
The letter or series of letters in the top line of the call number is the first place to begin when putting books in order.
· File books in alphabetical order. Thus, A comes before B or C or G or Z, etc.
· Nothing always comes before something, so A comes before AB, AC, AEG, etc.
The letter or series of letters in the top line of the call number is the first place to begin when putting books in order.
· File books in alphabetical order. Thus, A comes before B or C or G or Z, etc.
· Nothing always comes before something, so A comes before AB, AC, AEG, etc.
Numbers
The second line consists of a number and, often, decimal places.
Smaller numbers are filed before larger numbers. For example, 50 is shelved before 52, 100, 2500.
Similarly, 50.199 is shelved before 50.5 or 50.793. It is the size (value) of the number, not the number of decimal places that determine the order of the book.
The second line consists of a number and, often, decimal places.
Smaller numbers are filed before larger numbers. For example, 50 is shelved before 52, 100, 2500.
Similarly, 50.199 is shelved before 50.5 or 50.793. It is the size (value) of the number, not the number of decimal places that determine the order of the book.
If you find it difficult to figure out which number should come first because the part of the number after the decimal is not the same length, try adding zeros to make the numbers the same length.
25.88 is the same as 25.880
Since, .876 comes before .880
Then, 25.876 comes before 25.880
Since, .876 comes before .880
Then, 25.876 comes before 25.880
Cutter Numbers
If the top two lines of the call number are the same, books will be distinguished by the third line (cutter number). The cutter number organizes books alphanumerically.
When ordering books by their cutter number first arrange them alphabetically. For example: A567, B765, C322.
When the cutter numbers begin with the same letter, books are distinguished numerically. In contrast to the second line of a call number, the numerical portion of the cutter number is not a whole number, although to the untrained eye it appears so.
To understand the cutter number, imagine a decimal before the first digit. For example if the cutter number is A567, you must mentally insert a decimal before the 5 so it reads A.567.
Some examples:
A367 comes before A37 because of the implied decimal place before the 3s.
A31116 comes before A32 for the same reason
A78 comes after A235 but before A976
If there are two or more lines of cutter numbers, the same rules apply to each line.
Dates
When all the elements of the call number are the same, books are be organized by the date of publication, earlier dates before later ones. For example, 1917 is before 1973 is before 1998.
Volume
Some books are part of a series, and a book may have a number or letter at the bottom of the call number indicating its place in the series. When there are books with the same call number and different volume numbers, arrange them in order of volume number, be it alphabetical or numerical. Thus, v.1A would come before v.1B and v.36 before v.37, etc.
Oversize Books
Books labeled as 'Oversize', are too large to be shelved in the general collection. If the last line of a call number has the letters 'SMUOVER', or a variation of that, the book is oversize and should be shelved in the oversize section.
Reference Books
Reference books are not shelved in the general collection. If the last line of a call number has the letters ‘REF’. the book is a reference book, and should be shelved in the Reference Room.
Videos, Cassette Tapes & DVDs
Videos, cassette tapes and DVDs are shelved within the general collection. They are no longer shelved in a separate area.
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