Understanding Call Numbers

To organize books on the shelf, libraries assign each book a call number which functions as its address.

 The Doucette Library assigns call numbers using the Dewey DecimalClassification (DDC) system, which is also used in school and public libraries. Other libraries on campus use the Library of Congress system (all their 'call numbers' begin with letters)

Reading a call number

A typical call number consists of several lines, each serving a different purpose:

599.773 GEW   2008 PIC BK

Dewey Decimal number (this groups materials together by subject) Distinguishes a particular title from others with the same number (puts books in alphabetical order by author's last name, within a specific Dewey number) Date of publication When this line is present it tells you about the format of the item. In this case it tells you that it's a Picture Book

 

Using the call number to find your book

Remember - it's a DECIMAL system.  Books are filed digit by digit, not by whole number.  A book with the call number 598.97 MAO comes AFTER books that begin with 597, and BEFORE those that begin with 599.  And 598.97 comes after 598.9638 (even though this is a longer number).

These Dewey call numbers are in proper order:

331 331.01 331.016 331.02 331.041 331.0413 331.042 331.1 331.198 331.2

When two books have the same number, then they go in alphabetical order by the letters that come after the number. 

The Collections page tells you how to narrow your search to specific kinds of materials (picture books, video materials, posters etc).