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WACO High School Guide to the UI Libraries: Using LC Call Numbers

Main Library Floorplan

How to Read a Call Number

How to Read an LC Call Number

When you locate a book in InfoHawk+, you'll need to take note of a few things in order to find it in the Library. 

Book from InfoHawk+

Notice:

  • this is a BOOK in print/paper form (as opposed to an "ebook" which would be located online)
  • it is Available (which means it should be sitting on the shelf as opposed to already checked out by someone else)
  • It is located in the Main Library (as opposed to any of our other campus libraries)
  • it is in the "Stacks" which is another way to say it is on a bookshelf
  • there is a call number that tells you the location in the library

How to locate a book by it's call number

When you are looking for a print book in our libraries, always start with the beginning of the call number. Books are arranged alphabetically starting with this. For example, all PR call numbers are together, after PP and before PS, and all P’s come after all combinations of N and before all combinations of Q, like this:

P, PA, PB . . . PP, PR, PS . . . Q, QA, QB

When books have identical letter combinations, look to the number line next. Books are ordered using whole numbers on this part. For example:

PR1    PR206    PR1056    PR6037     PR6209

When the beginning combinations of letters and numbers are identical, next look at the part after the decimal point. Books are first ordered alphabetically and then arranged by decimal number (not whole number.) The following call numbers are in correct order:

PR6037.A47  PR6037.A8   PR6037.A86  PR6037.E222

If there are more letters and numbers that follow, repeat the pattern of looking at the letters alphabetically, and the numbers as a decimal number.