Using Call Numbers

A unique identification number

Each book (or other item) has its own unique call number which is taped to the lower outside edge of the book's spine. The call number is also written or taped inside the book, usually on the reverse side (verso) of the title page.

A good analogy is to think of a call number as the "address" of the book on the shelf. A misread address will make it difficult to find the "house."

A miniature subject formula

Books written about the same subject have similar call numbers, which groups them together on the shelf, making it easier for you to browse the library's holdings on a specific topic.

A location code

A book's call number also appears in the catalog entry in FALCON, the computer catalog which lists the holdings of the Dunagan Library. Holdings information is arranged in the following way: (1) it is towards the end of the full record; (2) it will have a Collection statement which provides part of the "address" for the book--Reference, Circulating Collection, Oversize, and so on.

Once you have located the entry for a specific book in FALCON, make a note of its UTPB call number, location/collection information and then look for the book in call number order on the library shelves (also called the "stacks").

In the United States, libraries use three different kinds of call numbers.

Dewey Decimal Call Numbers

Most school and public libraries use a system called Dewey Decimal (DDC) call numbers which begin with Arabic numerals. For example, a nonfiction book with the title A History of Modern Germany would have the call number:

943
H723H

Library of Congress Call Numbers

Most academic and research libraries use an entirely different system called Library of Congress (LC) call numbers, which begin with letters of the English alphabet. For example, the adult nonfiction book with the title A History of Modern Germany 1648-1840 has the call number:

DD
175
.H62
Vol.2

In the FALCON online catalog, the call number in the example given above is listed on a single line, with spaces between the four parts:

DD 175 .H62 v. 2

In the LC system, the first letter of the call number indicates the general subject area. The second letter indicates the specific sub-section within the general subject category. In the example given above, the first D in the call number indicates that the book is a work of history. The second D indicates that it is a work of German history.

In the LC system, works of fiction are assigned call numbers in the same way as nonfiction. Most works of fiction can be found in the Ps, the section for literature, located on the Second Floor of the Dunagan Library.

SuDocs Numbers

Collections of U.S. government publications are usually shelved according to a classification system developed by the U.S. Superintendent of Documents. Like Library of Congress call numbers, SuDocs numbers also begin with letters of the English alphabet. The letters stand for the name of the issuing agency. For example:

C 61.34:987

In the example given above:

C represents the issuing agency (Commerce Department)
61. indicates the subordinate bureau within the issuing agency (International Trade Administration)
34: is the number of the specific publication (U.S. Industrial Outlook)
987 indicates the year of publication (1987)

The Dunagan Library does not use SuDoc numbers instead it assigns LC Call numbers to government documents. This practice makes it easier for library patrons to find the material they are looking for without needing to learn an additional unique call numbering system.

Locally Assigned Call Numbers

Many libraries also use a few locally assigned call numbers. In the Dunagan Library, the Texas Adopted [K-12] Textbook Collection and the Picture Book Collection have locally assigned call numbers. Textbooks are located on the Second Floor nearest the window wall, and use grade level, subject level and an item number to form their call numbers.

Grade Level	Subject Level	Item Number
9	15 [assigned by the state]	408

Picture Books are shelved in alphabetical order at the beginning of the curriculum library [CurLi] on the Second Floor nearest the window wall.

Library of Congress call numbers usually have four lines or elements:

PA
112
.G53
1982

First line:

The first line can be either a single or a double letter. If a book's call number begins with a single letter which is the same as the first letter of a call number which begins with a double letter, then the book with the single letter is shelved first, or to the left, on the shelf.

For example, in the section for the Ps, the correct sequence would be P PA PB PC PD to PZ, followed by Q QA QB QC QD and so on.

Second line:

The second line of an LC call number is always a whole number from 1 to 9999. If the letters on the first line of the call number are the same, the book with the smaller number on the second line is shelved to the left of the book with the larger number. (Note that in the Dewey Decimal system, the largest number is 999.)

Third line:

The third line of an LC call number is always a decimal point, followed by a letter and a number. Books are shelved alphabetically according to the letter to the right of the decimal point. For example, a book with .G on the third line of its call number would be shelved to the left of a book with .H. If two books have the same letter on the third line, then the book with the smaller decimal number is shelved to the left of the book with the larger number. For example, .G53 is shelved to the left of .G532 because .53 is a smaller decimal number than .532.

Fourth line:

The fourth line of an LC call number is always a year of publication or a volume number. An earlier edition of the same work is always shelved to the left of a later edition A lower volume number is shelved to the left of a higher volume number.

In FALCON, if the call number begins with REF, the item is shelved in the reference section on the First Floor. Reference books may not be checked out, but you are welcome to make photocopies (Room 138).

If the call number in FALCON looks like this CALL NUMBER: SK295.H5 -- BOOK -- Available , the item is located on the Second Floor of the Dunagan Library in the book stacks. Books whose call numbers begin with A are shelved at the end of the first stack section (nearest the window wall); books whose call numbers begin with B-N are shelved in the middle stack section; those whose call numbers begin with P-Z are located in the third stack section (furthest from the window wall).

Videos are shelved by Library of Congress call number in Room 140 on the First Floor of the Dunagan Library. A very small collection of DVD's are kept behind the Circulation Desk on the First Floor for security reasons. Please look up the video or DVD number in FALCON before requesting a specific title. For assistance in using FALCON, please see the librarian at the Reference Desk.

Click here to see an outline of the Library of Congress classification system.

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