I do not understand this call number, how can I locate this book?
Answer
HBKU library books are shelved according to the Library of Congress (LC) Classification system. Each title in the library has a unique “call number”, which is a combination of letters and numbers.
To locate your book in the libirary, go to the cabinet that matches your book's call number starting letters and number and move alphabetically and numerically to find the item on the shelf.
More details:
A call number is like an address; it describes the exact location of the book and tells you where to find the book on the shelves. It also tells you something about the subject matter of the book. Each call number may contain three, four or five lines.
- Sample LC Call Number Line 1: Defines the general subject class and subclass [B = Philosophy/Religion; BF = Psychology]
- Line 2: Classification number - defines a narrower subtopic within the specified class [1078 = Dreams]
- Line 3: Cutter number - represents the author’s name or the title of the work [.S5 = Ella Freeman Sharpe]
- Line 4: Publication Year [1978 - Usually the year the book was published but could be the copyright date]
- Line 5: Copy number [c.1 - If a library has multiple copies of the same book, these will be identified by a copy number.]
LC call numbers are read from left to right, and from top to bottom. The letters at the beginning of the call number are alphabetical. The numbers immediately following are in basic numerical order, i.e., 5 then 6, 50 is after 49 and before 51, and 100 is after 99. The cutter numbers are sorted first by the letter and then by the number as a decimal.