What is a call number?

• A call number is a unique series of numbers and letters for each item.
• Academic libraries use the Library of Congress Classification System (LC).
• Books are arranged broadly from A-A and then sub-classified by a range of 1-9999. 

How to find a book using a call number?

1. Use Library Search to search by title, author or subject for a book.

2. Find the call number AND the location

We have many branches and unique collections within the library system

3. Rearrange  the call number from one line to multiple lines. On the spine of the book, the call number is broken up onto several line​​​

"F870.M5 R62 " in Library Search becomes:  

F

870

.M5

R62

4. Use the floor maps  to find where to go in the building. 

​The book "Hunger of Memory" is located in "Waldo Library General Stacks" and has a call number of F 870 .M5 R62. 

• First go to the F section of the library
• Then go to 870 (Call numbers range from 1-9999)

• Continue line by line.

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