Introduction to Call Numbers
29 Call Numbers at Western Libraries: Part 1
What Are Call Numbers?
Call numbers are unique identifiers for library materials in order to identify its subject and locate it within the library and its system. They are a combination of letters, numbers, and decimals.
Classification systems are ways to organize materials based on topics. There are two types of Classification Systems that libraries in North America commonly use: the Dewey Decimal System and the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System. Western Libraries follows the Library of Congress classification system for its materials, but also uses the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classification system at Allyn & Betty Taylor Library for its clinical sciences materials.
How Do I Read a Call Number?
Video Script from 0:05 to 0:58: Have you ever seen a combination of numbers and letters on the side of library items and wondered what they were?These are call numbers and they tell you where to find an item. The first section refers to the subject area of the item.
Read the first part in alphabetical order and the second part as a whole number.
The next section is a combination of a letter and a number which refers to the item’s author.
Read the letter alphabetically and read the number as a decimal.
The final section refers to the year of publication. This is important to note since newer editions of the same item will have the same call number except the publication’s year will be updated. These are organized in chronological order.
There might be a volume number at the end too if the item is part of the series or multivolume set.
Items are put on the shelf in the library according to call numbers so items with similar subjects will be close to each other.
Note: other parts of this video may be outdated and not fit the context of the current tutorials present.
Library Materials on OMNI
When you use OMNI, you can determine the location of the item you are looking for whether it is an online or physical resource. To find the physical copy of the item, you can filter your results to Western & Affiliate Libraries Print and Physical Items.
If you click on the material link and scroll to the Get It subsection, you will receive more information about where to find the item. You can also see within this section if the item is available, or if it has been taken out and when it is due back in the library.
What does this look like at Western Libraries?
Here we have the book Physical Metallurgy (William Hosford, 2010) in the stacks at Taylor Library:
And here we have the same book, but what it looks like on OMNI instead!
What Else Should I Know?
Loan Information
The catalogue might also include information about how long the item can be borrowed for:
- NO LOAN: you can only use the book within the library.
- 2HR: this item is on reserve for 2 hours. Ask a Librarian at the reference desk or through the contact page for more information.
- REGULAR LOAN: 120-day loan.
Note: You may also find a BROWSE SHELF section on the OMNI page, where you can see books grouped together in the same or similar subject areas of the material you are searching for.
Learning and understanding call numbers will be important to find all the information and resources you have access to at Western Libraries. Check out our quiz in the next chapter to see how well you can read Library of Congress call numbers!
Other Helpful Resources
- Ambrose University: How to Read Library Call Numbers
- Library of Congress Classification System Outline
- Campus Map of Library Locations on Western University
- Western Libraries Cataloguing Practices: Call Number Format
- Western Libraries Research Guide: OMNI Academic Search Tool
- University of Waterloo: Using Call Numbers to Find Books in the Library
Media Attributions
- Call Number for Physical Metallurgy in real life
- Physical Metallurgy on OMNI
