Finding Books on the Shelf
Library materials are arranged on the shelf by broad subject.
Within each subject, however what distinguishes one book from another?
How is one specific book found among many others on a subject?
Each book is assigned a unique call number, a combination of letters and numbers that designate it by subject and then within the subject. No two books have the same exact call number. Call numbers usually consist of two or three lines of letters and numbers; each call number is found either on the spine of the book or on the front lower left corner when the spine is too narrow.
GV 989
One or two letters representing a general subject ( in this case GV is for physical education), followed by a whole number representing a specific subject (989 represents Lacrosse)..A52
The first initial for the author's last name followed by the number representing the author ( a period (.) is used in call numbers seen on PITTCAT+ screens to indicate the beginning of the second line).
First Line(Letters):Arrangement on the shelf is alphabetical--call
numbers beginning with G, followed by and GV.First Line (Number): Within the GV's the arrangement is numerical (GV35
is followed by GV4826.
Second Line(Letters and Numbers): Arrangement of the GV7's is first
alphabetical and then numerical as if the number were a decimal (Read
A5 as A.5 then A.55 follows A.5 and A.6 follows A.55).