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Honolulu Community College Library

Understanding Call Numbers

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spine of library book Have you ever wondered how library books are assigned their places on the shelves? Did you know that the call number -- the number placed on the spine of the book -- is a code which provides valuable information about the book?

This page is an introduction to understanding and using library call numbers.

Note:   this page relies upon a series of graphics. If your Web browser does not support graphics or tables, please use our text-only version of "Understanding Call Numbers".

If you'd like a printed copy of this information, ask your librarian for Pathfinder 6.

What are call numbers for?

Each book in the library has a unique call number. A call number is like an address: it tells us where the book is located in the library.

Call numbers appear

book spine and online catalog

Note that the same call number can be written from top-to-bottom, or left-to-right.

Honolulu Community College Library, like many academic libraries in the United States, uses Library of Congress Classification for call numbers. This system uses a combination of letters and numbers to arrange materials by subjects.

 

Reading Call Numbers

lines of a call number

 

Putting Call Numbers in Shelf Order

To understand how call numbers are put in order in Library of Congress Classification, again look at each section of the call number.
shelf order of call numbers

 

What does the call number mean?

Remember that Library of Congress Classification arranges materials by subjects. example:
meaning of call number

 

Why is this important to know?

Because books are classified by subject, you can often find several helpful books on the same shelf, or nearby. For example, within the same call number LB2395, there are other guides for college study.

study guides in LB2395

Since Library of Congress Classification arranges materials by subjects, knowing the letter(s) for your subject area gives you a place to start browsing the shelves. Which letters represent your subject? View the Library of Congress Classification Table.

Location Prefixes

When a call number looks like the examples above, (e.g. LB2395 .C65 1991), the book is shelved on the second floor of HCC Library. Some call numbers, however, are preceded by a location prefix.
example:
Ref AG243 .G87 1992
The Ref prefix indicates that this book is shelved in the Reference Collection.
Location prefixes mean that book is shelved in a special place, and may have loan restrictions. HCC Library uses the following location prefixes:

Prefix Collection HCC Library Location Loan Period
[Blank] Circulating Collection 2nd floor 28-day loan
HawPac Hawaii/Pacific Collection 2nd floor, Diamond Head wall 14-day loan
Oversize Oversize -- a big book! 2nd floor, Diamond Head Wall 28-day loan
Popular Popular -- mostly fiction, such as mystery, sci-fi, and romance 2nd floor, at the top of the stairs 28-day loan
RefReference Collection 1st floor Library-use only
HawPac Ref Hawaii/Pacific Reference 1st floor, Circulation Counter Library-use only
Tech Ref Automobile Technical Collection 1st floor, Diamond Head side Library-use only
Dinosaur Dinosaur Collection 1st floor, Diamond Head side 14-day loan
Ocean Ocean Collection 1st floor, Diamond Head side Library-use only
Reserve Reserve Book set aside for a class 1st floor, Circulation Counter Set by instructor
TeleTelecourse videotape 1st floor, Circulation Counter Overnight

Our web pages include more information about these Collections. For more information about call numbers and finding library materials, ask your librarian.

You are here: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/callno.html

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Updated 03/26/04
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