Honolulu Community College Library

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 provides an introduction to understanding and using library 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

• from top to bottom, on the spines of books:
  LB
  2395
  .C65
  1991

  and,

• from left to right, in the online catalog:
  LB2395 .C65 1991

Reading Call Numbers

Read a call number by sections, or line-by-line. Each section is part of the "code".

example:
LB
2395
.C65
1991

• LB -- Read the first line in alphabetical order:
  A, B, BF, C, D ... L, LA, LB, LC, M, ML ...
• 2395 -- Read the second line as a whole number:
  1, 2, 3, ...45, ...100, 101, ... 1000, ... 2000, ...2430, 2431, 2432
• .C65 -- The third line is a combination of a letter and numbers.
  • Read the letter alphabetically: A, B, C, D, E, ... Y, Z
  • Read the letter as a decimal.
    e.g. .C65 = .65
    e.g. .C724 = .724
• 1991 -- This is the year the book was published.
  Chronological order: 1979, 1985, 1992, 1999 ...

Putting Call Numbers in Shelf Order

1. LA2301 .M37
2. LB2327 .M3
3. LB2327 .V53 1990
4. LB2328 .B37
5. LB2328 .C34
6. LB2328 .C55
7. LB2328 .C554 1982
8. LB2395 .C65 1987
9. LB2395 .C65 1991

1. LA2301 .M37
2. LB2327 .M3 (LB comes after LA)
3. LB2327 .V53 1990 (Both start with LB2327, V comes after M)
4. LB2328 .B37 (2328 comes after 2327)
5. LB2328 .C34 (C comes after B)
6. LB2328 .C55 (Both start with LB2328 .C, decimal .55 comes after .34)
7. LB2328 .C554 1982 (Decimal .554 comes after .55)
8. LB2395 .C65 1987
9. LB2395 .C65 1991 (Same call numbers except for date: 1991 comes after 1987)

What does the call number mean?

Remember that Library of Congress Classification arranges materials by subjects. The first sections of the call number represent the subject of the book.
The letter-and-decimal section of the call number often represents the author's last name.
And, as you recall, the last section of a call number is often the date of publication.

example:
Title: What You Need to Know About Developing Study Skills, Taking Notes & Tests, Using Dictionaries & Libraries
Author: Marcia J. Coman.
  Call number:
LB2395 .C65 1991

Let's crack the code by examining the sections of this call number:

• LB2395 = subject of the book: Methods of Study in Higher Education
• .C65 = Coman, the author's last name
• 1991 = the publication year

Why is this important to know?

• LB2395 .C6 1960 - A Student's Guide to Efficient Study, by Luella Cole
• LB2395 .C65 1991 - What You Need ... Study Skills, by Marcia J. Coman
• LB2395 .L447 - Keys to College Success, by Minnette Lenier
• LB2395 .O54 1983 - A Successful Student's Handbook, by Rita Phipps

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.

A location prefix means that book is part of a special collection, is shelved in a special place, and may have loan restrictions. HCC Library uses the following location prefixes:

Prefix    HCC Library Location / Loan Period

[Blank]    Circulating Collection.  2nd floor.  28-day loan
OVERSIZE   Oversize -- a big book. 2nd floor, Diamond Head Wall.  28-day loan
POPULAR    Popular Collection, including fiction. 2nd floor.  28-day loan
DINOSAUR   Dinosaur Collection.  1st floor.  14-day loan
REF        Reference Collection, 1st floor.  Library-use only
HAWPAC     Hawaii/Pacific Collection. 2nd floor, Diamond Head Wall.  14-day loan
HAWPAC REF Hawaii/Pacific Reference. 1st floor, Diamond Head side.  Library-use only
TECH REF   Automobile Technical Collection. 1st floor, Diamond Head side.  Library-use only
RESERVE    Reserve Book set aside for a class.  1st floor, Circulation Counter. 
TELE       Telecourse videotape.  1st floor, Circulation Counter.  Overnight loan

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