Knowing Your Library Series：How to Read a Call Number

August 22, 2024 | Library News | WKU Library

WKUers, are you not familiar with what a call number is? The following content will show you relevant knowledge about the call number and teach you how to read it.

Introduction to Call Number

The call number is the code used by the library for organizing, locating, borrowing, returning, and cataloging books. It serves as the primary basis for lending documents and inventory checks, indicating the arrangement location of the collection. Wenzhou-Kean University Library uses the Library of Congress Classification system, a comprehensive hierarchical classification developed by the Library of Congress, which is divided into 20 main categories. Each physical book has its corresponding call number attached.

WKU Library’s Call Number

The call number is the code used by the library for organizing, locating, borrowing, returning, and cataloging books. It serves as the primary basis for lending documents and inventory checks, indicating the arrangement location of the collection.
Wenzhou-Kean University Library uses the Library of Congress Classification system, a comprehensive hierarchical classification developed by the Library of Congress, which is divided into 20 main categories. Each physical book has its corresponding call number attached.

How to find books

In general, the library books are arranged from left to right, top to bottom, forming a roughly ‘Z’ shape. This is shown in the figure below:

Next are the specific steps to find the book.

Step 1:
Check the call number on the spine of the book (the side of the book). The call number is usually located in the lower middle of the spine of the book;

Step 2:
Start by comparing the alphabetical ordering of letters on the top lines of the book call numbers. Therefore, books beginning with A in the first line must be placed before books beginning with B. Secondly, the individual letters of the first line are arranged before the compound letters. Compound letters are then compared in order, i.e., when the first letter is the same, the second letter is compared in the order of the 26 letters.;
For example, in the chart below, G comes before L in alphabetical order, thus G89 E93 2006 comes before L65 .L33 S78 2021. Then, L is a single letter and LA is a compound letter, so L65 .L33 S78 2021 comes before LA11 M13 2011;

Step 3:
If the letters are the same for the first lines of call numbers, then compare the ordering of the numerical sequences on the second lines.
For example, let’s compare DR583 Y68 2017 to DR592.K4 D56 2020 in the picture below. When the first line of both call numbers is DR, it is necessary to compare the second line, and 583 is smaller than 592. Thus, the book with the call number DR583 Y68 2017 is placed before the book with the call number DR592.K4 D56 2020.

Step 4:
When the first two rows are the same, the third row still follows the principle of letters plus numbers, but note that the numbers here are decimals and should be compared according to the principle of comparing decimals（view letters as decimal points）.
As shown in the picture below, in the book with call number GA102 .3 .R36 2016, “.3” means 0.3. If a book with call number GA102.295.R36 2016 appears at this time, because 0.295<0.3, it should be placed to the left of the book with call number GA102.3.R36 2016.

Step 5:
If the first few rows are the same, continue to compare the remaining rows according to the method mentioned above.
For example, if the first few lines of the call number GA102 .295 .R36 2016 and the call number GA102 .295 .R36 2020 are the same, the last line is compared, and 2016 is smaller than 2020, so the book with the call number GA102 .295 .R36 2016 is arranged in front of the book with the call number GA102 .295 .R36 2020.

Challenge

Now, it’s time to test your “book searching” skills. Please look carefully at the following call numbers. Do you understand the meaning of these call numbers? Why are these books arranged in this way? We have prepared a small test, which is not only assessing your learning achievements but also a small challenge to your wisdom and carefulness. Are you ready?