Understanding Call Numbers
Reading a Call Number
| Alphabetical order | GM |  |
GN |
| Numerical order | 12 | 13 | |
| Alphabetical & Decimal Order | M55 | M6 | |
| (.55 comes before .6) |
*Remember, the call numbers on the shelves will read top to bottom as shown above, while the call numbers in the library catalog will read across.
How Our Materials are Shelved
1. The materials are shelved alphabetically by the first line of the call number:
| N | |
NA | |
QC | |
QD |
| 2455 | 1220 | 171 | 171 | |||
| J44 | F6 | A8 | F14 | |||
| T3 | T4 | N6 | G7 |
2. If the first lines are the same, proceed to the next line. This line is shelved numerically:
| QA | |
QA | |
QA | |
QA |
| 41 | 47 | 47.5 | 135 | |||
| S34 | B2 | G6 | D5 | |||
| F4 | J67 | M67 | A6 |
3. If the first two lines are the same, then proceed to the next line:
| BF | |
BF | |
BF | |
BF |
| 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | |||
| B46 | B5 | B6 | C26 |
Viewing the third line as decimals, .46 is smaller than .5, so it would be shelved first (to the left). B6 comes before C26 because materials are shelved first alphabetically, then numerically.