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Finding a Book in Merrill-Cazier Library: Home

Academic libraries are organized by subject using Library of Congress call numbers.

Finding a Book on the Shelf

  1. Check the library catalog to see if the book is Available. If it is checked out you'll see DUE and a date.
    Screenshot of library catalog record for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. A red box is around the Status information highlighting the word "Available."
  2. Take note of the floor and section (north or south).
    screenshot of library catalog record for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. A red box is around the Location information with red arrows pointing to the words "3rd floor" and "South."
  3. The call number is like an address for the location of the book on the shelf. Read it left to right. It has four parts that start general and get more and more specific until you zero in on the book you want. The call number for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is PR 6068 .O93 H374 2000.
    Screenshot of library catalog record for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. A red box is around the call number "PR 6068 .O93 H374 2000."
  4. To find this book in the library, first go to the 3rd floor, south side and look at the signs on the ends of the shelves. Go alphabetically to the P section. After the P section will be PA, PB, PC, etc. Go to PR.
  5. Within the PR section, it goes numerically. Look on the spines of the books. You will see PR 1, PR 2, etc. Keep going until you find PR 6068 (read: six thousand sixty-eight).
  6. After PR 6068 there is a decimal number that starts with a letter. The letters go alphabetically again. You will see PR 6068 .A, PR 6068 .B, etc. Keep going until you find PR 6068 .O and then .O93.
  7. You're getting close! Keep going alphabetically in .O93 until you see H and 374. You did it!  PR 6068 .O93 H374 2000. The 2000 represents the year this edition was published.

When you are done, do not reshelve the book. Place it on one of the open shelves labeled Reshelving and library staff will make sure it gets put back in the correct place.

If you want to take the book with you, check it out at the Circulation Desk on the 1st floor.

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