How to Read Call Numbers (to help you find books)

Kathleen ReisOctober 2010

A call number is a book’s address. It tells where a book can be found just like you can be found at your

address.

B CYR

F WHI

E BER

Everybody Books

E everybody

CARFirst 3 letters of the authors last name.

Fiction Books

F fiction

WHI First 3 letters of the author’s last name.

Biographies

B biography

OBA First 3 letters of the subject’s last name.

Non-fiction Books

Non-fiction (information books) are organized by subjectand the first 3 letters of the author’s last name.

Subjects are divided into ten main categories.

000 – Computer science, information and general works100 – Philosophy and psychology200 – Religion300 – Social sciences400 – Language500 – Math and science600 – Technology and applied science700 – Arts and recreation800 – Literature900 – History and geography

796FOR

609MCL

822.3SHA

This is an example of how the books are ordered in the non-fiction section by call number.

599RAN 599.09 BRE 599.3 COU 599.34 AND 599.9 ADA 599.91 ACH