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GEO 5395 & 7334: Stroup: Finding Books

This guide was created for students in Dr. Laura Stroup's GEO 5395 and GEO 7334.

Tips for Finding Books

Types of Searches

Keyword

  • Combine terms using AND.
  • This search returns records that contain words that match exactly what you typed in.
  • This is often (but not always) the best place to start.

Subject

  • Catalog uses pre-defined subjects. 
  • This type of search works well if you are browsing for a particular subject that you know or a broad term. So if you aren't finding anything, switch to the keyword search instead.
  • Subjects are arranged using the Library of Congress Classification system.

Author

  • Author searches are for looking for items a particular person has authored or written.
  • The library catalog works best if you type in searches in the format "Lastname, Firstname."
  • If you want books about a person, search for their name by subject.

Title

  • Use this search if you know the title of the material that you want.

Locating books and other materials in the Alkek Library

  • Call Numbers will guide you to the location of physical items within the library.
  • If you are having problems with finding a particular book, you can ask a librarian for help.
  • This guide may also help you: Locating Books by Call Number

Understanding Call Numbers

Understanding Call number order

Library of Congress call numbers should be read one line at a time as follows:

Example of a complete call number, DA 36 .A55:

DA Line 1
36

Line 2
.A55

Line 3

 

  1. First, look at Line 1:
    Books are arranged in alphabetical order, by the letters on the first line of the call number.
    Example: first come all the D call numbers, then all the DA call numbers, then DB, etc.



     

  2. Next, look at Line 2:
    Within the DA call numbers, books are arranged in number order.
    The numbers are arranged in numerical from low to high.
    Example:


     

  3. Then look at Line 3:
    Line 3 of the call number has a letter and a number. The letters are in alphabetical order. Then read the numbers-but BEWARE!
    The numbers are not WHOLE numbers, they are DECIMAL numbers.
    Example: A55 is read as A .55 - this is why A55 comes before A6 (A .55, A .6, A .65, etc.)

 

Subject Guide