A "call number" is like an address for the book that tells you the location on the shelf in relation to other books. They are arranged alphabetically and numerically, and grouped by subject class and subclass. Using the book "When Sunday comes : gospel music in the soul and hip-hop eras",
this table explains the parts of its call number ML3187 .H34 2020
| Call Number Portion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ML3187 | This section is for literature written on music that contains the history and criticism on forms and types of Protestant Gospel Music |
| .H34 | Represents words, names, or subjects; unique to each book; number read as decimal: point three four. |
| 2020 | The year the book was published |
Understanding how books are arranged in a library can help you independently find a book, but if you can't find what you need ask us for help.
Subject headings are similar in concept to hashtags used in social media, in that they are a way to share what something is about and collect similar items on a topic. Because of this, books found on shelves are often grouped with other books on the same topic. However, when it comes to searching for books, it can be helpful to know that the subject headings reflect the main ideas of the book. Additionally, the LoC subjects are consistent so that all libraries are labeling things the same way. This can be especially helpful when searching for a topic that has multiple applications or meanings. For example, a keyword search for drums in our library search contains books about cell phones and antiquities. However, searching for drums in the subject changes the results significantly.