Finding Materials

  1. Location Codes
    1. List of Location Codes
  2. Call Numbers
    1. The Library of Congress Classification Schedule
  3. Is the item available?
  4. Finding Periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers)
  5. Review Questions

Location Codes

When you use the online catalog, the Location Code appearing on the screen just to the left of the call number tells you where that item is shelved in the library. There are many location codes. However, the four you will probably see most often are LOWER LEVEL, UPPER LEVEL, OVERSIZE (UPPER), and REFERENCE (MAIN).

Take a virtual tour of the building in Chapter 1 to review where things are located in the library facility.

List of Location Codes

Here are some of the more common location codes you will find in the online catalog. If you see an unfamiliar code and are not sure where to find the item, ask for assistance at the Reference/Research Desk or the Information Desk.

  • LOWER LEVEL – call numbers A-L
  • UPPER LEVEL – call numbers M-Z
  • OVERSIZE and FOLIO (UPPER) – Upper Level, west end (opposite end of floor from the main entrance)
  • MEDIA: VIDEO (MAIN) and MEDIA: CD (MAIN) – Main Level, at the end of the print Periodical shelves
  • BROWSING (MAIN) – Main Level, near the Library Entrance
  • CHILDREN’S LITERATURE (LOWER) – Lower Level
  • K-12 CURRICULUM (LOWER) – Lower Level
  • FICHE: HPER (MAIN) – K-12 Curriculum Microforms, Lower Level
  • NH DOCUMENTS (MAIN) – Main Level, at the beginning of the print Periodical shelves
  • REFERENCE (MAIN) – Main Level, Reference Area (next to the Reference Desk)
  • RESERVE DESK – Main Level, Information Desk
  • SCORE (UPPER) – Upper Level, near Tower Room
  • SPECIAL COLLECTIONS – Upper Level
  • SPINELLI ROOM – Upper Level (next to Oversize shelves)

Call Numbers

A Call Number is a unique identifying number assigned to each book or other media item. As in most libraries you have used in the past, you need to find the Call Number of the book you want by looking in the library catalog. Once you find the Call Number, look for the book that has that number printed on the spine of the book.

The Library of Congress Classification Schedule is a system of coding books alpha- numerically by subject. The Call Number for each book is determined by this classification schedule. Most academic libraries use this system rather than the Dewey Decimal Classification System used by public and school libraries.

When you look at LOLA, the library’s on-line catalog, a Library of Congress (LC) Call Number will look like this: BX 378.5 .M38 2003 On the spine of the book it will look like this:

BX 378.5 .M38 2003

Understanding call numbers will help you find books and other materials in the library easily. Look at the above call number line by line: The “B” classifies the book as dealing with Philosophy, Psychology, or Religion, according to the Library of Congress Classification Schedule printed below. Look at the list and take note of some other subject areas. Which area looks most interesting to you?

Try this tutorial. You’ll need to be at a computer that has PowerPoint loaded. Any of the computers in the campus computer clusters will work. It will take about three minutes to work through the presentation. http://www.plymouth.edu/library/libraryinstruction/lamsonguide/understandingcallnumbers.ppt

The Library of Congress Classification Schedule

A General Information: Encyclopedias, Almanacs… B Philosophy, Psychology Religion

  • B-BD Philosophy
  • BF Psychology
  • BL-BX Religion

C Auxiliary Sciences of History

  • CC Archaeology
  • CR Heraldry
  • CS Genealogy
  • CT General Biography

D History: General and Old World E History: United States: General F History: States of the U.S.; Canada; Latin America G Geography, Anthropology, Folklore, etc.

  • G-GB Geography
  • GN Anthropology
  • GR Folklore
  • GV Recreation, Sports, and Dance

H Social Sciences

  • HA Statistics
  • HB-HJ Business and Economics
  • HM-HX Sociology: Family; Race; Criminology Substance Abuse, etc.

J Political Science

  • JK Political Science in the United States

K Law

  • KF Law in the United States
  • KFN Law in New Hampshire

L Education M Music N Fine Arts

  • NA Architecture
  • NB Sculpture
  • ND Painting
  • NK Decorative Arts: Pottery, Antiques, Costume

P Language and Literature

  • P-PA Linguistics; Classical Languages and Literatures
  • PC French Language, Spanish Language
  • PE English Language
  • PF German Language
  • PN General Literature (Perf. Arts, Drama, Film, Theater)
  • PQ French Literature; Spanish Literature
  • PR English Literature
  • PS American Literature
  • PT German Literature

Q Science

  • QA Mathematics; Computer Science
  • QC Physics; Meteorology
  • QD Chemistry
  • QH-QR Natural History; Life Sciences

R Medicine S Agriculture T Technology

  • TA-TK Engineering
  • TR Photography
  • TX Home Economics (Nutrition; Cookery; Hotels/Inns)

U Military Science V Naval Science Z Bibliography; Library Science

Is the item available?

The status field in the online catalog tells you if the book has been checked out. The word AVAILABLE means the book is on the shelf. If it had been checked out, the date it is due would appear in this field, instead. If there is another status like LOST or MISSING, ask for help at the Information Desk or the Reference/Research Desk.

Finding Periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers)

You can use the online library catalog to determine if the library owns a physical copy of a given journal. Do a TITLE search for the name of the journal. The record will indicate if this journal is in the library, and in what format (i.e. paper, microfiche, or microfilm). Paper copies of journals are located on the Main Level, and are arranged in alphabetical order by title. Microfiche and microfilm are located in cabinets on the Lower Level. Ask for assistance at the Reference Desk or the Information Desk.

However, PSU students have access to the full text of articles from many more journals than we have in a physical format in Lamson. Full text articles from tens of thousands of journals are available from one of our subscription databases or from separate subscriptions we have to online journals. In many cases, we may have no print copies of these on our shelves.

There is a special and efficient way to find the full text of articles from a given journal. From the Library Website, click on the Journals tab at the top of the screen OR click the Journals link in the left frame, under Collections. Search by the journal (or magazine) title. This search will tell you 3 things:

  • 1. Are the articles from the journal available in full text electronically from any database we subscribe to?
  • 2. Does Lamson Library have a separate online subscription to the journal?
  • 3. Does Lamson Library own any physical copies of the journal?

If we try a sample search for Journal of Athletic Training, your results screen will look like this:

fys chap6 new j of ath train shot

You can click on the Academic Search Premier link to find full text articles from any issue of this journal. You can click on the Lamson Library link to find what physical copies are in the library.

Remember, if you have any problems, ask for help at the Reference/Research Desk.

Review Questions

  1. What is a Location Code?
  2. What is a Call Number?
  3. On the online library catalog, a Call Number would look like this:
    PE1628. M36 1993
    Write out that same Call Number as it would appear on the spine of the book.
  4. Look at the Library of Congress Classification Schedule in this chapter to answer this question. Under what letter classification would you find books on:
    1. Meteorology ______
    2. Photography ______
    3. Skiing ______
  5. When you locate a book on the online library catalog, what does the following notation mean under the STATUS column? DUE 11-29-06
  6. Using information you’ve learned about location codes, answer the following questions:
    1. On which level are the Oversize Shelves located?__________________
    2. On which level would you look for K-12 Curriculum materials?_________________
    3. On which level would you find the Archives & Special Collections_________________
    4. On which level would you find the Periodical Shelves?________________
    5. On which level would you find a Reference Librarian?________________

ANSWERS:

    1. The Location Code appears to the left of the Call Number and tells you in which specific area and floor level of the Library the book or item is shelved.

    2. The Call Number appears to the right of the Location Code, and is the unique identifying number assigned to that specific book (or any catalogued item). The initial letters of the Call Number indicate the general subject matter of the book.

    3. On the book spine, call numbers are written vertically:

    PE
    1628
    .M36
    1993

    4.

    1. QC
    2. TR
    3. GV

    5. It means that the book has been checked out and is due back on the date indicated.

    6.

    1. UPPER LEVEL
    2. LOWER LEVEL
    3. UPPER LEVEL
    4. MAIN LEVEL
    5. MAIN LEVEL

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