First, convert the call number from the catalog display into a vertical format (as it appears on the spine or lower front cover of the book):
Example: QC 981.8 .G56 D378 2009 becomes:
QC |
First Line: Letters are filed alphabetically. Single letters are filed before double letters in terms of shelf arrangement. This series is in correct order: D DA DF DL DT
The first letter indicates a very broad subject area, which is made more specific by adding a second and sometimes third letter. K = Law in general KF = Law in the United States KFC = Law in California.
Second Line: This line is read as a whole number. Numbers on the second line can range from 1 to 9999 and can also have decimal point subdivisions.
Example: 32 (thirty-two) is shelved before 310 (Three hundred ten). Any number followed by a decimal point is filed decimally.
Examples: 8701 is shelved after 8700.7 8700.7 is shelved after 8700.17
Third Line: This line begins with a decimal point, followed by a letter and number sequence. The letters are read alphabetically (as above). The number is read as a decimal (different from the whole numbers used above).
QE 352 .B64 2009 |
before |
QE 352 .C85 2009 |
QE 352 .C444 1999 |
before |
QE 352 .C64 1999 |
before |
QE 352 .C7 1999 |
You can see from the example above that .C444 comes before .C64 because when reading the number decimally, each digit is read individually. 4 before 6 (444 as a whole number would come after 64, but as a decimal each digit is read one at a time.
Fourth Line: Publication date. Filed chronologically. 1999, 2001, 2005, 2011
Fifth Line: Sometimes includes volume numbers (v.2)
The example below breaks the number down line by line:
QA General subject area is mathematics
76.73 computers (the .73 is specifically for programming languages)
.C 153 for the C++ programming language
S29 Last name of author Savitch
2009 Year of publication