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How to: Find Books & Read Call Numbers

Navigating from the catalog to the book on the shelf

Call Numbers & Locations


Generally: 

If the call number
begins with....
Go to: 
A - G Dinand Stacks, Mezzanine (Upper) Level
H - L  Dinand Stacks, Ground (Lower) Level
M Music Library
N, TR Dinand Visual Arts Wing, Main Level
P Dinand Stacks, Ground (Lower) Level
Q - T Science Library
U - Z Dinand Stacks, Ground (Lower) Level

 

Oversize Books

If a book is listed as being located in one of the following locations...

Dinand Library Oversize
Music Library Oversize

OR, if the call number includes a plus sign (+) -- for example, B2294 +G34 2011 --, it means that the book is taller than normal and had to be stored separately, in the oversize section. Oversize books are located at the end of each letter section. For example, you would find the call number above between the 'normal' B section and the start of the C section. Some call numbers have a ++, and will be found between the + section and before the start of the next letter section. There is no oversize section in the Science Library. 


Journals 
To see our online journals, visit the EJournals Search.

Recent journals and newspapers in print are located in the Dinand Main Reading Room.
These are organized A-Z on the left side of the Main Reading Room (opposite the patio). 

The Science Library keeps new journals (unbound, single issues of journals published in the current calendar year) organized A-Z in the front (East) end of the library. Older issues are bound together into hard cover volumes. These bound journals, as well as single issues of journals published previously to the current year, are located in the back (West) end of the Science Library.

Recent periodicals in the Music Library are stored A-Z on the periodical shelf, for easy reading. Back issues of each journal are stored behind the displays. 

At Holy Cross, we organize our books using a system called Library of Congress Classification or LCC. LCC is based on the subject of the books. Each letter represents a specific subject. Each subject is broken down into more specific letter sections, each of which is further broken down into number ranges for specific topics. For example: 

  • P is the area for languages and literature, and has subsections from PA to PZ covering the study of language and the literature of different languages and cultures. 
  • PR is the section for English language literature. 
  • PR750 to PR890 is the number range for English prose literature.

You will also see extra numbers and letters on the end of most call numbers, which are based on things like the author’s name. We use these to give each book a unique spot on the library shelves. 


Library of Congress Classification Areas: 

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

General
Philosophy, Psychology & Religion

Archaelogy, Genealogy, etc.
World History
General History of Americas & U.S.

Local History of Americas & U.S. 
Geography & Anthropology

H
J
K
L
M
N
P

Social Sciences
Political Science
Law
Education
Music
Fine Arts
Languages & Literatures
Q
R
S
T
U
V
Z

Sciences
Medicine
Agriculture
Technology
Military Science
Naval Science
Information Science

 

Culture as History: The Transformation of American Society in the Twentieth Century 

by Warren I. Susman.  
Dinand E169.1 .S9733 1984 [see it in CrossSearch!]

Dinand

E169.1

.S9733

1984

Location

Subject (General U.S. History) 

Author (Susman) 

Publication date


For more details about Library of Congress Classification, please see the 
Library of Congress' Classification Outline.


  1. Books are arranged alphabetically by the first letter or letters, then numerically by the number following the letter(s).
  2. If the first letter and number combination is the same, then shelve alphabetically by the next letter and in decimal order by the following number. Ex  - B3.C3 1990 comes before B3.D4 1990
  3. The last line of the call number often represents the year of publication.