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Each book in the library has a unique call number. Call
numbers are like addresses; they tell you where each book
“lives” on the shelf.
Like most academic libraries, Red Deer College Library
uses Library of Congress call numbers, which use a combination
of letters and numbers to arrange materials by subject.
The call number can be broken down into separate segments
that indicate specific information about the book.
For example, the call number for The Moral Advantage:
How to Succeed in Business by Doing the Right Thing
is HF 5387 D366 2004:
| HF |
broad subject area |
| 5387 |
specific subject area |
| D366 |
author |
| 2004 |
publication date |
How to Read a Call Number
Call numbers are read line by line:
 |
Start with the top line, HF;
items are arranged alphabetically by
subject (HF Social Sciences.
Commerce). Single letters precede double letters.
(A, B, BF, C, D ... H, HF …) |
Then read the second line, 5387;
items are ordered using whole numbers.
(1, 2, 3, 45, 500, 501, 5000, 5387… ) |
Then read the third line, D366;
items are ordered alphabetically. Items starting with
the same letter are then arranged by decimal
number. For D366 imagine D3.66 which would
come before D4. |
The fourth line, 2004,
is the year of publication. |
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