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Circulation
Services Call Number Training
Come on in
and learn what working with us is all about.
Welcome!
Circulation
Circulation
Services is composed of two separate yet related Units.
Circulation
is the first. This Unit is responsible for all functions relating
to charging library material in and out at the Circulation Desk.
In addition,
it handles fines and processes notices and bills for late and lost books.
Collection
Management
Collection
Management is the second half of the partnership.
This Unit
deals mainly with returning library books to the shelves, also known
as stacks. It is also responsible for processing new books as
well as keeping the books on the shelves in the best order possible.
Student Assistant
While working
in the library you are considered a student assistant. As a student
assistant in Circulation Services you will be assigned to work some
time in both Circulation and Collection Management.
In order
to do so you must first learn the Library of Congress call number system.
Library
of Congress Call Number System
A Library
of Congress call number is a systematic series of letters and numbers
that allows like materials to be shelved together.
This enables
library users the ease of finding material on a particular subject.
Lets begin now with the make up of a call number.
Call
Numbers
The first line
of a call number is always a letter or letters.
Example:
B BA
C CC
D
340 340 340
340 340
D32 D32 D32
D32 D32
Call
Numbers
The second
line is always a whole number. If there is a decimal in the number,
you will see it. A decimal will drastically change the number
so it will be shelved in a completely different location.
Example:
B BA
C CC
3.41 34.1 341
341.5
D32 D32
D32 D32
Call
Numbers
The third
and fourth lines of a call number are always an alpha-numeric combination.
Note, not all call numbers have a forth line.
Example:
B BA
C CC
340 340
340 340
D32 D32
D32 D32
A23
F398
The Invisible
Decimal
In the third
and fourth lines of a call number, all numbers are preceded by an INVISIBLE
decimal. Therefore, when you see a call number, you must make
a mental note to remember the decimal. This will drastically change
the books proper shelving location.
Example:
B
Is actually B
340
340
D32
D(.)32
Call
Numbers
Put the following
call numbers in order:
B
B B
B B
340
340 340
340 340
D32
D211 D7
D681 D51
Answer
B
B B
B B
340
340 340
340 340
D211
D32 D51
D681 D7
Call
Numbers
Using the
fourth line, put the following examples in order:
B
B B
B B
340
340 340
340 340
D32
D32 D32
D32 D32
Z541
Z7 Z2314
D67 Z41
Answer
340
340 340
340 340
D32
D32 D32
D32 D32
B
B
B
B B
D67
Z2314 Z41
Z54 Z7
Nothing
Before Something
Just as
there are decimals we cannot see, there are sometimes numbers we cannot
see. This is true in a number of titles housed in the Law Collection.
Example:
K
L41
We know the
second line is always a whole number, so imagine the space contains
a zero (0). The space is not usually exaggerated as it is
here, so it is necessary to be alert to the omission of a whole number.
Nothing
Before Something Example
Put the following examples
in order:
KFN
KF KFN
KF KFN
198
198 19.8
1
L455
L54 L455
L55 L455
Answer
KF
KF KFN
KFN KFN
1
198
19.8 198
L55
L54 L455
L455 L455
You00e
Got It!
You now know
how to use the Library of Congress classification system to place books
in proper call number order.
If anything
we have gone over does not seem clear, please see a staff person who
would be glad to review on a one to one basis.
download Circulation Services Student Training
