Understanding Call Numbers
How items are assigned on the shelves.
Have you ever wondered how library items are assigned their places on the shelves? Call Numbers, the letters and/or numbers placed on the spine of an item, gives you the exact location of the item on the shelf.
This is where a call number is located:
Fiction Books are shelved with the prefix of F and alphabetically by the first three letters of the authors last name. As an example:
Gone with the Wind / by Margaret Mitchell - will have a call number of F MIT
Nonfiction Books are shelved in numerical order (Dewey Decimal System) and the first three letters of the author's last name. As an example:
The Art of Gone with the Wind / by Judy Cameron and Paul J. Christman - will have a call number of 791.43 CAM
Biography Books are shelved with the prefix of B and by the subject's last name. As an example:
Southern Daughter : The Life of Margaret Mitchell and the Making of Gone with the Wind / by Darden Asbury Pyron - will have a call number of B MITCHELL
Reference Books are shelved with the prefix of R, then in numerical order (Dewey Decimal System) and the first three letter of the author's last name.As an example:
The Filmgoer's Companion / by Leslie Halliwell - will have a call number of R 791.43 HAL
Fiction Feature Films are shelved with their prefixes and alphabetically by title. As an example:
Gone with the Wind / DVD edition - will have a call number of DVD F GON
Gone with the Wind / Videocassette edition - will have a call number of VC F GON
Documentary Videos are shelved first with their prefixes, their Dewey Decimal Number and the first three letters of the title: As an example:
The Making of a Legend : Gone with the Wind / DVD edition - will have a call number of DVD 791.43 MAK
The Making of a Legend : Gone with the Wind / Videocassette edition - will have a call number of VC 791.43 MAK
***** Always remember when searching by Title to disregard the articles A, An or The at the beginning of a Title.*****
List of Call Number Prefixes used in the Sunnyvale Public Library
(Dewey Decimal Number is represented by 123.4)
Beginner Readers/Kids Books
E Easy Books (Picture Books)
BB E Board Books
Tween/Juvenile Books
J F Juvenile Fiction
J GN F Juvenile Graphic Novel Fiction
J PB Juvenile Paperback Fiction
J 123.4 Juvenile Nonfiction
J GN 123.4 Juvenile Graphic Novel Nonfiction
J B Juvenile Biography
J GN B Juvenile Graphic Novel Biography
J R 123.4 Juvenile Reference
Teen/Young Adult Books
YA F Young Adult Fiction
YA GN F Young Adult Graphic Novel Fiction
YA 123.4 Young Adult Nonfiction
YA GN 123.4 Young Adult Graphic Novel Nonfiction
YA B Young Adult Biography
YA GN B Young Adult Graphic Novel Biography
Adult Books
F Adult Fiction
123.4 Adult Nonfiction
R 123.4 Adult Reference
PB F Adult Paperback Fiction
PB 123.4 Adult Paperback Nonfiction
B Adult Biography
LP F Adult Large Print Fiction
LP 123.4 Adult Large Print Nonfiction
LP B Adult Large Print Biography
Videos
DVD F Adult Fiction DVDs (Rated PG-13 & R)
DVD 123.4 Adult Documentary DVDs
J DVD F Children's Fiction DVDs (Rated G & PG)J DVD 123.4 Children's Educational DVDs
VC F Adult Fiction Videocassettes (Rated PG-13 & R)
VC 123.4 Adult Documentary Videocassettes
J VC F Children's Fiction Videocassettes (Rated G & PG)
J VC 123.4 Children's Educational Videocassettes
Audio Books
AC F Adult Fiction Audio Cassettes
AC 123.4 Adult Nonfiction Audio Cassettes
CD F Adult Fiction Compact Discs
CD 123.4 Adult Nonfiction Compact Discs