A shelving module for OHSU Library Students Making sense of NLM A shelving module for OHSU Library Students

Shelving Basics: The difference between NLM and LC How to approach shelving Test your knowledge w/simple quizzes Shelving challenges & solutions Difference between the National Library of Medicine shelving system and Library of Congress system Simple quizzes that will allow you to test your knowledge

What is the difference between the Library What is NLM? It stands for the National Library of Medicine classification system for shelving. What is the difference between the Library of Congress (LC) system and NLM? The NLM system is patterned after LC and the call numbers look very similar except for the use of certain starting letters that LC doesn’t use (QS-QZ and W-WZ)

Mastering the art of shelving NLM call numbers Let’s begin!

Hint: Read the call number one row at a time! Row 1 is referred to as the Classification number Step 1: Think Alphabetically QS78 before QT31

Row 1 Step 2: Think of the whole number QT4 13 .S132 before QT11 12 .S132 and of the mixed decimal QT2.09 78 before QT20.1 13 .S132

Test your knowledge! Question: Looking at the first row of the following call numbers, select the correct order by clicking on A, B, or C. A 1, 2, 4, 3 B 2, 4, 3, 1 C 2, 1, 4, 3 WY11.1 A49 2010c.1 WY2 A499 2010 WY2.11 A153 2009 WY2.1 A6 2008 1 2 3 4

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Let’s take a closer look at the 1st row! Challenge: Which comes first after the decimal point, letters or numbers? FACT: Past the decimal point, Letters take precedence over numbers WF105.A11 WF105.AA1 WF105.105 1 2 3

First row... Challenge: Are the numbers after the decimal point considered fractions or whole numbers? FACT: Numbers after the decimal point are considered fractions .5 is one half, not “five” and is greater than .25 which is one quarter, not “twenty-five”

When books have the same classification number Examine Row 2 referred to as the Cutter number Hint: Assume the 2nd row is after the decimal point and Treat as a fraction WY150 H114 before WY150 M5 before WY150 M89

A cutter number may be further defined by letters Challenge: A cutter number may be further defined by letters WM30 N23h WM30 N23k Think alphabetically before

Row 3 and 4 help further define the book by Year, Volume, or Copy number WY101 R423 1986 WY101 R423 1990 WY101 R423 1995 v.1 WY101 R423 1995 v.2 Hint: If there is no copy number, presume it is copy 1 WY18 J595 1994 WY18 J595 1994 c.2

Now you try! Question #1 : Select the correct order of the following call numbers by clicking on A, B, or C. A 2, 3, 4, 2 B 4, 1, 3, 2 C 3, 2, 4, 1 QS39 M822e 2002 c.2 QS4 A52a 2000 QS4 A159a 2000 QS39 M822e 2002 1 2 3 4

Sorry! Click HERE to try again Hint: Think of the WHOLE number when considering the first row only.

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Congratulations! for completing this training module and for proving your Excellent Shelving Skills