Locating Items in the CCSU Library (and most college libraries)  We need a system to find items. To help the process, librarians catalog information.  Cataloging means identifying items in an orderly manner so people can easily locate them.

Subject Classification  Subject headings*  In an effort to impose order on people’s IDEAS, librarians developed several similar systems of CLASSIFICATION.  CLASSIFICATION refers to keeping library items together on the shelves based on the topics covered by the items.  CLASSIFICATION is based on the *SUBJECT CONTENT of the items.

Two classification systems are preferred:  Dewey Decimal system subjects are represented by numerals subjects are represented by numerals Example: Example:  Library of Congress Classification System subjects are “Alphanumeric” subjects are “Alphanumeric” possibilities for more expansion possibilities for more expansion Example BL123.N Example BL123.N  Most universities use the “LC” System  Public libraries use “Dewey”

You’d expect items on similar subjects to be found near each other, wouldn’t you? For example  Books on the American Revolution should be shelved near each other  Books on job interviewing should be shelved near each other  Books on art history should be shelved neared each other.

Each library item that is cataloged has a “Call Number.”  The first part of the “Call Number” refers to an item’s subject content. This part of the “Call Number” is known as the “Classification number” The Classification number refers to what the book is about. HF A Classification number

Each library item that is cataloged has a unique “Call Number.” n For example: Here’s a book on finding a job. Getting Hired When Times are Tough HF5383 C H is for Social Sciences HF is Commerce (business) HF5000 etc. is Vocational Guidance HF5383 C

 TITLE The complete resume & job search book for college students / by Bob Adams with Laura Morin. SUBJECT Job hunting. Employment interviewing. Applications for positions. CCSU Stack Level 4 HF A CONSIDER THE SUBJECTS AND CALL NUMBERS OF THESE THREE BOOKS:  TITLE Your first interview : everything you need to know to "ace" the interview process and get your first job / by Ron Fry. SUBJECT Employment interviewing. Job hunting. CCSU Stack Level 4 HF I6 F  TITLE The work book : getting the job you want / by J. Michael Farr SUBJECT Job hunting. Vocational guidance. CCSU Stack Level 4 HF5383 F

 TITLE The complete resume & job search book for college students / by Bob Adams with Laura Morin. SUBJECT Job hunting. Employment interviewing. Applications for positions. CCSU Stack Level 4 HF A CONSIDER THE SUBJECTS AND CALL NUMBERS OF THESE THREE BOOKS:  TITLE Your first interview : everything you need to know to "ace" the interview process and get your first job / by Ron Fry. SUBJECT Employment interviewing. Job hunting. CCSU Stack Level 4 HF I6 F  TITLE The work book : getting the job you want / by J. Michael Farr SUBJECT Job hunting. Vocational guidance. CCSU Stack Level 4 HF5383 F Notice that the SUBJECTS are related and the ITEMS are shelved near each other in CALL NUMBER order. This helps you BROWSE

What does the rest of the“CALL NUMBER” signify?  The next set of letter(s) and numbers following the Classification Number is called the “Cutter” number.  It is based on the author’s name.  Following that is (sometimes) the date and copy number. BF301 U c4 The Cutter number, in this case U56, usually stands for the author’s last name 1991 is the publication date c4 is the copy number Cutter Number

The order of books on the shelves in the “STACKS” 1) Basic alphabetical order

The order of books on the shelves in the “STACKS” 2) within a single letter, or classification, such as "H", alphabetical order is still used. "H" comes before "HA”, which comes before “HD", which comes before "HL", etc.

The order of books on the shelves in the “STACKS” 3) When books have the same first line in a call number, they are shelved in numerical order, looking at the second line.

The order of books on the shelves in the “STACKS” 4) If the first two lines of a call number are the same, books are shelved by the third line of the call number, which is a decimal arrangement. This line is always read as a decimal even when the decimal point is not present

PS3571 P39 NB PR 7.R79835 PN 1997 PS 3571.P4 1977

PS3571 P39 NB PR 7.R79835 PN 1997 PS 3571.P DEWEY – not shelved in the same collection

PS3571 P39 NB PR 7.R79835 PN 1997 DEWEY (Drawings, cartoons, Graphic novels) PS 3571.P4 1977

If library items are shelved by subject -- Where do the subject headings come from?

The Subject Headings are actually devised by the Library of Congress. There are over 250,000 LCSH  The subjects are governed by a “controlled vocabulary” thesaurus.  Although we might refer to a subject by a popular phrase, the actual subject heading could be quite different. LCSH = Library of Congress Subject Headings

Subject headings vs. keywords n For example, we might be thinking of a topic and calling it “GUN CONTROL,” but the LCSH calls the same topic “FIREARMS--LAW AND LEGISLATION.” n When we are searching for items by subject, we need to know the correct LCSH heading.

Imprisonment (May Subd Geog) UF Confinement Incarceration BTCorrections RTPrisons SA subdivision Imprisonment under names of individual persons NTArrest Debt, Imprisonment for False Imprisonment Imprisonment False USE False Imprisonment In this example, note that UF means “use Imprisonment instead of Confinement or Incarceration.” A term that is broader (BT) than Imprisonment is Corrections -- and it is a LCSH. Prisons is a valid term also; it is related (RT) to Imprisonment. SA means “See Also” and suggests other possible ways to deal with the topic. NT is “Narrower Term.”

recommendation: recommendation: In any database or library catalog, begin your searching with a keyword search. When you identify an item that is relevant or important for you, look closely at the item’s Subject Headings AKA as descriptors, subjects, etc. Then, use hyperlinks provided with the Subject Headings, when available, to continue your search.

Click this hyperlink to find more possible Items on marketing to the elderly

By using the hyperlink to the “correct” LCSH we have identified 26 items that may be highly relevant to our search