Call Numbers
CALL NUMBER CHART
USING CALL NUMBERS TO FIND BOOKS
Step One: Use CUNY+, available on library workstations, to determine the call number of a book.
Step Two: Write down the call number and location of the book. If the location is "Baruch Stacks," use the first letter of the call number to determine the floor on which the book is shelved (see below).
WHAT IS A CALL NUMBER?
Each book is assigned a call number designating both its subject and its place on the shelf. The call number has several parts. The first part is one or two letters (sometimes three) for the broad subject area. The second part is a number and is a further subdivision of the general subject. The third part is a letter and number code for the author's name. The last part is the date of publication. Here are some examples and what they mean:
| PARTS
OF A CALL NUMBER |
Example 1 - Call Number for Cultural Forces in World Politics by Ali A. Mazrui |
Example 2 - Call Number for The Stock Selector System by Michael D. Sheimo |
||
| Broad Subject Area: | D | = History | HG | = Finance |
| Specific subdivision of subject: | 849 | = World politics | 4661 | = Stocks |
| Code for author's name: | .M387 | = Mazrui | .S43 | = Sheimo |
| Date of Publication: | 1990 | 1995 | ||
The call number appears on the spine of the book written vertically as in the above examples, but it can be written horizontally as well; for example: D 849.M387 1990. There is no need to memorize the meaning of a call number. You only need to write down the complete call number from the catalog so that you will be able to find the book on the shelf.
Books are sorted by their call numbers on a line-by-line basis.
- Alphabetically by the first line, then
- Numerically by the second line, then
- First alphabetically, then numerically by the third line. Note that the numbers on line three are treated as decimals, so that .C263 comes between .C26 and .C27.
- If there is a fourth line before the year of publication, it is sorted first alphabetically and then numerically.
- If a call number is identical in all respects except for year of publication, then the books are placed in chronological order by the year of publication.
HOW BOOKS ARE ARRANGED AT NEWMAN LIBRARY
Books are arranged by subject at Newman Library with books on one subject shelved together. Each subject is assigned a one-, two-, or three-letter code. The letters do not necessarily stand for the first letter of the subject they represent. For instance, political science is letter J, and art is letter N. This system is called the Library of Congress Classification System because it was first designed and used by the Library of Congress. The system uses letters and numbers to denote subjects.
Here is a brief listing of letters assigned to broad subjects:
LETTER TOPIC FLOOR A General works 3 B-BJ Philosophy 3 BF Psychology 3 BL-BX Religion 3 C,D, E History 3 F History 4 G Geography, Anthropology, Recreation 4 H Social Sciences, Business 4 J Political Science 4 KF Law of the U. S. 4 L Education 5 M Music 5 N Fine Arts 5 P Language & Literature 5 Q Math, Science, Computer Science 5 R Medicine 5 S Agriculture 5 T Technology, Engineering 5 U Military Science 5 V Naval Science 5 Z Bibliography, Printing, Publishing 5
BOOKS SHELVED IN SPECIAL LOCATIONS
Reference Books: Books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, gazetteers, yearbooks, directories, concordances, indexes, bibliographies, handbooks, and atlases are compiled to supply definite pieces of information of varying extent and are intended to be referred to rather than read through. Most of the reference books are located on floor 2 in the reference stacks, at the reference desk, or in the reading room area.
Reserve Books and Material: Reserve materials include library books, textbooks, instructors' personal copies of books, assigned readings, samples of past exams, and some heavily-used reference books. Reserve books and material may, in general, be used only in the library, although some material may be checked out overnight. You must determine the call number of the reserved book or material from CUNY+ before you request it at the reserve desk on floor 2. For assistance in using CR, ask at the reference desk.
Archives and Special Collections: The archives include books about Baruch College and Bernard M. Baruch, as well as documents issued by Baruch College and the City University. Archival material can only be used on site in the Baruch Archives, located on floor 4. Honors theses and Ph.D. dissertations by Baruch students are shelved in the conference room and may be retrieved when the archives are open or (with 24 hours notice) by inquiring at the reference desk. There are circulating copies of some dissertations (see CUNY+).
If the book is not on the shelf, you may want to check:
a) CUNY+ to be sure the book is not on reserve, in reference or the archives, or on order.
b) the nearby shelves to see if the book has been misshelved.
c) the reshelving areas near the telephone alcoves on floors 3 - 5.
d) the reshelving trucks located behind the reference desk on floor 2.
e) the area around the copy machines on each floor.