Lafayette College Library

Call numbers and locations

Skillman Library uses both the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress (LC) classifications. We are slowly converting our older materials to Library of Congress call numbers, but most books acquired before 1991 still have Dewey call numbers while those acquired after 1991 have LC call numbers.

Locations

Call numbers beginning with letters (LC call numbers)
Items with call numbers beginning with letters (e.g. CT100 .C8) are in several locations. Check the item's location in the library catalog and then consult the list below.

Catalog designation Library floor
Skillman (A-Z) upper floor
Skillman Ref main floor
Browsing main floor, periodicals room
Oversize upper floor
Folio upper floor

Call numbers beginning with numbers (Dewey call numbers)

Call number Library floor
000s-900s lower floor

Storage and Annex materials

Some library materials are housed in storage facilities in the library or elsewhere on campus. Items with a location Storage in the library catalog are available for immediate use and can be requested at the Circulation Desk. Items with the location Annex are not housed in Skillman, but can be requested via WebBridge in the library catalog. Materials requested from the Annex are available within 24 hours.

A downloadable map of call number locations is available here (pdf). Maps are also available from the Skillman Library reference desk and posted at the main entrance. If you can't find an item you need, please ask for assistance at the Reference or Circulation Desks.

LC Subject Classification

Letter Subject
A General (e.g. encyclopedia, almanacs)
B Philosophy, Religion, Psychology
C Auxiliary Sciences of History (e.g. biography, geneaology)
D History: General and "Old World"
E History of America
F History of America (cont'd)
G Geography
H Economics, Sociology
J Political Science
K Law
L Education
M Music
N Fine Arts
P Language and Literature
Q Science
R Medicine
S Agriculture
T Technology
U Military Science
V Naval Science
Z Library Science

A more detailed table for LC subject classification may be found at the Library of Congress Classification Outline.

Dewey subject classification

Number Subject
000-099 General, Computer Science
100-199 Philosophy, Psychology
200-299 Religion
300-399 Social Science
400-499 Languages
500-599 Science
600-699 Technology
700-799 Art, Music (all 700s at Skillman have been converted to LC classification)
800-899 Literature
900-999 History

A more detailed table for Dewey subject classification may be found at Cal State University Library's Dewey Classification System page.

Filing of call numbers: LC

Occasionally, library users have problems finding books with LC call numbers because they're unfamiliar with the way the call numbers are filed. Here are the rules for filing (and finding) LC call numbers:

Call numbers are arranged in alphabetical order based on their first segment, so the correct order is

  • E 842.9 .H3
  • HC 57 .K4

If these alphabetical segments are the same, then the numerical segments are used and are read as whole numbers, so the correct order is

  • JD 25 .F6
  • JD 241 .F41
  • JD 341 .F56

If there are decimals in this numerical segment, the decimals are read on a character-by-character basis, so the correct order is

  • JD 341.19 .F7
  • JD 341.3 .F55

If the first two segments are the same, the third segment is used and read on a character-by-character basis, so the correct order is

  • JD 341 .F41
  • JD 341 .G3

and

  • JD 341 .F56
  • JD 341 .F6

Filing call numbers: Dewey

Dewey call numbers are arranged first in numerical order, with numbers before the decimal point read as whole numbers, so the correct order is

  • 811 C319
  • 812 A311co

Numbers after the decimal point are read on a character-by-character basis, so the correct order is

  • 796.4068 H737m
  • 796.407 B184h

If these numerical segments are the same, then letters and numerals in the second segment are used and are read on a character-by-character basis, so the correct order is

  • 335 B87z
  • 335 C678c
  • 335 C68e