Each physical or hardcopy item in a library has a unique call number. Academic research libraries usually use the Library of Congress Classification (LC), but Dewey Decimal Classification is another popular system used by many libraries. LC is an alphabetical system, although it is actually a mix of letters and numbers.
Call numbers organize library materials (books, movies, etc.) by subject. This makes it easy to browse the stacks (library book shelves) for other books useful for research on a particular topic. However it's also important to use the Library Online Catalog! Many books are electronic and some books may not be on the shelf where expected. Browsing the stacks by call number will provide a good start for your research, but be sure to search in the catalog using good search strategies to locate additional research materials on your topic.
Watch the video in the next tab to learn how to read a call number. Go to the guide Library Research Strategies for a lesson about locating books in the library catalog.
Developed for California State University, Fullerton, by J. Lindsay O-Neill, Instructional Design Librarian at Pollak Library
