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Understanding Call Numbers

What Is A Call Number?

A call number is an item's address that tells you where to find it in the library.

In Thorncat (our library catalog), our call numbers show up with other location information such as availability and shelving location.

How To Read A Call Number

Step 1: Find the item you want by using our online catalog, Thorncat: coa.edu/library

Step 2: Locate the call number in the listing.

Art of Acadia
Little, David, 1951–
Call number: ND 1351.5 .L58 2016

Please note: A large portion of the stacks contains the Main Collection, but there are other collections as well. The call numbers of these other collections begin with a special prefix. O/S = Oversize Collection, JUV = Juvenile Collection, VIDEO = DVD or VHS, GRAPHIC NOVELS =  Graphic Novels Collection

Step 3: Go to the stacks. The signs at the top of each row show both the collection and the first letters of your call number.

Example: Using call number ND 1351.5 .L58 2016 look for a row labeled Main Collection NA–P.

Step 4: Locate your row. Notice the books are arranged alphanumerically by call number starting at the top left.

Step 5: Look on the book spines. Here is how to decode the labels:

What You See   What It Means What To Do
ND The book's subject Read this row alphabetically
1351.5 Further defines the subject         Read this line as a whole number
.L58 The author designation Read this alphabetically and then the number as a decimal       
2016 Year of publication  

Call Number Prefixes & Suffixes

We have a number of collections that have prefixes and/or suffixes that further identify their location or material type. Some material types have accompanying stickers that work in tandem with the prefixes. This guide will help you identify our prefixes and how they are used on spine labels and in the catalog.

 

Prefix Collection Name Example
ATLAS Atlases Collection ATLAS G 1216 .S1 H578 2015        

BATEAU

Bateau Press Collection BATEAU PS 536.3 .B38 2019 v.9.1

BATEAU PS 3602 .R4496 B74 2023

CD
LP
CS

Audio Collection

CD
CD E BEET CVO B24

Vinyl Record
LP P-I RUSS RUS R51

Cassette Tape
CS P TERC SYD T26

COA  COA Authors Special Collection

Book
COA CT 9960 .R63 2016

Video
COA VIDEO TD 794.5 .U66 2011

Audio
COA CD MA BROW TW B05

COA COLL COA Collection

COA COLL AR 1990-1991
COA COLL C&V 1976-1977

ER JUV, IR JUV, YA JUV Juvenile Collection: Easy Reading, Independent Reading, Young Adult

Easy Reading (grades K-3; ages 5-8)
ER JUV ND 237 .P65 B79 2013

Independent Reader (grades 4-6; ages 8-12)
IR JUV SB 457 .M47 2015

Young Adult (7-12; ages 13+)
YA JUV PZ 7 .E469 Mo 2014

FOLIO Folio Collection (book height over 40cm) FOLIO NA 680 .P378 2004
GAME Games Collection (board & card games) GAME BRAILLE UNO
GRAPHIC NOVELS Graphic Novels Collection GRAPHIC NOVELS PN 6727 .M2178 T45 2023

Young Adult Graphic Novels
GRAPHIC NOVELS YA JUV HV
875.64 .M94 2023
LAW COLL Law Collection

LAW JK 1 .C66 1995

O/S Oversize Collection (book height between 28-39 cm) O/S TJ 1201 .A9 M35 2020
PUZZLE Puzzles Collection PUZZLE BICYCLE SHOP
REF Reference Collection REF HA 12.5 .U63 2022
REF ML 100 .N48 v.1
SCI FI Science Fiction Collection SCI FI FOS
SENIOR PROJECT Senior Projects (stored in the archives)

SENIOR PROJECT
HELD - SENIOR PROJECT
HELD UNTIL 2027

SPEC COLL Special Collection Rare Books
Ashley Bryan Special Collection
SPEC COLL TX 145 .B46 1849

SPEC COLL IR JUV SH 381.5 .M38 1999

SC ARTISTS' Book Special Collection Artists' Books SC ARTISTS' BOOK .A447p 1992
 
SC Zine Special Collection Zines SC ZINE .R443c 1995
TERM Term Long Checkouts Collection TERM HOL c.1
TERM HOL c.2
THESIS Master's Theses (stored in archives, 2nd copies with the COA Collection) THESIS 1996 .A73
THESIS 1994 .D53
VIDEO Video Collection (VHS, DVDs, Blu-Rays) VIDEO HD 87 .C66 .C66 2003 v.1
VIDEO PN 1995.9 .W6 P566 2018
VIDEO PN 1995.9 .W6 P566 2018
booklet
VIDEO PN 1995.9 .W3 R634 2009
disc 1
VIDEO PN 1995.9 .W3 R634 2009
disc 2

FRENCH
GERMAN
IR JUV FRENCH
ER JUB GERMAN

World Language Collection

The language the materials are
written in are the prefix and a World
Language sticker is placed right
above the call number on the spine
label.
SPANISH F 1376 .R366 2009
FRENCH DT 450.443 .M85 A3 2014

World Language materials in the ER,
IR, YA category have their JUV sticker
at the top of the spine, and the World
Language sticker above the call
number. They are shelved at the
beginning of their specific language.
GERMAN IR JUV PZ33 .M124 1973
SPANISH ER JUV PZ 7.E8 E5 2016
GERMAN YA JUV PZ 33 .B69 2013

ZINE
TINY ZINE
MINI ZINE

Zine Collection

ZINE .Y68y 2022
ZINE .B865t 2003 #1
ZINE .B666f

TINY ZINES are smaller than 21 cm
TINY ZINE .H356se 2023
TINY ZINE .G769g
MINI ZINES are smaller than 11cm
MINI ZINE .P588w 2025

Suffixes

Some materials contain parts or volumes, which combined with other pieces makes up the whole. The material being cataloged will generally identify these like in the case of a 2 volume set or a 3 part set of books. 
BF 1879 .T2 C2925 2022 pt.1
BF 1879 .T2 C2925 2022 pt.2
BF 1879 .T2 C2925 2022 pt.3
BF 353 .H26 1987 v.1 
BF 353 .H26 1987 v.2

Sometimes DVDs come in multiple cases with multiple discs and/or accompany booklets, that all need call numbers and barcodes.
VIDEO PN 1997.2 .G5769 2015
VIDEO PN 1997.2 .G5769 2015 booklet
VIDEO PN 1997 .A43 2003 discs 1&2
VIDEO PN 1997 .A43 2003 discs 3&4
VIDEO PN 1995.9 .E96 B937 2010 pt.1
VIDEO PN 1995.9 .E96 B937 2010 pt.2

We have multiple copies of some materials, which are designated by a copy number.
GV 854.5 .M2 B44
GV 854.5 .M2 B44 c.2
GV 854.5 .M2 B44 c.3

We have a few audiobooks and language learning audio sets, which are designated with the suffix AUDIO
E 382 .M433 2008 AUDIO disc 1-4
ARABIC PJ 6111 .A735 2012 AUDIO pt.1
QL 785 .B49 2015 AUDIO