Skip to Main Content
UWF Libraries logo
Your opinion counts! Please give us feedback.

Locating Books

Reading call numbers and locating books in the Main and Professional Studies Libraries are covered in this guide.

Ask-A-Librarian

Have questions?
Need research assistance?

Please ask us!


Telephone: 850-474-2821

SMS/Text: 850-483-0225

Email: Your UWF Librarians

Library of Congress Classifications

The John C. Pace Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System to catalog and shelve its books and periodicals. Library of Congress (LC) call numbers are alphanumeric and the first part of the call number begins with letters that represent the 21 subject divisions of the LC system.

Understanding Call Numbers

Here is an example of a Library of Congress call number for the book Roman Sculpture by Diana Kleiner:

NB
115
.K57
1992

The call number has several parts to it:

NB represents a specific area of the fine arts, namely sculpture.
115 defines this book as Roman sculpture
.K57 Cutter number, which is a code for the author's last name
1992  date of publication

This call number system results in materials on related subjects being shelved in the same area. For example, if a patron goes to the book shelves to locate the call number NB 115 .K57 1992, other books on Roman sculpture would be found in the vicinity.