Powers Library Call Numbers

            There are different combinations of numbers and letters that make up call numbers to books.  Each type of book has a different way of classification and a different place in the library.  Below you will find each type of book and what the call number will look like:

Fiction: These books are about something that is made up, or not real.  Fiction call numbers have an “F” on the top line followed by the last three letters of the author’s last name.  If there is more than one book by an author, they are arranged by title.             

                       Example:          F                                                   

                                             STE

Non-Fiction: These books are books that are about real people, places or things.  Non-Fiction call numbers all start with a Dewey Decimal class number first, and then on the second line is the first three letters of the author’s last name.

                        Example:          793.7

                                              RES

Biographies:  Biographies are books that are about a person’s life or a certain collection about related people’s lives. There are two types of biographies and they are classified differently:

Individual Biography:  Individual Biographies are about one person.  They are marked with a “B” on the first line of the call number.  The second line has the first three letters of the last name of the person the book is about. 

                        Example:          B

                                              WAS

Collective Biography:  A collective biography contains short biographies on several people.  They are not found with the other biographies, but in the Non-Fiction section and with the number “920” on the top line.

                        Example:          920

                                               RES

Oversize: Some books in the library are too big to fit in the regular shelves, these are oversize books.  They are in a special section designated by “O’Size” on the first line of the call number.

                        Example:          O’Size

                                              ART

Story Collections:  Books that contain stories by more than one author, or that are collections of short stories by one or more authors.  These are shown by a “SC” on the call number of the book.  The second line is the first three letters of the editor or author’s last name.

                        Example:          SC

                                              POR

Paperback Books: Call numbers with a “PB” on the top line are all paperback books; this includes fiction and non-fiction materials.  These can include Fiction, Non-Fiction, Biographies, Story Collections and Reference books.

                        Examples:         PB                   PB

                                               F                    605.3

                                               WES                PRE

Reference Books:  Reference books have an “R” on the first line call number, followed by the Dewey call number.  Reference books are always non-fiction and can include dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference materials.  The third line contains the first three letters of the author’s last name.

                        Example:          R

                                              810.2

                                              TRE