Locating material in the Barr Smith Library

Call numbers

To find a book or journal in the Barr Smith Library you must first of all use the Library Catalogue to find the call number of the item. The call number is the address at which you will find a particular item on the Library shelves.
Call numbers are usually in two parts: the Dewey classification number which reflects the subject content of the item, and the Cutter number which is usually based on the author of the book or the title of the journal. For example, the call number for Graham Greene's novel Brighton Rock is 823 G799b.
You will need to note all parts of the call number to be able to locate an item.

Finding a Call number in the Barr Smith Library

To see the location of a particular Barr Smith Library call number, click on the range below that contains your number:

• 001 - 531
• 532 - 559
• 560 - 599
• 600 - 822
• 823 - 899
• 900 - 929
• 930 - 953
• 954 - 999
• Oversize collection 000-599
• Oversize collection 600-999

Dewey Decimal Classification scheme

The Dewey Decimal Classification scheme used in the Barr Smith Library is commonly used by many other libraries to arrange material on their shelves so that books on the same and similar subjects will be found in the same area. In a library as large as this one, browsing can be difficult where there may be many books on the same subject. It is generally better strategy to use the catalogue to identify particular items of interest and then go to the shelves knowing the exact call numbers of the items. This has the further advantage of showing you what the Library holds in all its collections, not just the Main collection.

The Dewey scheme divides knowledge into ten main classes:

• 000 General works
• 100 Philosophy
• 200 Religion
• 300 Sociology
• 400 Languages
• 500 Science
• 600 Technology
• 700 Arts
• 800 Literature
• 900 History and Geography

Each main class may be subdivided. For example, within the Science class, 510 is Mathematics, 520 is Astronomy, 576 is Microbiology, and so on. More specific numbers are created by placing a decimal point after the main number and adding further numbers as required. The number for the main class Physics is 530. This can be further divided: 532 is Fluid mechanics and 532.2 is used for Hydrostatics.

Extra numbers can be added to show the type of item it is - a number ending in 03 is a dictionary or encyclopedia on the subject, a number ending in 05 or 06 is a journal, and 09 on the end of a number indicates a critical work or history of the subject represented by the main part of the number.

Some examples of Dewey numbers

• 532.03 = a dictionary or encyclopedia of fluid mechanics
• 532.05 = a fluid mechanics journal
• 821.09 = a critical work or history of English poetry.

Cutter numbers

Cutter numbers aim to bring together on the shelves books by the same author that have the same Dewey number. For example, Brighton Rock by Graham Greene is classified at 823 which is the Dewey number for English fiction. Following the 823 is the Cutter number for Graham Greene, which is G799. To identify the different novels written by Graham Greene, the first letter of the title is added: G799b.
When you are looking for books on the shelves, remember that Cutter numbers are decimal; for instance, C353 files before C9.

Locations

As well as the complete call number you will also need to take note of the Location that is given in the Library Catalogue. For full details of Library locations see our Collections and locations in the Library page.

Shelf arrangement

Books and journals in the Main collection are shelved together in one sequence, in Dewey Decimal Classification number order. The shelves are grouped into large blocks each containing a part of the sequence of call numbers.

There are maps of the Library on the Library website. Copies of floor plans of the Library are available from the Research Help desk. These will show the locations of each block of call numbers.
There are signs throughout the Library building to guide you.

Can't find your book ?

If you've checked the place on the shelves in the Barr Smith Library where the book you want should be, and it isn't there, have a look at the suggestions on our Can't find your book? help page.