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Find Books (A step-by-step guide)

Find and access print and eBooks.

What is a Call Number?

Each book in the library is assigned its own call number, such as PR 6302 C6 R56. This call number is assigned and connected to the subject matter of the book.

  1. Begin your search alphabetically with the first letter of the call number. This book will be in the Ps.

  2. Next look for the second character, either a letter or a number. The call numbers are separated into letter and number chunks, such as PR, then 6302, then .C6, then R56. Follow that sequence until you have located the book.

  3. The call number ranges for each shelving unit can be found on the ends of the row

How to Read a Call Number

The Krueger Library's Main Collection is on the second floor. Confirm the collection in which your library item resides (use the library's online catalog/OneSearch) then use the call number to find your item/book on the shelf.

What do the call numbers mean?

The WSU Library uses the Library of Congress Classification System to organize most of its books. The LCC system organizes books into twenty-one broad subject areas, which are represented by letters of the Roman Alphabet. Each letter and number in the call number signifies specific topics. For example, L is for Education, LC1036 will include books about Community Education.

To learn how the LCC System is divided into more specific subject areas, please click on the links below:

A – GENERAL WORKS

B – PHILOSOPHY. PSYCHOLOGY. RELIGION

C – AUXILIARY SCIENCES OF HISTORY

D – WORLD HISTORY AND HISTORY of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Etc.

E – HISTORY OF THE AMERICAS

F – HISTORY OF THE AMERICAS

G – GEOGRAPHY. ANTHROPOLOGY. RECREATION

H – SOCIAL SCIENCES

J – POLITICAL SCIENCE

K – LAW

L – EDUCATION

M – MUSIC AND BOOKS ON MUSIC

N – FINE ARTS

P – LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Q – SCIENCE

R – MEDICINE

S – AGRICULTURE

T – TECHNOLOGY

U – MILITARY SCIENCE

V – NAVAL SCIENCE

Z – BIBLIOGRAPHY. LIBRARY SCIENCE. INFORMATION RESOURCES (General)

Dewey Classification System

The Dewey Decimal Classification System is used in the WSU Library's Curriculum Collection (1st floor).  Most materials begin with a CU to identify the Curriculum Collection followed by a Dewey call number

Overview

000 Generalities & General Knowledge
100 Philosophy & Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Sciences
400 Languages
500 Natural Sciences & Mathematics
600 Technology (Applied sciences)
700 The Arts & Recreation
800 Literature & Rhetoric
900 History & Geography

"Dewey Decimal System Poster" by Maggie Appleton is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

 

SuDoc Classification System: Government Documents

The SuDoc classification system is organized by the agency, department, or unit in which an author works, not by the personal author. The SuDoc system is used to organize the Federal government documents within the WSU's collection. For the historical development of the SuDoc system

SuDoc = Superintendent of Documents Classification System was developed in GPO’s Public Documents Library between 1895 and 1903. Below is a list (not exhaustive).

AE                   National Archives

C                     Dept. of Commerce

CR                  Civil Rights Commission

D                     Dept. of Defense

E                     Dept. of Energy

ED                  Dept. of Education

EP                   Environmental Protection Agency

GA                  General Accounting Office

GP                  Government Publishing Office

HE                  Dept. of Health and Human Services

HH                  Dept. of Housing and Development

HS                  Dept. of Homeland Security

I                       Dept. of the Interior

ITC                  International Trade Commission

J                      Dept. of Justice

JU                   Judiciary (federal courts)

L                      Dept. of Labor

LC                   Library of Congress

NAS                National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NF                   National Endowment for the Arts; National Endowment for the Humanities

NS                   National Science Foundation

P                      US Postal Service

PE                   Peace Corps

PM                  Office of Personnel Management

PR                   President of the United States

PREX              Executive Office of the President

PRVP              Vice President of the United States

S                      Dept. of State

SBA                Small Business Administration

SE                   Securities and Exchange Commission  

SI                     Smithsonian Institution

SSA                Social Security Administration

T                      Dept. of the Treasury

TD                   Dept. of Transportation

VA                  Veterans Administration

X & Y              Congress