Find a book on the shelf
Print books in the Central Wyoming College Library are organized by the Library of Congress (LC) method to group like subjects on library bookshelves. Each book has a unique identification number (or call number), found on the spine of books (or sometimes on the front cover) and in the library's online library catalog.
These unique call number acts as an address. It helps us find the books organized alphabetically by Library of Congress (LC) subject letters and numbers, grouping like subjects together for easier browsing.
Reading the call number
Using Shakespeare's Hamlet's as an example the call number is:
PR - The subject area. This first line is arranged in alphabetical order
2807 - The Specific topic. The second line is organized numerically.
.W35 - The author identifier. Read this alphabetically, then as a decimal.
1988 - The year of publication. These are shelved chronologically.
Browsing Other Collections
Not every item in the CWC Library follows the LC format. We've created some specific areas to make browsing easier.
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The "Special" Collection: If you’re looking for something like How to Sell a Haunted House, you’ll see the call number Fic Hendrix. This is part of our Popular collection, located on the first floor.
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Movies & Media: Our DVD collection uses a hybrid system. For example, Platoon is labeled DVD PN 1997 .P63826 1986.
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Games: Looking for something for game night? A search for Risk will show GAME Risk. You can find these on the first floor near the staircase.
Pro Tip: If you see a location like Storage, Reserves, Display, or Oversize, just stop by the Circulation Desk and we can help you find those items!
