Finding Books in the

City College Library

How to find a book

• Searching the Catalog • To find a book in the City University Library system, use

CUNY+, the libraries online catalog. • To get to CUNY+, go to the

City College Library Home Page, and select CUNY+ Catalog.

• Step One: If you want to view all books located in the City University (CUNY), then begin your search at the opening page, which is the CUNY UNION CATALOG.

• If you want to locate only books at the City College library, catalog click "Select Individual CUNY Libraries" and select City.

• You will be on the "Basic Search" page.

How to find a book

How to find a book

• Step 2: Preparing the search query. • On the Basic Search page under

“Select search type " you can select your search query.

• Under  “Search For ” type your search query. Examples of search queries are noted under the search box.

How to find a book• Result List• Titles are

listed by most recent date of publication.

• Each title is numbered. Click the number link to view detailed information about the book.

 

How to find a book• Step 3: Viewing

the record - Result List

• Click this link to view the call number.

 

How to find a book• Step 4: Call

Number• On the call number

page take note of the Call number, as well as Item status, and Due Date.

• Item status will tell you if it is circulating or non-circulating.

• Due date will tell you if the book has been checked out, or if it is on the shelf.

 

Location Chart

Step 5: Location of the book -  Floor Location Chart - Call Numbers These are charts posted around the catalog area that gives directions to floors where books can be located. On the chart the first letter of the call number is noted. It will also give directions to the floor on which the book is located.

How to find a book

• Step 6: Understanding Call Numbers: a Tutorial

• Skip tutorial

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CALL NUMBERS

TR178.83.B351992

The Call Number on the spine of the book tells you where to find the bookon the shelves.

Press space bar to continue.Press “P” to back up.Press “esc key” to end.

Academic Libraries usually use the Library of Congress Classification System, not the Dewey Decimal system.

TRThe first line is shelved in alphabetical order.On the library shelves you’d find books with the call number HA shelved before HB, TR wouldbe before TS, etc...178.83

The second line is a real number. You’dfind 1 before 2, and 178.83 before 178.9,etc...

TR178.83.B35

This line is both alphabetical and decimal. A number with .A-- would be found on the shelfbefore a number with .B--, B before C, etc….But don’t forget this is a decimal number, so.B35 would be found on the shelf after .B214and before .B4

1967This number is usually the date of the publication of the book. 1967 wouldbe found on the shelf before 1968, 1968 before 1969, etc...

Where should this book go in this sequence?

Where should this book go in this sequence?

BS23.5.F578

BR23.F466

BS23.H4

BS23.243.F578

BS23.7.F571

PS3711.I76

PS3711.F18

PS3711.I7

PS3711.I8

PS3711.I975

BS23.5.F578

PS3711.76

If you got either of these wrong return to page one or continue.

Think of the answer before you advance the slide.

Think of the answer before you advance the slide.

How to find a book•  Step 7: Finding books on the shelf• On each floor there are direction signs.

How to find a book

• Go to the area where you will find the book

How to find a book• As you walk down the aisle you will notice that each book has a label with letters and

numbers. Make sure the call number that you copied from the CUNY+ catalog corresponds with the number on the book.

How to find a book• Step 6: Check-out • Circulating books are noted in the CUNY+ catalog as stacks. These books may be

taken to the Circulation Desk for check-out.

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