What is the Online Catalogue and how do you use it?
The Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is the chief tool for finding resources in the library. At the moment access to the library catalogue is limited to campus only. To search the catalogue click on the Search Catalogue button below, or in the Quick Links on the right.
A catalogue is a list of all the material in the library. Material can be searched by:
Author – Last name, First Name, OR Last name
Title – Full title, OR First word in a title
Subject
Keyword – a word found anywhere in the catalogue record.
All books in the library are catalogued according to the Library of Congress Classification System. To learn more about the Library of Congress please visit Library of Congress official website. Most academic libraries in North America use the LCC system.
When you find the book you are looking for in the catalogue, write down its Call Number (E.g. HD30.22 .B38 2005), and its location, General Stacks or Reference.
What is a call number?
A call number tells you where the book is located on the Library shelves. Each book, periodical, journal, etc., has its own unique call number which is attached to the book's spine or bottom left hand corner of the cover. A book's call number also appears in the catalogue entry in the Library's OPAC.
Spine Label view |
OPAC view |
|||
HD |
Location |
Call Number |
Status |
Date Due |
General Stacks |
HD30.25 .A53 2008 |
Available |
|
|
Reading Call Numbers
The Library of Congress arranges materials by subject, or 'class'. The first section of the call number represents the subject of the book. The second section often represents the author's name, and the last section is the date of publication.
HD |
Subject |
Management Science |
.A53 |
Author’s name |
Anderson, David Ray 1941- |
2008 |
Publication date |
2008 |