Call Number Searching

What is a Call Number?

Call Numbers are unique numbers assigned to each item according to a pre-determined classification scheme.

Call Numbers indicate the subject of the item and it’s shelf location within the library.

Searching by Call Number enables you to identify other material on the same subject. Knowing what Call Number range is used for a particular subject also helps you identify where all the material on a particular subject is located in the library.

The three main classification schemes used by the State Library of Western Australia include:

• the Dewey Decimal Classification scheme which is used for books and serials;
• the Library of Congress Classification scheme which is used for maps; and
• the British Catalogue or Music Classification scheme which is used for music scores.

How to search by Call Number

If you know the Call Number you wish to search by simply enter the Call Number and hit Enter.

If you don’t know the Call Number, either consult the appropriate Classification scheme as listed above OR do a keyword search and look at the Call Numbers assigned to the records retrieved. For example, if you do a keyword search on “cooking” you will find that the majority of records retrieved have a Call Number beginning with 641. If you then do a Call Number search on 641 you will find “cooking” is the subject of all the books and serials retrieved

Points to consider when entering your search

• Call Numbers may be entered in uppercase, lowercase or mixed case.

To repeat a Call Number search you had conducted earlier without having to re-enter your search:

• select the down arrow appearing to the right of the ‘Search History’ box that appears at the top of the search results screen; then
• select the search you wish to repeat and the results of the search will automatically display.

What to do if your search was unsuccessful

• Check the Call Number displayed in the search box at the top of the search results screen to ensure that no “typos” were made when the search was entered. If this has occurred, simply correct the appropriate character(s) and/or number(s) in the search box and select the ‘Search’ button which displays to it’s right.
• If your search is still unsuccessful try a Keyword search.

More tips on searching are available here.