Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Classmarks & locations guide

To find a book, look it up on Library Search or Classic Catalogue. You need to note the Classmark (e.g. QZ 238.4.M6), Location (e.g. Main Library), and Loan type (e.g. 3 day loan) in order to find it. Use the table below to find out which floor the item is located.

Note: Status information will also help you find out whether the book is available for you to borrow.

This guide is to help you physically find the book that you want, once you have identified it on the Library catalogue.

Scenario

You want to find a book called Empowering a Peasantry in a Caribbean Context by Carl Greenidge.

Step one

Search the catalogue to find the book you want, as shown in the image below.

Click on the book title for more information about the classmark and book.

Step two

Write down the classmark. In this case:

  • HD 540.3.G74

The catalogue will also tell you what floor that book is kept on. Click on Location. If you check the table on this page you will see that H classmarks are on floor 5.

Step three

  • Go to the appropriate floor and check the floor map, by the lifts, to see approximately where your book will be
  • Now go to that section and look for the shelves beginning with the same letters as the book you are looking for (in this case HD)
  • Read each part of the classmark separately and in order
    • Example: HD 540.3.G74
  • Split the classmark into parts, spliting letters from numbers
    • HD 540.3 G 74
  • Look for HD labelled books first. You will find them in alphabetic order, so they will be just after the HC books
  • The end of the shelves are labelled with the range of filed classmarks. There are also signs and floor plans to help you locate where books are filed
  • Having found books starting with HD then within the HD books look for the number 540.3
  • In this example HD 540.3 will be somewhere between HD 75 and HD 649
  • Once you have found the books HD 540.3 then within that section, look for G
  • Once you have found the G’s then look for 74
    • Note, the 74 is a decimal number as it comes after the point in the class .G74 and so should be read as 0.74.
    • In this example (far right) G74 would come after G733
    • Note, letters come before numbers. Letters are filed alphabetically and numbers in ascending order.
  • The Education section has its own classification system, but the way of looking for education books remains the same.
    • Eg. 371.395.WES
    • 371 395 WES
  • Read each part of the classmark separately and in order. Look for the 371 labelled books first (they will be in numerical order)
    • then look for .395 within the 371 books
    • then look for WES within the 371.395 books

Classmarks

Classmark begins Where is it?
A, B, C, D, E Floor 3
F [numbers] e.g., F 1005.B3 Floor 3
F [letters] e.g., F TOW Floor 4, Schools Collection
FL Floor 4, Schools Collection
G Floor 3
H, J Floor 5
K Floor 4
INT Floor 4
M, N Floor 3
Microfilm or Microfiche Floor 2 Extension on mobile shelving
P [letter] e.g. P/A P ARM Floor 4, Schools Collection
P [numbers] e.g. P 711.A6 or PQ 578.D2 Floor 3 (P to PR)
PS Floor 3 Extension (Mobile shelving)
PT Floor 3 Extension (Mobile shelving)
Q, R, S, T, U, V Floor 2 Extension
Z1-Z9000 Floor 3 Extension (Mobile shelving)
000-999 Floor 4, Schools Collection
370-379.9 Floor 4, Education Collection
'41 A', '431 C81', '5195 C937' Floor 4
'6B g20' Modern Records Centre, Special Collections

Location

Location in the Catalogue Where is it?
Arts Periodicals Main Library, Floor 3 extension (Mobile shelving)
BioMed Grid Biomed Grid
Breathing Space Main Library, Floor 1
Careers Hub University House, Floor 1 of The Learning Grid
Internet Internet - click the link provided
Learning Grid The Learning Grid, University House
Main Library Main Library on University Road
Main Library Oversize
(Large books)

Main Library. Find out which floor the classmark is on, then use the Library Floor plan to find where the oversize books are kept.

Please note: all oversized material on floor 3 is stored across the bridge in the floor 3 extension.

Main Library Pamphlet
(Small items)
Main Library. Find out which floor the classmark is on, then use the Library Floor plan to find where the pamphlets are kept
Maths Inst Lib (MI) Mathematics Institute Library
Modern Records Centre Modern Records Centre - behind the Main Library building
Reference Main Library. Find out which floor the classmark is on, then use the Library Floor plan to find where the reference books are kept
Schools Collection Main Library, Floor 4
Science Periodicals Main Library, Floor 2 Extension
Short Loan Collection Main Library, Floor 1
Social Sciences Periodicals Main Library, Floor 5
Special Collections Modern Records Centre
Store, External Store Use the online request form link on the Library Catalogue
Student Careers & Skills Ground Floor, University House. In the Learning Grid, on the ground floor of University House. All resources in Student Careers & Skills are for reference only

Status

Status in the Catalogue   What does it mean? 
Available

The item is not currently on loan and is available to borrow. It should be on the shelf at its location. Alternatively, it may be on one of the reshelving trolleys on the appropriate floor

Recently returned The item was returned within the last 24 hours and will probably be awaiting reshelving on a trolley
DUE 01-04-12 The item is on loan and due back on the date listed. You can reserve a copy by clicking the Request button
DUE 01-04-12 +1HOLD The item is on loan and someone else has reserved it when it is returned
ON HOLDSHELF The item has been reserved and is waiting for someone to collect it 
MISSING The item is missing. You may be able to get a copy from Get it For Me

Loan type

Loan type in the Catalogue What does it mean? 
Standard Loan The book can be borrowed for at least two weeks.
3 Day Loan The item can be borrowed for 3 days
Grid use only The item can only be used in the Learning Grid
Reference use only The item can only be used in the Library