Shelving Books: an Overview

Shelving Materials: An overview

Books and materials in our library are shelved into the following categories: 1. Fiction 2. Story Collection – a subset of fiction 3. Nonfiction 4. Biographies 5. Collective Biographies – a subset of biographies 6. Reference 7. AV materials – videotapes, DVD’s, cassette tapes, etc.

Fiction Books (F) Fiction books are arranged by author’s last name.

The call number for Fiction is F, followed by the first 3 letters of the entire author’s last name. If there is more than one author with the same last name, then the books are shelved in alphabetical order by the author’s first names.

For example, Alfred Cook would be shelved before Betty Cook. If there are several books by one author, they are shelved in alphabetical order by title. The following is an example of the correct shelving order for fiction: F AVI Devil’s Race (author’s name is Avi) F AVI Fighting Ground (author’s name is Avi) F AVI Nothing But the Truth (author’s name is Avi) F BAC They’ll Never Make a Movie Starring Me (author’s name is Alice Bach) F BAC Jonathan Livingston Seagull (author’s name is Richard Bach) F BAK Beat Box Talks (author’s name is Tom Baker)

Story Collection (SC) Story Collection is a special area of the media center where books containing mostly short stories are shelved. The call number begins with SC and these books are shelved in the same manner as fiction books.

Nonfiction Nonfiction books are shelved in decimal order, beginning with the smallest number. The Dewey Decimal call number is located on the spine of the book. Books with the same call number are arranged in order by the author’s last name. Books with the same call number & author are then shelved in order by title (eliminate “A,” “An,” & “The” at the beginning of the title).

Dewey Decimal 000-General Works 500-Pure Science Nonfiction Categories: 100-Philosophy, Psychology 600-Applied Science 200-Religion, Mythology 700-Fine Arts, Sports 300-Social Sciences 800-Literature 400-Language 900-History, Geography, Travel The following is an example of the correct shelving order for nonfiction:

Call Number Author Title 796 HAM Hammond, Tim Sports 796.3 DAV Davis, Mark The Greatest in Sports 796.32 LIN Lindeburg, Franklin How to Play and Teach Basketball 796.323 GOO Goodman, Michael Dallas Mavericks 796.323 GOO Goodman, Michael Denver Nuggets 796.323 GOO Goodman, Michael Houston Rockets 796.3236 HOL Holstrom, Steve The Carolina Corporation 796.33 KAP Kaplan, Richard Great Linebackers of the NFL

Biography (B) Biography books are shelved in alphabetical order by the subject of the book—the person the book is about. Biography is indicated on the spine of the book with a B followed by the first 3 letters or the entire person’s name. If there are books about several people with the same last name, shelve the books in order by last name, then by first name. If there are several books about the same person, shelve them in order by author. The following is an example of correct shelving order for biography:

Call Number Subject (Person) Author Title B FRA Franklin, Aretha Olsen, James Aretha Franklin B FRA Franklin, Benjamin Eaton, Jeanette That Lively Man B FRA Franklin, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin My Life B FRE Freeman, Elizabeth Felton, Harold Mumbet B FRO Frost, Robert Bober, Natalie Restless Spirit

Collective Biography (920) Collective biographies are books which contain information on more than one person, for example, Hispanic Writers. These books are not shelved within the 900 section of the nonfiction section; they have their own location in the media center. Follow the same guidelines for nonfiction when shelving collective biographies.

Reference (R) Reference books are shelved in the reference area of the media center. The call number begins with R & these books are shelved in the same way as nonfiction books.

AV Materials: Videotapes (VC) & DVDs (DVD) These items are kept in the media center workroom. There are biography, fiction & nonfiction videos & DVDs. The call number for these items begins with VC or DVD followed by the specific Dewey category (B, F or numbers). These items are shelved like their book counterparts.

Our hero, Melville Dewey