TYPES OF BOOKS

There are two main categories of books: FICTION and NON-FICTION.

FICTION:  Fiction books are commonly called novels.

• The call number for fiction books is FIC + the first three initials of the author's last name. 
  EXAMPLE: 
  FIC
  DIC
• Fiction books are arranged on the shelves alphabetically by the author's last name.
• If the last name is the same for two or more authors,
  the books are shelved alphabetically by the author's first name.
• When two or more books have the exact same author,
  these books are arranged alphabetically by the title of the book.
• Books whose author's last name begins with Mac or Mc are shelved
  as if both spellings look like Mac. 
  EXAMPLE:  MCCULLERS then MACDONALD

NON-FICTION:  Non-fiction books deal with facts on all kinds of subjects.

• These books are arranged according to the Dewey Decimal System of Classification, devised by Melvin Dewey.  Books on the same subject are grouped together on the shelves.
• The numbers which make up the top line of the call number of non-fiction books represents the subject of the book.  The first three letters of the author's last name form the second line of the call number. 
  EXAMPLE:  
  973.7 
  HUB 
• Non-fiction books are shelved numerically with the lower numbers to the left of the higher numbers.  Decimals are valued as in math--.008 (eight thousands) comes before .08 (eight hundredths) comes before .8 (eight tenths).
  
  EXAMPLE:    
  808.008           808.08             808.8
  CER                CER                CER

A quick way to check which number comes first when numbers are longer than others:

Assume one or more zeros are added to the shorter numbers.

Using the call numbers in the previous example:

.008         .080        .800

8 comes before 80; both come before 800!

Other NON-FICTION books include:

• INDIVIDUAL BIOGRAPHY:  These books are about someone's life. 
  The call number for individual biography is 92 + the last name of the person being written about. 
  EXAMPLE:    
  92
  JEFFERSON

But, remember, individual biographies are shelved

by the subject’s last name –

not the author’s.

• COLLECTIVE BIOGRAPHY:  These are books about the lives of several people. 
  The call number for collective biography is 920 + the first three letters of the author's last name.
  EXAMPLE:    
  920
  BEA

• REFERENCE:  These are books that are referred to for information but not usually read from cover to cover.  Reference books cannot be checked out of the library. 
  Reference books have an REF above the call number. 
  EXAMPLE:                
  REF
  920.02
  CUR

• PROFESSIONAL:  These are books especially for teachers. 
  They are kept in the professional library. 
  A professional book has PROF above its call number.
  EXAMPLE:                
  PROF
  371
  WAT

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS:  Located in the Reading Room/on center shelves.

• ALABAMA (FICTION and NON-FICTION)
• CAREERS/COLLEGE HANDBOOKS (NON-FICTION)
• ROOM RESERVE (Literature classified under NON-FICTION)

ROOM RESERVE BOOKS: 

Room Reserve Books are literature criticism books for classes to use in the library for literature research. Since there are not multiple copies of these books, they are placed on reserve to give all students access to these resources on an equitable basis. These books are located on one of the center shelves in the Reading Room.