HOW TO READ A CALL NUMBER adapted from University of California-Riverside

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The first line of a call number may begin with one, two, or three letters. These letters are read alphabetically:

 

PE

before

PN

The second line is made of a number that may have one or more digits. This line is read  numerically:
 

BF 698

before

BF 725

The third line is the trickiest part of the call number!  The letter is shelved alphabetically,
and the number following the letter is treated as if it were preceded by a decimal:
 

QA 4819 H46 1996

before

QA 4819 P23 1996

Since the numbers of the third line are read as decimal numbers, these examples are in correct call number order:
 

TK 7887 P362 1997

before

TK 7887 P72 1997

before

TK 7887 P8 1997

before

TK 7887 P825 1997

This makes sense if you read the numbers as decimals!
 

0.441

before

0.68

before

0.7

before

0.754

The final lines of the call numbers may include dates, volume indicators, issue numbers, copy numbers, and other annotations. These annotations are read after the call number.

Now Complete the LOC Classification EXERCISE!