Students' Understanding of the Library of Congress Call Number System

Abstract

Students' ability to effectively understand and use call numbers to locate materials in the library is still an important skill in the digital age. This study explores students' perceptions of Library of Congress call number schemes and identifies the conditions that impede or facilitate students' successful location of desired library materials. Using a multiple case study design, this article describes the perceptions of undergraduate students who attend a 4-year public university in the Midwest. The findings suggest that students demonstrate little facility for locating books easily and independently, misinterpret call numbers in diverse ways, and do not fully understand the library's organization of materials.

Keywords:

• call numbers
• classification
• findability
• book stacks

Notes

© Julie Murphy, Dallas Long, and Jean B. MacDonald