Memorial University

Memorial University Libraries

How to find a book on the shelf

Before you begin, make sure you look at the Locations list in the Get It area of the full record. Do this by clicking on the title in OneSearch.

‌Image showing call numbers of books located in library stacks

This tells you:

  • The libraries in which the book is located: in this case the QEII Library and the Grenfell Library
  • The location of the book: in this case Stacks.
    • "Available" means the book is on the shelf in the library
    • "Requestable" means that someone has borrowed the book. Log in to OneSearch to place a request to borrow the book when it has been returned.
    • These are the most common messages and locations, but there are others. For help, ask us.
  • The call number of the book: in this case PS 8501 T974 Z515 1990 

Step 1: On which floor is the book located?

The bookstacks in the Queen Elizabeth II are on the 4th and 5th floors.

  • Call number ranges A to HZ are found on the 5th floor.
  • Call number ranges J to Z are found on the 4th floor.
  • In our example, the call number begins with PS, so you would go to the 4th floor.
  • Refer to the QEII Floor Map for more specific call number locations. 

Locations of books vary from library to library.

  • At the Grenfell Campus Library, you would find this book on Level 3.
  • The Health Sciences and Marine Institute Libraries are housed on a single floor.

Step 2: On which shelf is the book located?

Once you are on the right floor, find the area that has the beginning letters of your call number. All of the letters in a call number run from A to Z (e.g., PS will come before PT and after PR). The numbers go from lowest to highest (e.g., you will find PS 8501 on the shelf after PS 8500 and before PS 8502).

With our example, find the area where PS call numbers are kept. When you have found this area, find PS 8501 within the PS section, and so on until you find the book on the shelf.

There are signs to help you narrow down which area of the floor your call number will be found. The larger signs indicate the general area in which your call number is located. The ends of each bookstack have signs indicating what call number ranges are located in those stacks, e.g. PR 7201 A7 - PS 116 C85 1999 tells you that a call number of PS 1 A77... would be found in that range.

For help, ask us.