FYS 101: Finding a Book via Hackney Library's Catalog

Before you can go to the shelf in the General Collection to locate your book, you must first make sure it is available (not checked out, not missing, not lost, etc.).  You do so by looking at the "Status" cell on the far right of the three-celled table in the catalog record, circled in red below:

The green "Checked In" status lets you know that book is available on the shelf.  If the status message is in red (such as "Checked Out," "Not Available," "Missing," or "Lost", for example), then that book is not available for you to check out and you will have to ask a librarian for help in locating it, or you may have to look for another book instead. 

So before you go off with the title, author, collection, and call number written down in search of your book, remember to check that the the contents of the Status box are in green.  Now go to the Retrieving Your Book box below to learn how to retrieve your book.

If the status of your book is in green, you are now ready to look for your book!  Simply do the following:

• Jot down the Collection name, the title and author of the book, plus the complete call number (or if you're using your mobile device, take the catalog record displayed on your screen with you) and then, 
• Go to the Collection (remember, this is the location in the building where your book is housed),
• Then use the signs on the ends of each range of shelving to help you locate your book's call number within the beginning call number and ending call number on that particular shelf. (Note that the call number for this book, 179.3 Scr84a, falls within the range of numbers on the label on this shelf [170 U- 200.973 M141]). See the screen shot below:

Next, find the books (on the same side of the range that your call number falls within) that have 179 on their spines, then those with 179.3 S a little further along to the right of those, then those with 179.3 Sa.... a little further yet, until you locate your book between 179.3 Sa37a and 179.3 Su74a (see the screen shot below).  

(If you're having trouble finding it, come downstairs and ask a librarian for help.)

Once you've found your book, retrieve it from the shelf and click on Step 7 in the left sidebar or at the bottom right to find out how/where to check it out.