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DRGN 1000: Ecology and Empire in the Modern World (Unangst) Fall 2025

Finding a Book using the Library Catalog

Below are steps for accessing and searching the library catalog to find books. 

Step 1: Got to the Milne Library website Home Page. Underneath the search bar, select the "Advanced Search" link.

Image of the Library Website Home Page with the Advanced Search link circled.

Step 2: Once you are on the Advanced Search page, make sure you select "Library Catalog" under the "search for" options.

Image with "library catalog" highlighted

Step 3: Next, enter your keywords in the search boxes. If you need a refresher on keywords and Boolean operators, you can check out this tutorial video.

An image of the library catalog with keywords highlighted

Step 5: Once you take note of the call number, check out the floor plans to see which floor the book is on. Go to the correct shelf that denotes the correct section the call number is located in. If you need a reminder on how to read call numbers to go the "Reading Call Numbers" box below. 

Step 6: Once you have retrieved the book from the shelf, take the book to the circulation desk on the first floor of the library and check it out. Students can check out as many as 99 books at a time and have the books for an entire semester before they are due back to the library.

Reading Call Numbers

Library of Congress Call Numbers

The Library of Congress Classification System is a comprehensive system designed for large library collections.  The system uses a combination of letters and numbers to organize materials by subject.

RC              On the spine of the book, the call number reads vertically
86.7
.F66
2014

In the Milne Library catalog record, the call number in the example given above appears on a single line, with spaces between the parts:

RC 86.7 .F66 2014

In LC Classification, the first letter of the call number (R) indicates the general subject area, in this case, medicine.  The second letter, if present, indicates the subsection in the subject of medicine, in this case, internal medicine.

How Are Books with LC Call Numbers Shelved?

Read the call number line by line:       Read the first line in alphabetical order:  A, B , BF, C D. L, LA, R, RC…

RC   

86.7            Read the second line as a whole number (in this case, includes a decimal number).

.F66            In the third line, read the letter alphabetically and the number as a decimal even if there is no decimal point. Call numbers could include another line like this.

2014           2014 represents the year of publication.

Shelf order:

RC                        RC                        RC                       RC    

86.7                      86.7                      86.7                      86.7

C373                    C78                      .F66                      H32

1982                     1976                     2014                     2000

Do not forget to read the third line as a decimal number.

Location Abbreviations:

These abbreviations appear before the call number, for example,

REF

RC

86.7

C373

1982

Child Coll.                               Children’s Collection, 2nd floor

YA                                           Young Adult, 2nd floor

EMC (K-12, Syll., Curr.)        SB floor

EMC Media (CDs, DVDs,)     SB floor

Map                                        See Reference Desk for help

NYS                                        New York State, SB floor

OVERSIZE                            Oversize Book Room, 3rd floor

REF                                        Reference 1st and SB floors

Floor Plans

Image of the first floor layout

Milne Library First Floor

Image of the library second floor layout

Milne Library Second Floor

Image of the library third floor layout

Milne Library Third Floor

Image of the library basement layout

Library Basement

Image of Library Sub-basement

Library Sub-Basement