The University of Alabama School of Law
The University of Alabama School of Law
As I'm sure many of you have noticed, books in the law library are organized by what's known as a call number. This is the number, usually found on the spine of the book and in the catalog, that indicates where in the library the book is located. Below is an example of a call number and how to read it.
Example: KF373.H29 G86 2011
KF - letter line, describes general subject area; alphabetical order
373 – number line, narrows subject area; numerical order
.H29 – cutter line, further narrows subject area or specifies author; alphabetical, then decimal order
G86 – 2nd cutter line (if present) also in alphabetical then decimal order
2011 – year of publication, numerical order
If you are looking for a book found in Bounds Law Library, the first step to take is to check if we have it in our collection using the catalog search.
If you need assistance locating an item that you found in the catalog, you can look it up in the catalog and select the "Map It" option under the call number and a map should pop up pointing out the books location in the library, like the example below. If you are still having issues locating the item, you can always ask for help at the circulation desk.
You can also find the location of books using the library's floor maps. You can find these in a text box on the left side of the screen on Bounds Law Library's home page. You'll get the chance to look at either the first or second floor of the library. Depending on which floor you're looking at, you'll get an interactive map that you can click on that will show you the rough range of the call numbers on the shelf in that area. You can also make use of the subject list on the left of the screen to find the general section of the library the subject is kept by selecting your subject and having the area highlight on the map. See below for an example.
