When you click the Author button, you're telling the computer to find all the materials in the catalog by the author you have specified, in this example Toni Morrison. When the computer has finished its search, it tells you how many items it found.
In this case, the computer found 24 items. To see this list, you would click on the link to display it.
When you click on the link, the computer displays a list of the items in the catalog by Toni Morrison. The list, which is called the "brief record list," is numbered, with one entry for each title. Below is an example of one of the entries.
| Call Number | Location | Material | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS3563.O8749 J38 1992 c.1 | Jackson Library -- Stacks | Book | Available |
| PS3563.O8749 J38 1992 c.2 | Jackson Library -- Stacks | Book | Available |
If you are interested in this book, first check its status. If it is listed as "Available" then you should be able to find it on the shelves. If it is not available, it will have the word "Due" and a date listed when it will be returned. Or it may say "In Process" which means the library has not completed processing a new book and it will be available in the near furture. The word "Online" may also appear there in the case of e-books.
If your book is available, the next step is to find out where it is located. If a location is listed (like "Stacks"), then the book is available. Make note of the book's location. There are many different possible locations in the library. If the words "Checked Out" are there, then it is not available. Other locations may be "Special Collections" or "Reference Room." For these locations you will not be able to check out the book, but will be able to use it within the library. In the example above, the two copies are available to be checked out.
Once you are sure that a book is available, write down the call number. The call number is your guide to tracking the book down in the library. Tell me more about call numbers.
Librarians use call numbers to arrange materials within the library by subject. Each item in the library has a unique call number that specifies its location on the shelf.
How do call numbers work? Here's an example. This is the call number for the book Basic Library Skills by Carolyn Wolf.
Z Z - Library ScienceFrom this example you can see that books arranged in this way are shelved:
