Shelved Books

  • It is very important to shelve books correctly. Some important things to remember:
    • The spine of the book should always be facing out so that the call number is visible and readable.
    • Occasionally, a book is too tall to fit on the shelf properly. In this case, the spine should face up and out toward the reader.
    • Shelf markers help to hold a book's place when the book is removed to look at. Replacing the shelf marker with the book ensures that it is properly shelved for the next patron.
    • Call numbers for non-fiction books begin with numbers, followed by the first 3 letters of the author's last name. For example: Believe It Or Not: Space Facts by David Baker - 501 BAK
    • Decimals are used to further refine the location of non-fiction. In this case, they should be shelved as follows:
    Dewey Decimal Order Example
    • Fiction books have call numbers that contain letters, using the first 3 letters of an author's last name. For example: The Giver by Lois Lowry - FIC LOW
    • There are two sections for Everybody books - picture books and non-fiction. The call numbers for both types of Everybody books are the same as fiction and non-fiction, except they will both start with E.
    • Beginning Chapter books have call numbers like Fiction, except they begin with BC