How to find books

Browsing the shelves

Call numbers are used so that items dealing with the same subjects are near each other on the shelves. Once you are familiar with the call number of material in your subject area, you can browse the same part of the shelves for useful material.

Important tips:

• don't be too specific - useful information might be shelved across several shelves with slightly different call numbers
• don't limit yourself to one area - in many subject areas you will need to look in more than one call number range
• most call numbers will occur in more than one location within the library (e.g. Reserve, Reference) - check all potential areas
• material moves in and out of the library quickly - check the shelves often

Monash University Library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification system for its call numbers except:

• The Law Library uses a variation on the Moys legal classification system.
• Clayton campus libraries use Dewey variations for Literature, Philosophy and Mathematics (Mos).