Library Skills

Track down that book!

1. From the Start button on the desktop of your Macmillan networked computer select Library System then Alice OPAC (the catalogue).

2. Now enter in the text box either the author’s last name, the subject or the title of a book.
For example:
Type in the word Football
Press return or click on the binoculars

3. Then click on the large blue arrow for further information. This will give you the location and the Dewey Number for Non-Fiction books about football - 796.334 (see below)

You will also see some books that start with the letter F – these are Fiction (story) books about Football (see below)

4. Click the arrow again to find out if the book is available or on loan (out to someone else). Click the back arrow or the home symbol to start a new search.

Non Fiction Books and the Dewey Classification System
All non-fiction books are arranged on the shelves using the Dewey System. This system divides knowledge into ten broad subject areas called classes. These classes and the non-fiction shelves are numbered from 000-999.

000 Generalities
100 Philosophy & Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Sciences
400 Languages
500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics
600 Technology (Applied Sciences)
700 The Arts
800 Literature
900 Geography and History

The ten classes are broken down into sub-classes. For example 700 The Arts, includes books on Sport and these are classed at 790. Sport is further broken down so that Football is classed at 796.334.

Don’t worry you don’t need to remember all of this as you’ll find a Dewey number chart on the walls of the I.C., the shelves are all numbered to help you and the I.C. staff are always there to help.

Fiction
Fiction books are arranged on the shelves by the author’s last name. The first three letters of the last name are used on the spine label, under the letter F for Fiction, and then arranged in alphabetical order. Please remember when looking for a book use the author’s last name. A spine label for a book by Jacqueline Wilson therefore would look like this:

F
WIL
If you have any problems finding books please ask the Information Centre staff who are always willing to assist you.