This brief video is an excellent overview of call numbers and how to read them in order to retrieve a book from the library's shelves.
from Portland State University Library
Unfortunately, the WVU Libraries can't buy everything. If you find an item we don't own, you can use the services below to request a copy from another library for free!
A call number is a combination of letters and numbers which identifies the location and subject matter of books and other library resources. Think of a call number as an address for a book on the library shelf. Be aware that books on similar subjects will appear next to each other. Locate call numbers on the spine of a book or at the upper left-hand corner.
Most academic libraries use the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system to generate call numbers. Most books related to U.S. Foreign Relations can be found in the following call number ranges:
History books housed within WVU's Downtown Campus Library will be on the 4th floor.
Subject Headings are terms or phrases that best summarize the overall contents of a work and provide access to its most important topics. To search by subject term, navigate to the Advanced Search, select "subject" as the drop-down option, and paste the appropriate subject term in the search box. Apply additional filters as needed.
A good starting place is searching using the broad subject phrase United States—Foreign relations. However, you can combine geographic terms and time periods with different subjects to find specific sources on your topic of interest. Insert a double dash to combine terms (--).
For example: