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*Reusable LibGuides Boxes: Library Orientation

ILL Guide on the Side

Learn about interlibrary loan

Map of Irwin Library Stacks [2nd Floor]

Locating Physical Collections in Irwin Library

Explore the content on this page to learn how to read a book's call number, locate where books are shelved in Irwin Library, and identify the call number ranges for browsing by literature area.

Off-Campus Access

When working and researching off campus, you will be prompted to enter your Butler credentials frequently to access library resources. When you see the login screen below, usually before viewing a full-text article or accessing a database like AccessMedicine or UpToDate, enter your credentials to access the resource. Contact your librarian if you are having any trouble with off campus access.

Auth0 login screen

Schedule a Zoom Consultation

Need to schedule a face-to-face consultation with your librarian? Let's Zoom it!

Email your librarian, or click on "Schedule" to schedule a Zoom consultation. Same-day consultations are generally not available.

Get started with Zoom by clicking the icon below!

 

WorldCat Search Bar

ILL

Academic libraries share materials between each other via InterLibrary Loan. For Butler users, the Interlibrary loan system is connected with your regular library borrowing account which can be accessed here.

You can request articles or books that Butler doesn't own from other libraries by searching in the Butler WorldCat discovery tool. If we own or can access something, you'll see shelf information or an access link, and if we don't own something, you'll see an Interlibrary Loan request button instead.

Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery of physical items. An e-mail will be sent when print materials are ready for pick-up. You can select pick-up at Irwin or Science when making your request.

Most journal articles arrive in 3-4 days and will be sent electronically.

Send any questions to ill@butler.edu

Library of Congress Call Numbers

A chart with a sample library of congress call number and explanations of how to interpret each part if you are browsing books in the stacks. Call numbers in the Library of Congress system are organized from general classification to more specific identifying information in each part. The sample call number is "PS3527 .E917 G7 1925 V.3." The first part, "PS3527," is the classification number. You read the letters in alphabetical order, so A comes before B, and P comes before PA, comes before PB. PS would come between PR and PT. The number is read in ascending numerical order. One comes before two, which comes before three. In this example, PS3527 would come between PS3526 and PS3528. The second part of the call number is the Cutter number. These have a decimal point at the beginning, followed by an initial letter then a number. Sometimes a call number can have two Cutter numbers, as our example does, ".E917" and "G7." In both cases you would interpret the number as decimal numbers, so ".E917" would come between ".E91" and ".E92" and "G7" would come between "G69" and "G71." The third part of the call number is the publication date. This is the year the book was published. Editions of the same book, published in different years, are arranged in chronological order. In our example, the book was published in 1925. The last part of the call number is the enumeration. If a book has multiple volumes, parts, or copies, those are arranged in numerical order. In our example, this is volume three, "V.3" which would be shelved between volumes 2 and 4.

WorldCat Discovery

REMEMBER:  Use WorldCat Discovery to find:

  1. Books, (ebooks, print books)
  2. Media (Streaming video, DVDs, CDs, etc.)
  3. Magazine and journals articles

Be sure to use the limiters on the left-hand side of the screen to narrow down your results!

Also, REMEMBER: Work out some of your search strategy before going online! Think about your topic. Write down key terms, concepts, titles, and the names of key people whose thinking or work is relevant to your topic. Be sure to include synonyms of key terms and concepts. Also, consider important geographic locations and time periods (i.e., geographic and chronological limiters).

InterLibrary Loan (ILL)

If you find materials in WorldCat that Butler Libraries do not own, you can obtain these through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). This is a service that enables Butler students to have access to library resources NOT OWNED by the Butler Libraries.  You make Interlibrary Loan requests directly from the catalog or a database by clicking the "Request" button.  If there is no request button, log on to your Library Account.

From your account you can:

  • submit requests (use the Requests tab)
  • check the status of your requests (under the Requests tab)
  • retrieve electronically delivered articles
  • request renewals for loaned items (in the Checkouts tab)

For all ILL questions contact Sarah Damery at 317-940-9677 or sdamery@butler.edu.

Ten Things to Know About Irwin

What are LC Class Numbers and Subjects?

Items in the catalog are assigned Subject Headings in the catalog.  Subject Headings are meant to capture the most essential themes and content of the material (books, recordings, eResources, etc.).  When you search by subjects, you are able to find a smaller collection of items that share the same essential subject matter.  In catalog records, subjects are hyperlinked so that you can click on related subjects to browse related groups of items. You can also combine subjects in searches to get narrower results.

 

At Butler University, all of the libraries use the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System.  For those accustomed to the Dewey Decimal System, the LC System may look strange because it combines letters and numbers. Every LC call number begins with a letter or letters which designate the general subject of the material and knowing helpful classification numbers will help you browse the catalog and the stacks for related material.

 

A chart with a sample library of congress call number and explanations of how to interpret each part if you are browsing books in the stacks. Call numbers in the Library of Congress system are organized from general classification to more specific identifying information in each part. The sample call number is "PS3527 .E917 G7 1925 V.3." The first part, "PS3527," is the classification number. You read the letters in alphabetical order, so A comes before B, and P comes before PA, comes before PB. PS would come between PR and PT. The number is read in ascending numerical order. One comes before two, which comes before three. In this example, PS3527 would come between PS3526 and PS3528. The second part of the call number is the Cutter number. These have a decimal point at the beginning, followed by an initial letter then a number. Sometimes a call number can have two Cutter numbers, as our example does, ".E917" and "G7." In both cases you would interpret the number as decimal numbers, so ".E917" would come between ".E91" and ".E92" and "G7" would come between "G69" and "G71." The third part of the call number is the publication date. This is the year the book was published. Editions of the same book, published in different years, are arranged in chronological order. In our example, the book was published in 1925. The last part of the call number is the enumeration. If a book has multiple volumes, parts, or copies, those are arranged in numerical order. In our example, this is volume three, "V.3" which would be shelved between volumes 2 and 4.

CONTACT

Email Butler University Libraries
Irwin Library: 317-940-9227
Science Library: 317-940-9937

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