Understanding Shelfmarks

The Library’s collections are divided into broad subject areas (History, Literature, Art, for example) and then into smaller areas, arranged alphabetically. Within each section, books are generally arranged by author name, but edited titles are most often filed under the book title instead.

To make the most effective use of space, the collection is also shelved by size. Check the end of shelf marks for the notations 4to (quarto), small folio, folio and folio extra large that may indicate a different place to look for the books.

When looking for a particular book, we advise checking the Catalogue for the classmark and what the book is ‘shelved under’.

An example of how a Folklore entry appears in the catalogue.

Above is an example of a book record on the Catalogue. Here you can see that the book is available (i.e. on the shelf) in the Science and Miscellaneous section (S.), in the sub-section for Folklore &c. and then within that section it is shelved alphabetically under the author’s surname Rhys.

Labels on the edges of the shelves will guide you through the section. Some shelfmarks are large, such as S. Folklore &c. and are subdivided further by letters marking the authors’ surnames (or titles in the case of edited collections).

Books may be requested and put aside ready for collection, but we would always encourage members to browse the shelves and discover books serendipitously. Items from the Library’s Special Collections cannot be borrowed but may be consulted in the Library under supervised conditions, given 72 hours’ notice.