Research & Innovation Strategies

Block locations

Certain LC call number spans are assigned to branches within the Libraries. These spans are called block locations. The item’s block location designates the branch to which the book should be assigned. LC call number spans not listed below are assigned to Norlin unless the book is designated as “out of block.” 

Exception for all call number ranges: All books ordered on the ecomo fund should always be sent to Norlin. Send the book to the sublocation within a Norlin collection that corresponds to the assigned call number. Example: A book ordered on ecomo classed in RA should be sent to Science. 

OUT OF BLOCK 

Norlin Library occasionally acquires items that are referred to as “out of block.” An “out of block” item is one that is requested for location in a particular branch but does not have a call number in that branch's corresponding block of call numbers. For example, a book ordered for the Earth Sciences (ESC) library might have a TA call number which ordinarily would go to the Engineering (ENG) library. Such a book is called out of block since its class number is assigned by block location to another library.  

A book may be out of block to any location. However, very few out of block books are located in the Norlin stacks; in general, the preference is to favor sending books with class numbers assigned to a particular branch to that branch.  

Art books are sometimes classed in areas that would be considered “out of block” (e.g., LC class schedules D, F, etc.). In such cases, it is permissible to use a non-Art block call number, provided that the book is still located in Norlin.  If needed, create a call number that is as related to the subject as possible and that will cause it to be shelved in Norlin. 

Some branches or collections have no particular call number spans assigned to them: 

Archives 

East Asian Collection 

Government Information (Very few books with LC classification) 

Maps 

Rare Books Collections 

Reference 

Technical Services 

Item Location = INPTS

Acquisitions assigns Location = inpts (in process technical services) in the order record if there is a discrepancy in the call number for an item, or if there is no call number. Send the item to the block location that corresponds to the call number you assign. 

Acquisitions creates holdings records when receiving new materials and inputs a LOCATION code if a call number is available to assign in block. If the book is meant for a different shelving location, they will put that locatin in the holdings. If the item does not have a call number in OCLC yet, they will assign the holdings as INPTS (in process technical services) and cataloging will change the location when they catalog and assign a call number.

LOCATION

Holdings record LOCATION code is a combination of the Bib Location code plus a sub-location code.

• Sub-location code is almost always "st" for stacks.  Examples of location codes input by catalogers: norst, busst, etc.

Branches may utilize sub-location codes other than st. It is the responsibility of the branch to designate most sub-location codes for their libraries.

Books ordered through the online system in Acquistions may already have the 5-letter location codes in the item record, because subject specialists can specify locations at the point of order.

OVERSIZE BOOKS

Item LOCATIONS that may be changed in cataloging: