The Collections and Catalogs

The General Collection, covering a wide variety of subject areas, currently contains about 67,500 volumes of innovative and influential works, classical texts and definitive editions, first-rate surveys and textbooks, and selected popular titles which may serve as useful introductions to various subjects and disciplines. It is arranged on open shelves by the Library of Congress classification numbers that are identified by the following general notations:

A - General work, polygraphy
B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
C - Auxiliary Sciences of History
D - History and Topography (except America)
D,E,F - History and Topography (America)
G - Geography, Anthropology, Recreation
H - Social Sciences, Economics, Sociology
J - Political Science
K - Law
L - Education
M - Music
N - Visual Arts
P - Language and Literature
Q - Science
R - Medicine
S - Agriculture, Plant and Animal Industry
T - Technology
U - Military Science
V - Naval Science
Z - Bibliography, Library Science

Consult the map in the center of this booklet for the shelving locations of books, as well as for the locations of items and special areas mentioned below.

Horizon, the Library's on-line catalog, is available on all public computers in Harper Library. Staff members can explain how to use the catalogs and answer your questions about information found there. If you do not locate the book on the shelf, please ask for help. If a title you need is not listed, you may ask that it be ordered by completing a book request form.

The Reference Collection is shelved in the East Alcove of the Harper Reading Room near the public card catalog. It contains such general sources as encyclopedias, bibliographies, subject handbooks and lexicons, English and foreign language dictionaries, statistical yearbooks, periodical indexes, biographical compendia, and other useful works. Reference materials are for use in the Library only and do not circulate. The Librarian will assist you in using these materials upon request.

The Periodical Collection is shelved in Al Weisman's Corner in the West Alcove of the Harper Reading Room. It contains current issues of general periodicals and newspapers, many of which are bought with funds provided as a memorial by hundreds of the friends of Albert P. Weisman, who was Assistant Vice-President for Public Affairs at the time of his death in 1974. Issues are shelved alphabetically by title and may be used in the Library only. Back issues of a few titles are bound and intershelved by call number with the general collection. If you do not find the issue you need, please ask for it at the circulation counter.

All journals owned by the Library are listed in Horizon. The on-line catalog provides the locations for bound volumes and current unbound issues of journals.