Finding books
Each book is given a classification number (or a “classmark”) according to its subject. This is a way to group books on similar topics together, and serves as a finding aid when you look up a book on the catalogue. Churchill College uses the Dewey classification system. The list below shows where specific subjects can be found in the Library.
Most books in Art, Literature, Classics, Biography and History (Dewey 700–999) are housed upstairs in the Bevin Library (Bevin Library floorplan).
Books in other subject areas (Dewey 000–699) are housed downstairs in the Bracken Reading Room, Bracken Reading Room Extension and Bracken Reading Room Gallery (Bracken Library floorplan). The catalogue will tell you where to find any particular book.
We also offer a Click & Collect service – just email the details of the book(s) you wish to borrow, and Library staff will deliver to your pigeon hole the same or next working day.
Finding journals
Current issues of general interest journals (e.g. The Economist, Scientific American and Wired) are kept on the display shelf on the left as you enter the Bracken Library. More specialist journals are given a classmark and are shelved in classmark sequence, except for law journals and law reports. These are shelved in the Bracken Library Extension following the law book sequence. Law journals are shelved first in alphabetical sequence of title, followed by law reports in alphabetical sequence of title.
You can search for print journals on iDiscover using the filters or Advanced Search options to narrow down your search to journals.
Neither bound nor unbound issues of journals may be taken out of the Library.
Subjects and Dewey Numbers
| Subject | Classmark | Location |
|---|---|---|
| African literature | 896 | Bevin Library |
| American literature | 810-819 | Bevin Library |
| Anatomy | 611 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Anthropology (Physical) | 573 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Social | 300-319 | Bracken Library |
| Archaeology | 930-936 | Bevin Library |
| Architecture | 720-729 | Bevin Library |
| Art | 700-779 | Bevin Library |
| Astronomy | 520-529 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Atlases | 091 REF | Bracken Library |
| Biology | 570-599 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Biochemistry | 574 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Botany | 580-589 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Chemistry | 540-549 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| - Analytical | 543 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| - Inorganic | 546 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| - Organic | 547 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| - Physical | 541 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Chemical engineering | 660-669 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Chinese language and dictionaries | 495.1 | Bracken Library |
| Computer science | 003-006 | Bracken Library |
| Criminology | 364 | Bracken Library |
| Earth sciences | 550-559 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Economics | 330-339, 380-388 | Bracken Library |
| Education | 370-379 | Bracken Library |
| Electrical sciences | 621.3 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Engineering | 620-629 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| English language and dictionaries | 420-429 | Bracken Library |
| English literature | 820-829 | Bevin Library |
| French language and dictionaries | 440-449 | Bracken Library |
| French literature | 840-849 | Bevin Library |
| Genetics | 575 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Geography | 910-919 | Bevin Library |
| German language and dictionaries | 430-438 | Bracken Library |
| German literature | 830-838 | Bevin Library |
| Greek language and dictionaries | 480-489 | Bracken Library |
| Greek literature | 880-889 | Bevin Library |
| History | 900-999 | Bevin Library |
| - Africa | 960-969 | Bevin Library |
| - America, North | 970-979 | Bevin Library |
| - America, South | 980-989 | Bevin Library |
| - Ancient | 930-939 | Bevin Library |
| - Asia | 950-959 | Bevin Library |
| - Europe | 940-949 | Bevin Library |
| - of science | 500-509 | Bracken Library |
| History of art | 701-709 | Bevin Library |
| Italian language and dictionaries | 450-458 | Bracken Library |
| Italian literature | 850-858 | Bevin Library |
| Land economy | 333 | Bracken Library |
| Languages | 420-499 | Bracken Library |
| Latin language and dictionaries | 470-479 | Bracken Library |
| Latin literature | 870-879 | Bevin Library |
| Law | 340-349 | Bracken Library Extension |
| Linguistics | 400-419 | Bracken Library |
| Management studies | 650-659 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Mathematics | 510-519 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Medicine | 600-619 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Metallurgy | 669 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Modern languages | 400-469, 490-499 | Bracken Library |
| Modern literature | 810-869, 890-899 | Bevin Library |
| Music | 780-789 | Bevin Library |
| Painting | 750-759 | Bevin Library |
| Palaeontology | 560-569 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Pathology | 616 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Pharmacology | 615 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Philosophy | 100-199 | Bracken Library |
| Physics | 530-539 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Physiology | 612 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Political science | 320-329 | Bracken Library |
| Production engineering | 670-689 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Psychology (Clinical) | 616.85-616.89 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| - (Experimental) | 150-159 | Bracken Library |
| - (Social) | 302 | Bracken Library |
| Public administration | 350-359 | Bracken Library |
| Russian language and dictionaries | 491.7 | Bracken Library |
| Russian literature | 891.7 | Bevin Library |
| Sculpture | 730-739 | Bevin Library |
| Spanish language and dictionaries | 460-469 | Bracken Library |
| Spanish literature | 860-869 | Bevin Library |
| Sociology | 300-319 | Bracken Library |
| Theology | 200-299 | Bracken Library |
| Veterinary medicine | 636 | Bracken Library Gallery |
| Zoology | 590-599 | Bracken Library Gallery |
