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Book Locations

Smiling woman in a library, reaching for a book on a shelf. She's wearing a blue shirt. The atmosphere is calm and studious.

Find Books on Shelves in Bizzell

Books that are physically available in Bizzell Memorial Library are located on shelves in the stacks on various floors. You can find book location information and call numbers in the Discover search results listed below the title, author, and publication information.

Books are organized using one of the following classification systems:

  • Library of Congress: call number begins with a letter
  • Dewey Decimal System: call number begins with a number

Please refer to the sections below on how to read call numbers to help you locate books on shelves. To determine what floor a book is located on, refer to the Bizzell Floor Maps web page. 

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Find Electronic Books Online

University of Oklahoma faculty, students, and staff have access to a wide range of e-books through OU Libraries. If you know the title of the book you're looking for, you can use Discover to search for that title through the libraries' homepage or on our E-Books Guide.  

There are many sites online that host e-books for public access. Here are a few that may be useful:

  • Google Books
  • HathiTrust Digital Library
  • Project Gutenberg
  • Internet Archive
  • The Pioneer Library System offers e-books and other electronic materials through Libby.
Closeup of four books on a shelf that show the details of their Library of Congress call numbers on the spine of the books.

How to Read Library of Congress Call Numbers

Books in the Bizzell Memorial Library will have a call number sticker on the spine or front cover.

  1. First, look at the top line. In the Library of Congress system, the first line will be 1-3 letters long. Items are shelved in alphabetical order by these letters.
  2. Next, look at the second line. This line will contain a whole number or a whole number with a decimal component. Items with the same first line are shelved numerically by this line. Sometimes, Line 1 and Line 2 will both appear on the same line.
  3. Next, the third part consists of a single letter and then a sequence of numbers. Items are shelved alphabetically and then numerically based on this line. This line is always read as if it were preceded by a decimal.
  4. The final lines of a call number may include the date of publication, volume number, issue number, or other annotation.

Additional Tips:

  • Each bookshelf in the stacks will have signs indicating its contents.
  • Look for student workers wearing blue lanyards roving around Bizzell to get immediate assistance. 
Closeup of four books on a shelf that show the details of their Dewey Decimal call numbers on the spine of the books.

How to Read Dewey Decimal Call Numbers

Books in the Bizzell Memorial Library will have a call number sticker on the spine or front cover.

  1. The first line of a Dewey Decimal Call number will be a whole number, potentially with a decimal component. Items are shelved numerically.
  2. The second line will be a letter and a sequence of numbers. This line is always treated as if it were preceded by a decimal.
  3. The third line may be another letter followed by a sequence of numbers, the date of publication, volume number, issue number, or other annotation.

Additional Tips:

  • Access to the Decks are available on Lower Level I, Main Floor, and 3rd Floor. Elevator access is available behind the Zarrow Lounge on the Main Floor.
  • Each bookshelf in the stacks will have signs indicating their contents.
  • Look for student workers wearing blue lanyards roving around Bizzell to get immediate assistance.