SCAD Cataloging and Aquisitions

Here at the Jen Library, we make every effort to have the items you need, when you need them. But in order to do that we need to hear from you. If you have a suggestion for a book, film, or resource that you think the library should have on hand for faculty, staff and students to use, you can recommend that item by filling out a simple Collection Development Form.

The Student form is located here

The Faculty/Staff form is located here.

Please be sure to tell us in the comments box if you need this for a class,  as that information will help us decide which items to purchase.

Also, please be patient! It takes 3-4 weeks or more, depending on availability of the item to sort through the requests, place orders and catalog materials before they are available.

Maps and Legends, by Michael Chabon

This collection of essays by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author covers his love of stories from all genres and explores some of the ins and outs of the writing life. And, as if that wasn’t good enough, there’s also the exceptional cover design by Chip Kidd (who recently spoke at the Trustees Theater).

Available in Special Collections.

A call number is a combination of letters and numbers assigned to a book that gives it a specific location in the library. At the Jen Library, we use the Library of Congress (LC) Classification system. Take a look at the LC Classification Outline, to familiarize yourself with the various subject areas.

Reading a call number may be a bit daunting at first, but once you get used to it, it’s easy. Here are a few tips on finding that particular book you need for your paper:

1. Search the Catalog
Our online catalog makes it quick and easy to find items. You can search by author, title, ISBN, call number or do a key word search. Click on the advanced search to have a more detailed look.

2. Check Availability
Once you’ve found the book you need, have a quick look at its Location and Status. Make sure the Location says Jen Library and not ACA Atlanta or Lacoste. The status box will let you know if the book is available or when it is due back. If the item you are looking for is currently checked out you can request that item by clicking on the request button and we’ll send you an e-mail when it is returned.

3. Write Down the Call Number
Now that you know the book is here and available, write down the call number. This will make it much easier to find what you are looking for when roaming the shelves.
The Anatomy of a Call Number

A typical call number looks like this:

PS -class
3572 -subject
.O5 -first Cutter number
S57 -second cutter number
1973 -year/edition

The letters at the beginning are the Class: Philosophy, Literature, Art, architecture etc. There will always be at least one letter and often two. In the Jen Library, we have arranged our classes of books by floor:

3rd Floor: circulating books (which can be checked out) A-N and all Special Collection (library use only) books
2nd Floor: circulating books (which can be checked out) NA-Z and serials
1st Floor: Reference books (library use only), A-Z

All books that are held on reserve for courses, videos, and current Theses are held at the circulation desk and can be requested there.

The number after the letter in a call number is the subject. Once you have found the floor on which the book you want is located, you then find the shelf that holds that number range.

The first and second cutter numbers are a combination of letters and numbers that identify the author or title and held differentiate one book form another, which is especially helpful in crowded subjects where we may have multiple books by different authors on the same subject.

The year helps identify which edition of a book you are looking for.

As always, if you have any questions or difficulty locating a specific book, the Reference Librarian on duty will be happy to give you a hand.