From catalogue to shelf
Browsing the Library by subject
Below is an alphabetic list of the main subject areas covered in the Library, along with the classmarks at which the majority of items about these subjects are held.
The locations relate to the Main Collection, ie the books, journals, and reference material available on the open shelves on Levels 4, 3, 2, and Level 1 East of the Library. The Core Text Collection on Level 1 West is organised according to the same principles, and can also be browsed by subject/classmark.
Browsing the catalogue by subject: classmark index browse
Another way to browse the Library's holdings by subject is through the Library catalogue. Identify the relevant classmark, type it into the search box, and set the Select Keyword or Index search drop-down box to 'Classmark Index Browse'.
A classmark index browse will capture the entire holdings of the Library at that classmark, no matter in which collection the item is held. This works best if you know a full classmark, for example if you have already identified one relevant book. Clicking on the classmark (not the word CLASSMARK) of an item in the catalogue record has the same effect, eg E 855 = books on the Richard Nixon administration.
Subject locations in the Main Collection
A
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting, Finance and Trade | HF-HJ | Level 3 East |
| Aesthetics, Ethics | BH-BJ | Level 4 West |
| Africa - history | DT | Level 4 East |
| Agriculture | S-SK | Level 2 West |
| American literature | PE | Level 2 East |
| The Americas - history | E-EF | Level 4 East |
| Anthropology and Folklore | HK-HL | Level 3 East |
| Archaeology | CC | Level 4 East |
| Architecture | NA | Level 3 West |
| Archives | CD-CS | Level 4 East |
| Arts in general | NM | Level 3 West |
| Asia - history | DS | Level 4 East |
| Astronomy | QB | Level 2 West |
| Australasia - history | DU | Level 4 East |
B
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Bacteriology | QJ | Level 2 West |
| Balkans - history | DR | Level 4 East |
| Bibliography | Z1-Z999 | Level 2 West |
| Biochemistry | QP | Level 2 West |
| Biography | CT | Level 4 East |
| Biology - general | QH | Level 2 West |
| Botany | QK | Level 2 West |
| British History | DA | Level 4 East |
C-D
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic languages and literatures | PF | Level 2 East |
| Chemistry | QD | Level 2 West |
| Christianity | BR-BX | Level 4 West |
| Classics | PA | Level 2 East |
| Commonwealth literatures | PDA | Level 2 East |
| Communications | HE | Level 3 East |
| Communism | HX | Level 3 East |
| Computing | QA | Level 2 West |
| Criminology | HV | Level 3 East |
| Directories | A-AZ | Level 4 West Quick Reference: Level 2 Centre |
E-F
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Economic History | HB | Level 3 East |
| Economic history & conditions | HC-HD | Level 3 East |
| Education | L-LG | Level 3 West |
| Electronics and Physics | QC | Level 2 West |
| Encyclopaedias | A-AZ | Level 4 West Quick Reference: Level 2 Centre |
| Engineering and Technology | T-TY | Level 2 West |
| English literature | PC-PD | Level 2 East |
| Ethics, Aesthetics | BH-BJ | Level 4 West |
| Europe, Russia | DB-DQ | Level 4 East |
| European Documentation Centre | KW | Level 3 West |
| Film | PB | Level 2 East |
| Finance, Accounting and Trade | HF-HJ | Level 3 East |
| Fine Arts & Architecture | N-NK | Level 3 West |
| Folklore and Anthropology | HK-HL | Level 3 East |
| French language and literature | PP-PQ | Level 2 East |
G-H
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Genealogy | CD-CS | Level 4 East |
| General literature | PB | Level 2 East |
| General Science | Q | Level 2 West |
| General works | A-AZ | Level 4 West |
| Geography | G-GF | Level 3 East |
| Geology | QE | Level 2 West |
| German and Germanic languages and literatures | PG-PK | Level 2 East |
| Government and politics | J-JZ | Level 3 West |
| Heraldry | CD-CS | Level 4 East |
| History of civilization | CB | Level 4 East |
| History - general | D | Level 4 East |
| History - Britain, Local History | DA | |
| History - Europe, Russia | DB-DQ | |
| History - Turkey, Balkans | DR | |
| History - Asia, Middle East | DS | |
| History - Africa | DT | |
| History - Australasia | DU | |
| History - The Americas | E-EF | |
| Housing and Town planning | GL-GM | Level 3 East |
| Human anatomy | QM | Level 2 West |
I-L
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations | JX-JZ | Level 3 West |
| Irish literature | PDA | Level 2 East |
| Islam | BP | Level 4 West |
| Italian language and literature | PN | Level 2 East |
| Journalism | PB | Level 2 East |
| Judaism | BM | Level 4 West |
| Law | K-KW | Level 3 West Current journals: Level 3 Centre |
| Librarianship, historical | Z1-Z999 | Level 2 West |
| Linguistics | P | Level 2 East |
| Local History | DA | Level 4 East |
M-O
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | QA | Level 2 West |
| Medicine | R-RZ | Level 2 West |
| Microbiology | QJ | Level 2 West |
| Middle East - history | DS | Level 4 East |
| Military and naval science | F-FX | Level 4 East |
| Music | MA-MS | Level 3 West |
| Other languages and literatures | PT-PX | Level 2 East |
P-R
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Philology | P | Level 2 East |
| Philosophy | B-BD | Level 4 West |
| Physics and Electronics | QC | Level 2 West |
| Physiology | QP | Level 2 West |
| Political theory | J-JC | Level 3 West |
| Politics and government | J-JZ | Level 3 West |
| Psychology | BF | Level 4 West |
| Publishing | Z1-Z999 | Level 2 West |
| Religion | BL | Level 4 West |
| Russian and Slavonic languages and literatures | PS | Level 2 East |
S
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish literature | PDA | Level 2 East |
| Slavonic and Russian languages and literatures | PS | Level 2 East |
| Social Sciences - General | H | Level 3 East |
| Social Welfare | HV | Level 3 East |
| Socialism | HX | Level 3 East |
| Sociology | HM-HT | Level 3 East |
| Spanish language and literature | PR | Level 2 East |
| Statistics | HA | Level 3 East |
T-Z
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Technology and Engineering | T-TY | Level 2 West |
| Theatre | PB | Level 2 East |
| Town planning and housing | GL-GM | Level 3 East |
| Trade, Finance and Accounting | HF-HJ | Level 3 East |
| Transport | HE | Level 3 East |
| Turkey - history | DR | Level 4 East |
| Welsh literature | PDA | Level 2 East |
| Zoology | QL | Level 2 West |
Bibliography, indexes and abstracts
| Subjects | Classmark | Location in Main Collection |
|---|---|---|
| General bibliography | Z1000 - Z9999 | Level 2 West |
| Archaeology, History | ZC-ZF | Level 4 East |
| Classics, Language & Literature (English, American, German, Italian) | ZP-ZPN | Level 2 East |
| Education | ZL | Level 3 West |
| Fine Arts & Architecture | ZN | Level 3 West |
| General works, Philosophy, Psychology, Religion | ZA-ZB | Level 4 West |
| Languages and Literature (French, Russian) | ZPP-ZPX | Level 2 East |
| Law | ZK-ZKT | Level 3 Centre |
| Political Science | ZJ | Level 3 West |
| Science, Technology and Medicine | ZQ-ZT | Level 2 West |
| Social Sciences | ZG-ZH | Level 3 East |