call-number

Definition

Noun: - Library identification code: "call-number" refers to a unique combination of letters, numbers, or symbols assigned to a library item (such as a book, journal, or DVD) to indicate its location on the shelves. It is used to organize and retrieve materials efficiently.

Usage Examples

• (The identification code for locating the book.)
• (The code that guides shelving.)

Advanced Usage

• "to note a call-number": to write down or remember the call-number for later reference.

  • She noted the call-number from the catalogue before heading to the stacks. (She recorded the code to find the item.)

• "to search by call-number": to locate an item using its call-number rather than its title or author.

  • The student searched by call-number to find all books on marine biology. (She used the classification code.)

Variants and Related Words

• Call (n): a request or demand; in this context, part of the compound word "call-number."
• Number (n): a numeral or set of numerals used for identification.
• Call slip (n): a form used to request a library item by its call-number.
  • Fill out a call slip with the call-number to retrieve the book from the archive. (A request form.)

Synonyms

• Shelf mark: a term used in some libraries for the same identification code.
• Classification number: a broader term for the numeric part of a call-number in library systems.

Related Idioms

• "to lose one's call-number": (figurative, informal) to become confused or disoriented, especially in a library setting.
  • I lost my call-number and wandered the aisles for ten minutes. (I forgot the identification code.)

Note: No phrasal verbs or direct synonyms exist for "call-number" as a single word; it is a specific library term.