The Library's holdings are physically housed in more than 40 departmental libraries, area studies centers, and special collections throughout the library system and in the central bookstacks in the Main Library. While some units are housed in the Main Library building, others are strategically located near the department or college whose study, teaching, and research needs they serve. Each library maintains reference materials in its particular subject areas and offers a full range of reference services geared toward assisting library users with specialized information needs.
Each departmental library maintains a homepage with information about its collections and services.
More information can be found at the University of Illinois Library's main homepage.
University of Illinois Libraries use several different classification systems to designate materials in their collections. The most common designation is the Dewey Decimal system, followed by the Library of Congress system.
This classification scheme, designed by Melville Dewey in 1876, is used by most of the libraries on campus. Dewey divides knowledge into ten main classes with further subdivisions accompanied by decimal notation. This notation repeats patterns, develops subjects with parallel construction, and repeats standard subdivisions so that it is easy to browse the shelves in a logical manner. Learn how to read Dewey Call Numbers.
A classification system developed and used at the Library of Congress since 1897, the Library of Congress Classification system (LC) divides the field of knowledge into twenty large classes with an additional class on general works. This notation allows more combinations and greater specificity without long notations. The Law Library, Music Library and Asian Library use LC classification schemes for all or part of their collections. Learn how to read LC Call Numbers.
The U.S. Superintendent of Documents developed this system (also called SuDocs) for the arrangement of federal government publications. Arrangement is basically by issuing agency. The Documents Library uses this classification system. Learn how to read SuDocs Call Numbers.
The United Nations series symbols reflect both the body which produces the document as well as the type of publication. Learn how to read a UN Call Number.
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Last modified by: Merinda Hensley on 1/23/08