If you’ve used our online catalog to find materials, you’ve seen, and possibly been confused by the information in the “location” area of an item’s records. A longtime library patron pointed out to me that if *she* doesn’t know what the abbreviations mean, others may feel the same way. She’s absolutely right. Unfortunately, this information comes from the spine labels we create for each item, which we create with very intentional and specific information.
Spine labels are, in essence, the address of an item. Each spine label has two or more lines. Because we have limited real estate on these labels, we have to use abbreviations for some information. Most of the time, the abbreviations come into play on the first line – the location in the building where you can find the item. The subsequent lines tell where, on the shelf, the item goes.
In Adult Services on the east side of the building, starting with the section in front of the checkout desk and traveling east you’ll see:
“Fic” or an author’s last name – Fiction
“LP” – Large print
A dewey number – Nonfiction
“BIO” – Biographies
On the shelving units that run east/west:
“AB” or “CD” – Audiobooks (south side)
“GN” – Graphic novels (north side)
“GAME” – Video games (north side)
“MOV,” “DOC,” or “TV” – Movie, Documentary, or TV Series (north side)
In Youth Services on the west side of the building, it’s best to look for signs or to ask the staff. The layout of this part of the building changes depending on the needs of the department.
“YA” – Young Adult (for teens or high school-aged readers)
“MG” – Middle Grade (for middle school-aged readers)
“J” – Juvenile/Junior (for elementary-aged readers)
“BR” – Beginning Readers
“Picture” – Picture books
“BB” – Board Books
As always, if you have questions please ask. We love questions!