call number

American  

noun

Library Science.

1. a number, letter, symbol, or combination of these, indicating the specific location of a work in a library, especially the combination of the classification symbol and the designation for the author.

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call number British  

noun

1. Also called: call mark.  the number given to a book in a library, indicating its shelf location

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Etymology

Origin of call number

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80

Example Sentences

I called the number; don’t call numbers like this.

From Seattle Times

Who read every book in the classroom library, and remembered the call numbers of favorite volumes in the school library.

From Salon

“Three-two-three-point-four-four is the call number for ‘freedom of action,’ also known as liberty.

From Literature

"Staff need not read the call numbers one by one on the shelf, and this reduces the routine and labour-intensive aspects," said Lee Yee Fuang, assistant director at the National Library Board.

From Reuters

When I was growing up, my mother was both alphabetically and thematically fastidious about her books; the shelves for which she was responsible basically required call numbers and card catalogs.

From New York Times