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Library Catalogs and Subject Classifications in Oceanography

Library catalogs are used to locate monographic (book) materials. These may be either "primary" publications--conference proceedings, technical reports, theses, and dissertations--or "secondary" publications--textbooks, treatises, handbooks and similar publications derived from the "primary" literature.

Library of Congress Classification System


The general book collection in the HSU Library is organized on the shelves by subject using this classification system employed by most academic libraries in the United States. (In addition most special collections - "Periodicals," "Reference," "Map and Atlas," and "Indexes and Abstracts" - all follow this same subject arrangement.) The Library of Congress Classification Outline (Library of Congress) gives a general overview of the entire classification system. Listed below are the major classification areas where oceanography literature is likely to be found:

GB Physical Geography
450-460 Coast Geomorphology
461-468 Reef Geomorphology
GC Oceanography
63 Oceanographic expeditions
65-78 Underwater exploration
83-87.6 Submarine topography
96-97.8 Estuarine oceanography
100-103 Seawater
109-149 Chemical oceanography
120-130 Salinity
150-181 Physical oceanography
150-155 Density
160-177 Temperature
177.6-181 Optical oceanography
190-190.5 Ocean-atmosphere interaction
200-376 Dynamics of the ocean
205-226 Waves
228.5-228.6 Ocean circulation
229-296.8 Currents
297-299 Water masses and oceanic mixing
300-376 Tides
377-399 Marine sediments
401-881 Oceanography. By region
1000-1023 Marine resources. Applied oceanography
1080-1581 Marine pollution. Seawater pollution
 
QC Physics
801-809 Geophysics
QE Geology
39 Marine Geology
350 Geology of the Ocean Basin
QH Biology (General)
91-95 Marine Biology
541.5 E8 Estuarine Ecology
541.5 S3 Marine Ecology
QK Botany
103 Marine Flora
931 Marine Plant Ecology
934 Marine Phytoplankton Ecology
QL Zoology
120-138 Marine Fauna
TC Hydraulic Engineering
1501-1645 Ocean Engineering

HSU Library Catalog


The HSU Library Catalog can be searched by author, title, or subject. Since subject searching is often the most difficult, the following general suggestions and specific approaches for conducting a subject search are given:

  1. General Suggestions for Subject Searching
    1. Use Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). Materials indexed in the catalog are assigned an average of 2-3 subjects selected from 245,000 possible LCSH headings. Library of Congress Subject Headings explains how these work in the catalog. Consult the red five-volume print set on the first floor of the Library to identify LCSH subject headings. The print set will do the following for you:
      1. list subject and geographical headings along with any associated subheadings
      2. give a hierarchy of related subjects: NT= Narrower Terms; BT= Broader Terms; and RT=Related Terms
      3. give the Library of Congress Classification for many subjects [For a correlation between LC classification and LCSH see Classified Library of Congress Subject Headings (ref Z 695 U48 W55)]
      4. provide "see" references from subjects not used to the valid subject (UF= used for)
    2. Follow the "Rule of Specificity." Choose subjects which come closest to what you are searching. Books are indexed under the specific subjects which represent each book's subject content. Broad subjects often fail to retrieve desired information. Examples of LCSH subjects:
      Broad
      water temperature
      rocks, igneous
      algae
      		 
      Specific
      deep sea temperature
      ophiolites
      red algae
    3. As you identify specific references in the catalog, note the LCSH subject headings under which they are indexed and use the hot link to find other related items with the same subject.
    4. Since most libraries in the United States use a standardized cataloging and indexing system developed by the Library of Congress you can develop a search through multiple catalogs using a common strategy. Only the software interfaces will vary.

  2. Specific Approaches for Biological Concepts
    1. Searching for material on specific organisms. At the organism level subjects follow common rather than scientific nomenclature in most cases. At the Family and Order levels a combination of common and scientific nomenclature is used. Check LCSH for correct nomenclature. Remember the "Rule of Specificity" when searching.
    2. Searching for material on the biology of organisms. There are many hundreds of specific subjects which treat the anatomical, physiological, behavioral, and evolutionary aspects of organisms. Use LCSH to find specific subjects. In some cases subjects are subdivided by major taxonomic divisions e.g., "Nervous System - Fish." There are also standard "pattern" subdivisions that can appear under any taxonomic term. See the subject "Fishes" in LCSH for a listing of these subdivisions which can apply to all animals, e.g., "Fishes - Behavior."
    3. Searching for material on a specific geographic area. A subject-oriented book which emphasizes a particular geographic area will be listed in most cases under the subject then subdivided by the geographic area, e.g., a book on the geology of Humboldt County will be listed under "Geology - California - Humboldt County." Books which contain a geographic treatment on a specific organism are listed under at least two subjects:
      1. the organism nomenclature, e.g., "red algae"
      2. a higher level taxonomic term with a geographic subheading, e.g., "Marine Algae - California"
      What this means is that you can find, e.g., under "Marine Algae - California" all studies on specific algae in California.
    4. Searching for material on ecological concepts and techniques. Use LCSH as a guide to the many specific subjects used. Look under "Ecology" in LCSH for an extensive list of specific ecological subjects.

  3. Specific Approaches for Geological Concepts
    1. Searching for material on rocks and minerals. As with plants and animals there is a hierarchy of broad and specific subjects. Use LCSH and follow the "Rule of Specificity" in choosing subjects under which to search.
    2. Searching for material on a specific geological time. Use the subject Geology - Stratigraphic followed by time subdivisions, e.g., Geology - Stratigraphic - Miocene. Use LCSH as a guide to the specific subdivisions.
    3. Searching for material on a specific geographical area. Many books published in geology discuss the geology of a specific geographical area. In most cases subject-oriented books which emphasize a specific geographical area, e.g., a book on the geology of Humboldt County will be listed under Geology - California - Humboldt County. Common geological terms which are subdivided geographically include Geology and Geomorphology.
    4. Searching for material on geological processes and techniques. This includes geologic subfields, features, and processes, e.g., Engineering Geology, Moraines, Landslides. Use LCSH as a guide to the many specific subjects for geologic subfields, features, and processes.

Other Library Catalogs in Oceanography


Individual and cooperative union library catalogs can be used to identify "secondary" and some "primary" literature held in libraries around the world. The Library's Interlibrary Loan Service can be used to borrow most materials found in other libraries. See the Other Libraries section of the Library's homepage for access to other general library catalogs. In addition to these general library catalogs other catalogs of specific interest in oceanography include:

Send comments and suggestions about this page to: Robert Sathrum
Last Updated: January 30, 2007

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