Use the catalogue for all physical records including books, journals and other material held by the SNAL. The Library Catalogue can be searched either directly from computers provided solely for the purpose within the library or through the internet/mobile phones. Searching library materials is divided into two main stages:
i. Search bibliographic information
ii. Physical identification of documents on the shelves
Important in your search is the call number or Class Mark (e.g. SB123.S994) which enables you to locate documents on shelves at a specific section. The call number or class mark is written on the spine of the book.
At SNAL, location symbols (special notations) are used and prefixed to the call numbers on the book label and comes after the call number in the computer catalogue - OPAC for publications and items which are kept separate from the main book stock as follows:
SPE: Special Collection
PAM: Pamphlets
PER: Periodicals
QTO: Oversize books (those that cannot fit in normal shelves)
REF: Reference collection
FAO: FAO publication
SPR: Special Reserve Collection
MKL: Mkulima Collection
Classification
SNAL uses book classification schedules of the Library of Congress which divided the field of knowledge into classes A-Z as follows:
A – General Works
B – Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
C – Auxiliary Sciences of History
D – World History and History of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
E – History of the Americas
F – History of the Americas
G – Geography, Anthropology, Recreation
H – Social Sciences
J – Political Science
K – Law
L – Education
M – Music
N – Fine Arts
P – Language and Literature
Q – Science
R – Medicine
S – Agriculture
T – Technology
U – Military Science
V – Naval Science
Z – Bibliography, Library Science
In order to learn how to search the SNAL Catalogue, open library web page, click on search link (the catalogue itself has search tips to guide you). Go to information search techniques to learn more techniques for search literature or register for Information Literacy Programs conducted in the library every Wednesday in library computer laboratories at both main and SM-CoS.