Call Number Guides

Call numbers begin with a letter which stands for the subject:

• M = Scores
• ML = Music Literature
• MT = Music theory, Music pedagogy, and Music instruction

Next comes a number which stands for a narrower subject:

• M 23 = Piano sonata scores
• ML 410 = Composer biographies
• MT 425 = Horn studies and exercises

This is followed by a decimal point, a letter, and a number which stands for the composer or author:

• M 23 .M939 = Mozart piano sonatas
• ML 410 .B853 = A biography of Benjamin Britten
• MT 425 .G3 = Horn etudes by Gallay

Sometimes these are followed by other letters or numbers such as op., no., or other work number:

• M 23 .M939 K.310 = Mozart piano sonata, K. 310
• MT 425 .G3 op.57 = The opus 57 horn etudes by Gallay

Go alphabetically by the subject letter:

• M 452 .B118 no.4 = String quartet no. 4 by Milton Babbit
• ML 270 .C36 = A history of French Music
• MT 801 .B3 = Teaching pieces for banjo

Remember--the numbers after the decimal point are decimals!

• ML 134 .A56 comes before
• ML 134.5 .L45

and

• ML 410 .L2857 comes before
• ML 410 .L287 which comes before
• ML 410 .L3