This quick guide will show you how to locate printed resources at any Library site.
Firstly, you need to identify the item on the Library catalogue. In the Library Search text box, just type the title you are looking for and press on the Search. This should give you a list of catalogue results that match your search. Tick or untick filters on to widen or narrow your search.
To quickly see how many copies are available and where you can find them click on "see all".
Alternatively, if you wish to have a complete overview of all the copies held in our collections click on the book title. The results will display in a list:
The first part indicates the site where the book is located. It follows the collection details and the floor location. Tip! If a book is on your core reading list, it will probably be found in the Teaching Collection at Mile End Library.
Book Collection means that a book is in the main collection, which is spread between the First and Second floor of Mile End Library as shown below.
Teaching Collection - Core reading materials for all subjects
North Reading Room: Science & Engineering; Shelfmarks Q-V; Literature; Shelfmarks PR-Z
North Reading Room: Arts, Social Sciences and Law; Shelfmarks A-PQ
South Reading Room: Print Journals
The shelfmark is the most important piece of information that you need. Indeed, each book, including DVD, CD-ROM, etc., has its own unique code which is attached to the book's spine.
When you select a shelfmark you will be able to see a pictorial representation of the shelf where the book is located including the adjacent items.
Write down the shelfmark and go to the appropriate floor. Refer to the Subject guide at the end of the shelves to find the range of shelfmark numbers that are located in that section.
Our example of shelfmark will be found on the shelf with the range from QL 607.5 to QM 306.
If the catalogue shows there are no copies currently available for loan, you will be able to place a reservation. Find out how to reserve a book on our borrowing basics pages
Tip! Journals are all on the First Floor (North Reading Room), no matter the subject; however, most of our journal subscriptions are now online only. Check out the catalogue or our lists of E-journals by Subject and A-Z Databases to find the materials you need.
Journals are divided by subject. Within the subject, they are in alphabetical order by title. When you find the journal you were looking for, volumes and issues follow the chronological order. Law journals and law reports are located in the Law section (First Floor South Reading Room). Tip! The North Reading Room is the large one, the South Reading Room is the smaller one on both floors.
For a more comprehensive list of subjects and shelfmarks please see the drop down menu below.
If you are having difficulty locating a book or journal, or have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Good luck with your research!
Here is an alphabetical list of the subjects available at Mile End Library with the corresponding main shelfmark and location (floor and side).
Aeronautical engineering
TL
1st Floor North
East
Aesthetics
BH
2nd Floor North
West
Africa (History)
DT
Africa, Asia (Political Science)
JQ, JS, JV
African Literature
PS
2nd Floor South
Ageing
QP86
Agiosperms
QK495
Agriculture
S
Algae
QK565
Alternative medicine
R733
American Literature
Anglo-Saxon
PB
Animal Behaviour
QL751
Animal culture
SF
Animal Intelligence
QL785
Animal physiology
QP31
Anthropology
GN
Aquaculture
SH
Arachnida
QL451
Archaeology
CC, CD, CE, CJ, CN, CR, CS, CT
Architecture
NA
Art
N
Art by Country
Arthropoda
QL434
Arts & Social Sciences Ref
Asia (History)
DS
Astronomy
QB
Atlases of human anatomy
QM25
Australia (History)
DU
Australian Literature
Austrian Literature
PT
Austro-Hungarian History
DB
Bacterial systematics
QR82
Balkans (History)
DR
Belgium (History)
DH
Biology
QH
Biology of Fishes
QL615
Biomedical engineering
R856
Biotechnology
QR53
Birds
QL673
Blood
QP91
Botany
QK
Botany textbooks
QK47
Brain
QM455
British History
DA
Building construction
TH
Business Finance, Investment
HG4006
Calculus
QA
Canada (Law)
KE, KEA
1st Floor South
Canadian & Latin American History
F
Canadian Literature
Cardiovascular systems
QP102
Caribbean Literature
Cartography
GA
Catalan
Celtic
Chemistry
QD
Christianity
BR, BS, BX
Circuit analysis
TK
Classical Philology and Languages
PA
Coelenterata (cnidaria)
QL375
COMMAND PAPERS
Community medicine
RA485
Comparative Anatomy (individual organs of animals)
QL805
Computer Science, Databases, Networks
Crustacea
QL435
Cryptograms
QK505
Decorative arts
NK, NX
Dental anatomy (includes Oral Histology/Embryology)
QM306
Dental microbiology
QR47
Dentistry
RK
Dictionaries
Doctor-Patient relations/ communication
R727
Drawing, Design, Illustration, Commercial Art
NC
Early Modern
Eastern Europe (History)
DJK
Economic history by country
HC
Economics
HB
Education
L, LA, LB, LC, LF
Electrical engineering
Embryology
QL955
Endocrinology
QP187
Engineering
T
Engineering mathematics
TA
English Language
PE
English Literature
PR
Entomology
QL462
Environmental engineering
TD
Ethnic groups
RA564.9
Europe (Law)
KJ
Europe (Political Science)
JN
European Union Law
KJE, KJV
Film
PN
Finance
HG
Fish Physiology
QL639.1
Flora of Britain
QK306
Flora of Europe
QK281
Forestry
SD
French
French History
DC
French Language
PC
French Literature
PQ
Funghi
QK601
Gastro-intestinal system
QP145
General and civil engineering
General Science
Q
General Zoology textbooks
QL47
Geography
G
Geology
GBE
German History
DD
German Language
PF
German Literature
Germanic
Great Britain (Political Science)
JN 101
Greco-Roman History
DE
Greek History
DF
Gymnosperms
QK494
Heart
QP111
Hepaticae
QK553
Histology
QM551
History
D
History of Art
History of Civilization
CB
Holland (History)
DJ
Human Anatomy
QM
QM23
Human development
QP84
Human Geography
GF
Human physiology
QP34
Human physiology & the environment
QP82
Hunting
SK
Hydraulic engineering
TC
Immunology
QR181
Indian Literature
Intelligence Services
JWB
International Relations
JX
Invertebrates
QL362
Irish Literature in English
Islam
BP
Italian
Italian History (from ancient Rome)
DG
Italian Language
Italian Literature
JOURNALS
Judaism
BM
Laboratory Animals
QL55
Latin American Literature
LAW
Law in general, Jurisprudence
K, KAH, KAJ
LAW JOURNALS
Law of the sea
KZA
Law of the United Kingdom and Ireland
KD
LAW REF
LAW REPORTS
Library Sciences
Z
Linguistics
P
Literary criticism and history
Logic
BC
Mammals
QL703
Management, Organization of Production
HD28
Maps
Marine algae
QK570.2
Material engineering
TM
Mathematics
Medical dictionaries
R121
Medical economics
RA410
Medical materials
R857.M3
Medical microbiology
QR46
Medical psychology / Health psychology
R726.5
Medical sociology
RA418
Medical statistics
RA409
Medical textbooks
R46
Medicine
R
Metabolism
QP171
Microbial ecology
QR100
Microbiology
QR9-QR502
Microbiology - general textbooks
QR41
Middle English
Military Science
JW, JWA
Modern languages
Mollusca
QL403
Motor vehicles
Musci (Mosses)
QK537
Museum Theory
AE, AG, AM, AP, AS, AZ
Music
M, ML, MT
Myriapoda
QL449
National Health Service (NHS)
RA412.5.G7
Netherland (History)
Neuroanatomy
QM451
Neurology
RC
Norse (Language)
Northern Europe (History)
DL
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
RG
Oncology
Ophtalmology
RE
Otorhinolaryngology
RF
Painting
ND, NE
Parasitology
QL757
Pathology
RB
Pediatrics
RJ
Philosophy
B
Philosophy of Art
Physical Geography
GB
Physics
QC
Physiology
QP21-QP981.C28
Physiology of Invertebrates
QL364
Phytochemistry
QK861
Plant Cell & Tissues
QK725
Plant Geography
QK101
Plant Growth & Development
QK731
Plant Hormones
QK745
Plant Physiology
QK711
Plant Systematics & Taxonomy
QK95
Political sciences
JA, JC, JF
Politics
J
Pollen
QK658
Portuguese
Portuguese Literature
Post Colonial Literature
Protozoa
QL366
Psychiatry
Psychology
BF
Pteridophyta (Ferns)
QK522
Public finance, taxation
HJ
Railways
TF
Religions, Mythology
BL
Religious Art
Religious law
KB, KBB, KBD, KBL, KBP
Reproduction
QK825
Reptiles & Amphibians
QL641
Research/ Biomedical technology
R850-R855
Respiratory system
QP121
Roads
TE
Romance Languages
Rumanian
Russia
DK
Russia (History)
Russian Language & Literature
PG
Scandinavian Literature
Sculpture
NB
Social Sciences
H
Sociology
HM, HN, HQ, HS, HT, HV
Spain
DP
Spain (History)
Spanish
Spanish Language
Spanish Literature
Statistics
HA
STATUTES
Surgery
RD
Swiss-German Literature
The aged
RA564.8
Theatre
Tissues
QP88
Trees and Shrubs
QK475
U.S.A. History
E
United States (Political Science)
JK, JL
USA (Law)
KF, KFM, KFN, KFV, KFZ, KGJ, KGS, KHB, KHD, KHH, KJ, KJC
Virology
QR360
Voyages and Expeditions
QL4
West Germanic
Women's health
RA564.85
Worms
QL386
Zoology
QL
If you wish to find out more about subject classmarks you can check out the Library of Congress Classification Outline.
In terms of location, all Humanities and Social Sciences books are on the 2nd Floor North, Literature 2nd Floor South, Law 1st Floor South, Maths and Sciences 1st Floor North.
Here is an alphabetical list of the shelfmarks you will find at Mile End Library with the corresponding location (floor and side)
U.S.A. (History)
HD
Industries and labour
KM, KMC, KMJ, KMK, KML, KMR, KN, KNQ, KNS, KRL
Norse
Post-Colonial Literature
You can find out more about subject classmarks in the Library of Congress Classification Outline.