Library Catalog

The CATALOG

Libraries have a system to organize their books and other materials. Most school libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Most college libraries, like UTPA, use the Library of Congress System. Both systems organize books by subject (not alphabetical order or by author's name.) Every subject has a letter (or number) associated with it. Narrower subjects have more letters and numbers, and specific books have more letters and numbers. We refer to these as call numbers. Call numbers actually start with letters, followed by numbers, more letters, and more numbers. Here is the Library of Congress Classification Outline. According to the Library of Congress system, science books have call numbers that start with the letter Q.

What would a book be about if it had a call number that started with QL 652?

To find books in a library, start with the Library Catalog. The catalog lists all the books (and magazines, videos, etc.) that the library owns. Use the UTPA Library Catalog to find books in the UTPA Library. If you are looking for a specific book, and you know the title or author of the book, you can search for the book by its Title or Author. If you do not have a specific book in mind, you can search by Subject or Keyword. If you search by Subject, you may notice a list or narrower or related subjects, too. When you get to a list of books, click on the title of the book to see if it is available, and its location within the library.

How many books do we have on the Subject Geology?

Do we have a book called Advanced Amateur Astronomy? If so, how would you find it?

Catalogs will indicate if libraries subscribe to newspapers, magazines and journals. Journals are the specialized magazines that professors and researchers read. Newspapers, magazines, and journals are caller periodicals, because they arrive on a regular, periodic basis (usually daily, weekly, or monthly.) To see if the UTPA library subscribes to a particular periodical, click on Journal Title. You can find out if we get it in print, or if we get an online version in a database.

Locating a periodical article in the library with the journal title

1. From the Library Catalog, click on the blue oval labeled Journal Title.

2. Type in the name of the Journal Title (not the article title) in the text box.

3. Click on Search.

4. Find the appropriate title (if available) and the appropriate year of publication.

5. Click on the corresponding entry.

UTPA Holdings means that UTPA carries the journal either in print format, bound format, microfiche format, or microfilm format.

a. The catalog will tell you the location (floor), the format (see above) and the Call Number.

Any other links (other than UTPA Holdings) indicate that the journal is available full-text from that link.


WorldCat is a giant catalog that combines the catalogs of many libraries all over the country.  In addition to seeing which libraries around the country own the books and magazines that interest you, you can also see the proper citation for them.

Other local library catalogs you can use include: Hidalgo County Library System, South Texas College, UTB/TSC, and the McAllen Memorial Library.

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