Searching and Finding
Searching for a book
The first step to finding a book in our collection is to look for it on the Library catalogue. There are two catalogues that list our books:
iDiscover: University-wide system which include records for the University Library, Departmental Libraries, and College Libraries (including Magdalene).idiscover.cam.ac.uk
A LibGuide is available which explains how to get the most out of using iDiscover and includes several useful introductory videos.
If you have any questions about search strategies or need assistance with a particular enquiry, please ask the Library Team.
Is it available to borrow?
Once you have located a record you can check if it is available to borrow in the “Request Options” section of the record. It will show how many copies are available to borrow, in the case below it is on loan as there are ‘0’ available.
For further details, such as due date, click on ‘Magdalene College Library’.
Under ‘policy’ it will state the borrowing policy that applies to you for this book i.e. Loanable (Borrowable) or Reference.
Under ‘Status’ it will tell you if it is on the shelf.
The Status will be either:
- On loan (with due date) = Book is out on loan to someone
- Item in Place = Book is on the shelf
- In Transit = The book has been recalled and is waiting to be picked up by the requester
If a book is ‘On Loan’ then you can log into your account and Recall it if you require it. Depending on who has the book they will have to return it in 3 or 7 days. You will be notified when it is available.
If an item is shown as ‘Item in Place’ but is not on the shelf please let a member of the library team know, as it may have gone missing.
Finding the book
Check where the book is located in the Library
To find where a book is in the library you need to know the ‘Location’ and ‘Shelfmark’.
Location
There are a number of locations in the Library:
Main Library: Ground Floor and 1st Floor Right Cloister and 6.Ga-P in Brooke Gallery
Wigglesworth Law Library: located in Left Cloister
Oversize: There are two oversize sections in Right Cloister; one in Parnell Room on Ground Floor (to the right) and one under the window opposite the stairs on the First Floor.
Reserve Collection: Located either in the Brooke Gallery open shelves or in the Wigglesworth Law Library (to the right of the door).
Special Collection: Special items kept in the College Library. Please ask staff to access these items.
Pepys Library: Items kept in the historic Pepys Library. Please contact the Pepys Library to request access to these items: library@magd.cam.ac.uk
Old Library: Items kept in the College’s Old Library. Please contact the Old Library to request access these items: library@magd.cam.ac.uk
Shelfmark
The shelfmark consists of a number, one or more letters, and a number, e.g. 4.D.20. The first number represents a broad subject area, the letter represents a more specific subject, and the final number is the place within that sequence. For example:
4 = English
D = Shakespeare,
20 = It is the 20th book in the Shakespeare sequence
Once you have the shelfmark, you can locate the books via the annotated map, or by looking at the numbering on the end and top of the stacks and on the shelves.
Item locations
The Library is classified into the following broad subject areas and subdivisions.
For an overview of the Library stock locations please see the Library Map.
1. Archaeology, Anthropology and Anglo-Saxon
Location
First Floor, Right Cloister
A - Archaeology
B - Social anthropology
C - Biological anthropology
D - Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic
2. Classics
Location
First Floor, Right Cloister
A - Oxford Greek Texts
B - Loeb Greek Texts
C - Other Greek texts and translations (A – G)
D - Other Greek texts and translations (H – Z)
E - Greek literary criticism and culture
F - Greek philosophy and religion and science
G - Oxford Latin Texts
H - Loeb Latin Texts
J - Other Latin texts and translations
K - Latin literary criticism and Roman culture
L - Medieval Latin
(Ancient History: see 8.B, C and D)
3. Economics, Social and Political Sciences
Location
First Floor, Right Cloister
A - English economic and social history
B - Economic theory
C - Political philosophy and politics
(See also 12.A and B : Moral science and philosophy)
D - Sociology
(See also 9.B : Criminology.)
E - Management Studies
F - Social Psychology
(See also 11.N : Psychology)
4. English
Location
First Floor, Right Cloister
A - Anthologies
B - Poetical texts: 16th-17th centuries
C - Poetical texts: 18th century –
D - Shakespeare: criticism
DA - Shakespeare: texts
E - Dramatic texts
F - Dramatic criticism and history
G - Prose texts
H - General Criticism: 16th-17th centuries
J - General Criticism: 18th century
K - General and miscellaneous
L - Novels
M - Medieval English (prose, poetry, drama and criticism to c. 1550)
MT - Early English Text Society
N - European drama
O - American literature (See also 4.L)
5. French
Location
First Floor, Right Cloister
A - History
B - General literary criticism
C - Language
D - Anthologies
E - Literary texts and criticism: 16th century and earlier
F - Literary texts and criticism: 17th century
G - Literary texts and criticism: 18th century
H - Literary texts and criticism: 19th century
J - Literary texts and criticism: 20th century
6. German and other Modern Languages
Location
A-G, L - First Floor, Right Cloister
GA-O - Brooke Gallery, Bay 2
A - German language
B - German literary criticism (general)
C - German anthologies
D - German texts and criticism (A – J) by and about authors (A – J)
E - German texts and criticism (K - Z) by and about authors (K - Z)
F - Italian
G - Spanish
GA - Catalan
H - Russian
J - Portuguese
K - Asian and Middle Eastern
L - Linguistics
M - Dutch
N - Scandinavian
O - Polish
7. Geography and Earth Sciences
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Geography
B - Earth Sciences
8. History
A - Historiography & General History
B - Greek History
C - Roman History
D - Ancient History (General)
F - Medieval Church
H - European history:
HA - General European History
HB - French History
HC - German History
HD - Eastern European/Balkan History
HE - Italian History
HF - Netherlands History
HG - Russian History
HJ - Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese) History
HK - Scandinavian History
Each section is further subdivided into:
1 - General
2 - Medieval
3 - 15th to 16th Century
4 - 17th to 18th Century
5 - 19th Century
6 - 20th Century
7 - 21st Century
J - British History:
JA - General (including series of textbooks)
JB - Medieval political and constitutional (to 1485)
JC - Tudor political and constitutional (1485-1603)
JD - Stuart political and constitutional (1603-1714)
JE - Modern political history (since 1714)
JF - Modern political letters, memoirs and biographies (since 1714)
JJ - Foreign policy and naval history (located in the Brooke Gallery)
JK - The Constitution (since 1714)
JM - British Empire and Commonwealth
(British Economic History – See 3.A)
(Political Philosophy – See 3.C)
L - History of the United States of America
LA - Latin America & Caribbean
M - World History
MA - African History
MB - Indian History
MC - Chinese and Korean History
MD - Japanese History
9. Law and Criminology
Location
A, B - Middle Room, Left Cloister
AA-L - Wigglesworth Law Library, Left Cloister
A - Law – General and historical
B - Criminology
AA - History of Law: Roman
AB - History of Law: English
BA - Public Law: Constitutional
BB - Public Law: Criminal
CA - Common Law: Contract
CB - Common Law: Tort
D - Property Law
DE - Equity
E - International Law
EE - European Union Law
EF - Foreign and Comparative Law
F - Jurisprudence
GA - Company Law
GB - Labour Law
H - Family Law
J - Evidence and Procedure
KA - Miscellaneous: Hamlyn Lectures
KB - Miscellaneous
KC - Miscellaneous: Pamphlets
L - Commercial Law
10. Mathematics, Physics and Engineering
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Analysis
B - Algebra and Geometry
C - Physics
D - Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering
E - General Engineering:
EA - Structures and materials, and civil engineering
(See also: 11.O)
EB - Thermodynamics and fluid flow
EC - Electrical
ED - Miscellaneous
FA - Probability and statistics
FB - Applied Mathematics in Science and Engineering
FC - Miscellaneous Mathematics
FD - Computer Science
G - Chemical Engineering
11. Natural and Medical Sciences
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Physical Chemistry
B - Inorganic Chemistry
C - Organic Chemistry
D - Biochemistry
E - Physiology and Pharmacology
F - Pathology
G - Anatomy and Histology
H - Medical (Miscellaneous)
HA - Clinical Medicine
HV - Veterinary Medicine
J - General Biology, Evolution and Genetics
K - Morphological Zoology
L - Ecology, Behaviour and Physiological Zoology
M - Botany
N - Psychology
O - Metallurgy and Mineralogy; Crystalline State (See also: 10.EA)
P - Miscellaneous Science (including History and Philosophy of)
(Earth Sciences, see 7.B; Physics, see 10.C)
12. Philosophy
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - History of Philosophy
B - General
(Political Philosophy, see 3.C)
13. Land Economy and Agriculture
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Agriculture and Applied biology
B - Land Economy
14. Theology, Religion and the Philosophy of Religion
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Biblical Criticism
AA - General
AB - Old Testament
AC - New Testament
B - History of Christian Doctrine and Church History
(See also: 8.F, Medieval Church)
C - General Theology
D - Texts (Theological)
E - Oxford Movement (special collection, available only on request)
15. Architecture and History of Art
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Architecture
B - History of Art and Architecture
C - Film Studies
16. Music
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - History and Interpretation
B - Scores
17. Education
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Historical
B - General and Theoretical
(See also 11.N, Psychology)
18. Cambridge, Magdalene College, Parnell collection & miscellaneous
Location
Ground Floor, Right Cloister
A - Cambridge
B - College (books about the College, and about or by its members)
C - Magdalene College Magazine and Record
D - Sarawak Foundation Collection (available only on request)
E - Pepys Library reprints (available only on request)
F - Charles Stuart Parnell and Irish Studies
Benson Reference Room
Location
Left Cloister
R. A - Encyclopaedias
R. B - Dictionaries
R. C - Concordances
R. D - Histories
R. E - Music
R. F - Miscellaneous (including Bibliographies)
R. G - Atlases
R. H - Engineering
R. J - Journals
Middle Room
Location
Left Cloister
R.S - Study Skills
W - Welfare
Magazines
Past Exam Papers