In the reading rooms is the freely accessible part of the literature stock. Each reading room has the following media locations, depending on the subject specialisation:
The media in the reading rooms are organised systematically. Each item is assigned a specific shelf location depending on its subject and thematic focus. This location can be identified by the so-called shelf mark, which is printed onto a label on the medium and is displayed when searching for literature in the Passau search portal. The shelf mark is a combination of numbers and letters consisting of:
Local identifier (LKZ)
The first part of the call number consists of a two- or three-digit number, which identifies the location in the library. For example, the location code ‘40’ stands for the location ‘Reading room economics’.
You can find an overview of all location codes here.
System code (notation)
The second part of the shelfmark provides a thematically organised arrangement of media. It is a system code(notation) of the Regensburg Union Classification (RVK). It consists of two letters and a number. Books with the system code ‘AK 39540’ are, for example, introductions to academic working. In the Passau search portal, literature on the same or a similar topic can be found via the search field ‘Classification’ - regardless of the location (reading room or stacks) or the type of media (book or e-book).
You can find an overview of the location codes and system locations in the reading rooms on the back of the site plan of Passau University Library.
The stacks contain the part of the library stock that is not freely accessible. Items in the stacks must be ordered for collection from the Central Library via the Passau search portal.
The media at the above locations have different loan periods. You can find an overview here.
Three digit location codes are assigned to media that belong to a reserve collection, holdings that are assigned to a chair or another university institution. In general, it is possible to view these items by making an enquiry to the relevant secretary or contact person.
