Subject classification

Nearly all the items held by the University Library are systemically classified. Media containing a similar content are normally found on the same shelf. The shelf-marks at the sites HoPla, OZW, KHS, and WIZ are structured as follows.

Structure of a shelf-mark (HoPla, OZW, KHS, WIZ)

The shelf-marks for the examples look like this:

The notation consists of various components. The notation “Ges IC 65”, for example, bears  this information:

It is therefore possible to find literature about economic history in Germany from 1500 to the present time using the notation “Ges IC 65”.

Almost all holdings of the University Library are systematically arranged. Media containing similar content are usually located at the same shelf location. At the WA and BGP sites, the books are arranged according to the Regensburger Verbundklassifikation (RVK), a system used in many libraries throughout Germany. Therefore, the groups appearing in the shelfmark can be researched in the online portal of the RVK.

Structure of a signature (WA, BGP)

Example Wilhelmshöher Allee (WA)

Example Brüder-Grimm-Platz (BGP)

see also subject classification Murhard

The RVK notations look like this on the shelf-marks:

You can select the classification that you need from the list further below. You will initially find a list of contents, which will take you to the individual sub-classification. You can also search for terms, which you expect to find under this classification, using the search function in your browser.
Once you have found the subarea that you require, you can use the notation to go directly to the correct bookshelf or use it to search within the KARLA catalogue portal. Use the Shelf-mark box in the Advanced Search and place a * at the end of the notation.
Example: Ges IC 65*

The items in the University Library are indexed according to their content by means of subject terms which can be used for searching.

You can find matching literature for your subject in the KARLA catalogue portal, if you enter the search terms in the simple search box. However, the system also searches for your terms in the title data and lists of contents. If you only want to search subject terms, please use the Subject search box in the Advanced Search. You can enter one or more terms and, if necessary, keep them open-ended by using a * (truncation). You do not need to worry about upper and lower cases.

Examples: French Revolution / Hesse politi* / Kassel documenta

The results also enable you to start a new subject search. You will find check boxes to tick in the full results.