In many older academic libraries, the ceilings are often low, with bookshelves running floor to ceiling.
This photo was taken circa 1956 in the book stacks of what is now the Graduate Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
You can get a sense of how close the space is and how the floors (and books) have the appearance of being stacked one on top of the other.
Luckily, modern libraries are not so compacted. Even though we have a lot more breathing room, we still often use the words "stacks" to refer to the place where all the books are.
Image Source: https://archon.library.illinois.edu/archives/index.php?p=digitallibrary/digitalcontent&id=969
In this activity, the goal is to take what you just learned about how to read call numbers, and use that knowledge to find a book on the shelf in Howard-Tilton Memorial Library.
Your class will be broken up into small teams. Each team will be given a worksheet with a unique book title and call number. Your task - work with your teammates to navigate the library and find that book.
When you've found it, take a minute to answer the question on your worksheet, then bring yourselves, the book, and your worksheet back to the classroom.
When everyone is back, we'll spend a few minutes talking about your experiences and observations while moving through the building and retrieving your book.
