Using Card Catalog to Locate Information

I. Learning Objectives

Identify the three kinds of cards in a card catalog

Prepare one example each of the three kinds of cards in a card catalog
Reading: Use the card catalog in a research
Show perseverance in the use of card catalog.
Enumerate gains

II. Subject Matter

a. Topic:
Using Card Catalog to Locate Information
b. References: PELC III 3.5.6
Reading Links 6, pp. 327-329
by Nemah N. Hermosa
Skill Builders for Efficient Reading 6, pp. 38-39
By Aracelli M. Villamin
c. Materials:

sample card catalogs

Value Focus: Effective study habits and perseverance

III. Procedure
A. Preparatory Activities
1. Motivation
Have you been studying in a library? Were you able to locate easily the reference
books/materials that you needed?
It will be very helpful for students to know where they can find the different kinds of
references not only through the call number but specifically with the use of card
catalog. Let them realize that there are a lot in store for them for just one topic.
2. Jumbled Word Contest
Arrange the scrambled letters to form a word that fits the given definition.
a. x e d n i an alphabetical list of matters or references
b. t a g a l o c a list or enumeration of names, persons or things in alphabetical
order
c. t i e d o r one who corrects written articles
d. r o t h u a one who writes or creates a literary work, such as poem, story, essay
or a book
e. i l t o r t r a l u s one who draws pictures, diagrams, etc.
f. n o f t o i n i c n based on facts

B. Development of Lesson
1. Presentation
Visit a library or just present an enlarged sample of books arranged in files showing
distinctly the call numbers. Look at the reference books and study the labels on
them.
The teacher gets a book and points to the call numbers and say the following:
These numbers are part of the Dewey Decimal System. They are the books call
numbers. All libraries using the Dewey Decimal System follow the same pattern
for filing books. The system divides all nonfiction books into 10 main groups, each
represented by numbers.
0-999
100-199
200-299
300-399
400-499
500-599
600-699
700-799
800-899
900-999
(Go near a small cabinet

General Works such as libraries, computers, etc.

Philosophy
Religion
Social Sciences
Languages
Pure Science Math, Astronomy, Chemistry, etc.
Applied Science such as Medicine, Engineering, etc.
Arts and Recreation
Literature
History
near the entrance of the library.)

The teacher will give information such that this cabinet is a card catalog. Inside
are index cards which can help you locate books for different subjects. There are
three sets of cards.
Present three different cards from a card catalog.
What can you say about the call number? (Each has the same call number that
shows where to find the book on the library shelves. The other information on the
cards is presented differently.)
Answer the questions about what is shown on these cards.

Sample Author Card

Fil.
808.83
Q 4s

Quirino, Joe
Short stories around the world;
introduction by Nick Joaquin
Manila: National Book Store,
1980. 225 pp., 21 cm.
1 short stories: 1 title

Sample Title Card

Fil.
808.83
Q 4s

Short Stories Around the World

Quirino, Joe
introduction by Nick Joaquin
Manila: National Book Store, 1980
225 pp., 21 cm.
1 short stories

Sample Subject Card

Fil.
808.83
Q 4s

Short Stories
Quirino, Joe
Short stories around the world;
introduction by Nick Joaquin
Manila: National Book Store, 1980
225 pp., 21 cm.

1) What is at the top of the author card? (The name of the author appears at the
top of the card Quirino, Joe)
2) What is at the top of the title card? (The title is typed above the authors name)
3) What is at the top of the subject card? (The subject, or topic, is written on the
top line in capital letters.)
4) Why do libraries use three different kinds of cards in the catalog? (Answer may
vary index cards are presented in three different ways for the reason that the
students may be familiar with the author but not with his works.)
5) What do we call the number listed at the top left hand corner of each card? (The
number at the top left hand corner is the call number. It shows where to find the
book on the library shelves.)
6) What other information is on each card?
(The complete bibliographic
information about a book is contained in each card. The information includes the
complete title of the book, the author/s, editor/s, illustrator/s, place of publication,

date of publication, publisher and the physical description of the book, such as the
number of pages, illustrations, size, etc.
2. Generalization
What are the kinds of card catalog?
What information do we get from each card?
A card catalog lists on separate cards in a computer file all the books in the
library. There are three ways to find a particular book. You can look up a book by its
title, author or subject. Here is how the information is presented on cards

Card catalog contains books by their titles, their authors and their subjects. All
these listings are in alphabetical order.

C. Post Activity
1. Application
Activity 1
Identify the different information in the index card.
4
1

HM
291
P46
M3

Padilla, Zeny O.
The Tree and the Birds
Quezon City: New Life Publication,
1988

195 p. ill, 25 cm.

SBN 921-20-08361

2
3

1. Environment

10
Answer key:
1) call Number
2) place of publication
3) number of pages

9
4)
5)
6)
7)

8
author
title
publisher
illustrations

8) size
9) subject
10) date of publication

Activity 2
Directions: Use card catalog below to answer some questions.
Write the answer on your paper.

1. Who is the author of the book, Copying with Study Strategies?

a. Gary Bergreen
c. Rosen Group
b. N.Y
d. Be
2. Which is the call number of the book?
a. 137 p. ill
c. 371.3
1990
Be
b. 1990
d. 137 P.
N.Y.
3. Under what subject is this book listed?

a. Date of publication
b. Other features
c. Call number
d. Study skills
4. How is the authors name listed in the card catalog?
a. Alphabetically, first name first
b. Alphabetically, last name first
c. Numerically, the year the book was printed
d. Numerically, the year the author was born
5. Make 3 cards for this book:
Philippine Folk Literature
The Myths
Compiled & Edited by Damiana L. Eugenio
University of the Philippines Press
Quezon City, 1994
Call no. 380.2
Eu
2. Enrichment
Activity 1 Talking Chips
Group Activity. The moderator reads the items of information. Tell whether you
would use the title card, author card, or subject card to find each. (In this activity,
each of the members of the group will have crumpled pieces of paper to be used as
chips. The one who is able to put his chips on table first will answer. The number of
chips left in each member determines the number of questions he/she had
answered.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

A topic about writing a character sketch/map (subject card)

A book by Rizal (author card)
The poem All Things Bright and Beautiful (title card)
Book about endangered birds (subject card)
Two books by Encarnacion Gerardo (author card)

Activity 2 Tree Diagram

Fill in the boxes with the necessary information needed under each heading. Be
sure to write the information in their proper order.

Card Catalog

Author Card

Subject Card

Title Card

Activity 3
Answer the following questions by drawing a circle around the letter of the
correct answer.
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Why is the card catalog important?

It teaches facts about the library.
It helps locate books easily.
It gives activities in using reference books.
It lets us see numbers.

2.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Where are the cards filed?

in a tray
in drawers
in a shelf
in a room

3.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Which of the following is a basis in grouping books in the library shelves?

Illustration
Date of printing
Subject
Publisher

4. Which of the following is used by the student in borrowing books from the
library?
a. Voters card
b. Identification tag
c. Enrollment card
d. Borrowers card
5. Up-to-date information and statistics on population, important personages,
current or recent events, etc., are given in the
a. World Almanac
b. Readers Digest
c. Daily Bulletin
d. Encyclopedia Britannica
6. Under what classification will you find Political Science, Law and Economics?
a. Education

b. Social Science
c. Administration
d. Literature
7.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Which is not included in the General Circulation Section?

Asian Continent
Novels
Nonfiction books
All of the above

8.
a.
b.
c.
d.

What section of the library prohibits the card holder to bring home books?
Filipina Section
Reserved Section
Reference Section
All of the above

9. Which DDCS shelves contain a historical account of the Muslim religion in the
Philippines?
a. 200 299
b. 100 199
c. 300 399
d. 700 799
10.How is the Card Catalog arranged?
a. Chronological order
b. Numerical order
c. Alphabetical order
d. Sequential order
3. Values Integration
Let us value the books as much as we value time. Through reading, we meet new
friends and travel places. Books are here to help us develop our totality; we just
have to open them to start with.
IV. Evaluation
a. Read each question below, then pick out the correct answer.
letter.
1. What is used to help locate books easily and quickly?
a. identification card
c. borrowers card
b. card catalog
d. report card

Write only the

2. Why is a card catalog important?

a. It helps locate the books easily.
b. It teaches facts about the library

c. borrowers card
d. report card

3. If you want a book on a special subject such as swimming. What kind of card will
you use?
a. subject card
c. author card
b. title card
d. card catalog
4. What can you find in the upper left-hand corner of each card?
a. call number
c. publishing company
b. title of the book
d. illustrator
5. How are the cards arranged?
a. chronological order
b. numerical order
Answer key:
1. b
2. a

3. a

c. alphabetical order
d. orderly
4. a

5. C

b. Direction: Answer the following questions. Write your answer on paper.

1. You are looking for a book, Filipina Heroines in Philippine Revolution. At what
record would you look?
a. author card
c. index card
b. title card
d. subject card
2. You are looking for a book on Maranao legends. At what card will you look?
a. author card
c. index card
b. title card
d. subject card
3. You are looking for a book written by Jose Sionii. What card will you look at?
a. author card
c. index card
b. title card
d. subject card
4. You want information about Malacaang Palace where presidents live. At what
card will you look?
a. author card
c. index card
b. title card
d. subject card

V. Assignment
In a 3 x 5 inch card, prepare an author card for (a) a title card for (b) and a subject
card for (c).
a)
745.5
Q 41h

Handicrafts Handbook by Tomas M. Quilang

(Manila) National Book Store, 1975 with 405 pages
illus, 22 cm.

899.23
Ar 38s

Stories of Juan Tamad by Arguella, Manuel

and
Arguella,
Lyd.
Illustrated
by
J.E.Navarro
(Manila) 1965 unpaged illustrations,
23 F (1.2) cm (First of the Young Readers Serves)

c)
919.14
K11C

Customs and Culture of the Philippines

with illus by M. Kuwata
Tokyo, Tuttle Co., 1963
(196 p. with illus.)

Background Information
Arrangement of Books in the Library
The first step in learning how to use the library is to find out how the books are
arranged on the library shelves. When there is a definite procedure, books can be
located without difficulty.
The most common used arrangement in majority of the libraries throughout the
world is the Dewey Decimal Classification devised by Melvil Dewey. Dewey divided
the whole field of knowledge into ten main classes and assigned to each class a
hundred numbers.
Each division may be divided into small classes. Below is the Decimal

Classification System devised by Dewey.

The Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDCS)
a) 000 009 General Works (Biographies, Dictionaries, Encyclopedia)
b) 100-199
Philosophy (Psychology, Ethics)
c) 200-299
Religion (Mythology, Sects, Theology)
d) 300-399 Sociology (Government, Education, Commerce, Manners and Customs,
Etiquette)
e) 400-499 Language (Languages such as Filipino, English, German, French)
f) 500-599Science (Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Business, Aviation,
Radio and Television)
g) 600-699 Manual Arts (Medicine, Engineering, Home Economics)
h) 700-799
Fine Arts (Sculpture, Painting, Games, Dancing)
i) 800-899 Literature (American Literature, English Literature)
j) 900-999
History (Geography of England, Europe)
The Card Catalog
The card catalog is the guide to the collection of books in the library. It is an
alphabetically list of all books together with the information as to where they may
be located on the shelves.
Author Card
808 Reuter, James B.
R P
Plays for Children/by Father James B. Retuer S.J
Quezon City: R.P.
New Day Publisher
c.1982
Xii 198 pp.
1. Plays

Subject Card
808 Plays
R P

Reuter, James B.
Plays for Children/by Father James B. Retuer S.J
Quezon City: R.P. New Day Publisher
c.1982
Xii 198 pp.

Title Card
808 Plays for Children
R P
Reuter, James B.
Plays for Children/by Father James B. Retuer S.J
Quezon City: R.P.
New Day Publisher
c.1982
Xii 198 pp.

You will see that the card catalog supplies the following information.
1. Name of the author or editor
2. Title
3. Publishing details -- place and date of publication, name of the publisher
4. Length -- number of pages
5. Other information -- maps, illustrations, diagram, glossary
6. Call number
7. Accession numbers
Using the Library
Now that you know the different parts or sections of the library, perhaps you will
be able to start your first taste of research either in your school library or in the
public library.
Notice the drawers in the cabinet. Each drawer is filled with cards. There are
three cards for each book.

Look at the letters on the drawers. Where would you look for a book about
language? The drawer marked J - La would have cards about the subject language.
There is a subject card for each book in the library.
If you know the name of an author, you look up his last name in the card catalog.
There is an author card for each author who has a book in the library.

If you know the title of the book but not the author, you can look up the title in
the title card. There is a title for each book in the library. The title card is filed in
alphabetical order by the first word of a title. If the title begins with A, An, or The,
the card is filed in alphabetical order using the next word.
Checkpoint
If you want a particular book and you know its title, look in the drawer
that covers the first word (except A, An, The) of the title.
If you cannot remember the title of a particular book, but you know the
name of the author, look in the drawer where the first letter of his last name
would be filed.
If you want a book about special subject, such as basketball, look
Copyword.
the call
number,
the
title, and
thewith
name
of the
under that
There
will be
a subject
card
that
labelauthor.
for each book
that the library has about basketball.
Find the section of the library where the books have the same upper
number of the call number as that of the book you want.
Look at the lower part of the call number. Look at the books on the
shelves until you find the right capital letter, number, and small letter given in
the call number.