"The book is in the stacks." What are stacks? They are the shelves that books are on. Book stacks usually have labels at each end indicating what range of call numbers are on the set of shelves. What's a call number? It's the label on the spine or the side of a book that gives a unique number indicating the location of the book in the stacks. Call numbers relate to the main subject of a book, so books with similar subjects are all shelved in the same area.
There are book stacks on all three floors of the Library. The ones you see after leaving the Reference Room house books with the call numbers, L through P. On each floor there are signs telling you the range of call numbers on that floor.
You can also pick up a map/directory at any of the Service Desks.
Looking down one aisle between book stacks, you can see that it would be hard to find an individual book without knowing its unique number -- the call number.
You can easily browse the shelves, reading the titles of books. It's a good way to come across some great books just by accident. If you're looking for books on a particular subject, it's best to use the online library catalog and write down the call numbers for the books on your subject. Then you can browse the shelves in those areas.
The photos below show the kind of label you find on the end of a set of book stacks and a close up of a few books with their call number labels. Want to know more about what those letters mean? How Books are Shelved By Subject gives you a quick list to help you browse.
Next - The Third Floor