Library Of Congress Classification Guide

Library of Congress Classification GuideLC Call Numbers OutlineHow to Read LC Call NumbersUnderstanding LC Call NumbersHow LC Call Numbers are Arranged on the ShelvesPhysical Locations in the LibraryComparing LC with DeweyMay 2004

LC Call Number 9HM-HXHQHVJKKFKFM6601-7199LLBMMLMTNNANBNCNDGeneral WorksEncyclopediasPhilosophy. Psychology. ReligionPsychologyReligionAuxiliary Sciences Of HistoryHistory (Except America)Great BritainFranceGermanySpain - PortugalAsiaHistory: AmericaUnited StatesAfrican AmericansHistory: AmericaUnited States Local HistoryMississippiLatin America. Spanish America.Geography. Anthropology. RecreationAnthropologyFolkloreRecreation. Leisure.Social SciencesBusiness (Economics, Industries, Finance)AccountingSociologyThe Family. Marriage. Women.Social Pathology. Social and Public Welfare. Criminology.Political ScienceLawLaw: U.S.Law: MississippiEducationTeachingMusicLiterature on MusicMusical Instruction and StudyFine ArtsArchitectureSculptureDrawing. Design. Illustration. (Commercial Art)Painting1

PQRRRARSSTTATJTKTXTX 642-840TX341-641UVZLanguage And LiteratureRomance LanguagesGermanic LanguagesEnglish LanguageChinese and Japanese Languages and LiteratureLiterature (General)Drama (Films, Theater, etc.)Romantic Literature (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese)English Literature (British)American LiteratureGermanic LiteratureJuvenile LiteratureScienceMathematics. Computer ScienceAstronomyPhysicsChemistryGeologyNatural History. Public Aspects of Medicine (Public Health, Environmental Health)Pharmacy and Materia MedicaAgricultureTechnology (General)Engineering (General). Civil EngineeringMechanical Engineering and MachineryElectrical Engineering. Electronics.Home EconomicsCookeryNutrition. Food and Food SupplyMilitary ScienceNaval ScienceBibliography. Library Science. Information Resources(General)For a more detailed outline, please tml2

How to Read LC Call NumbersThe call number's appearance differs depending where it is found.On a book's label, the parts of the call number are stacked vertically, and are readfrom top to bottom.In the online catalog, the call number is written horizontally in a single line, and isread from left to right.3

Understanding LC Call NumbersMost call numbers have four parts : General / Broad Subject Narrower Topic Cutter Number (represents author, corporation, or title) Year of PublicationTitle: Price control under fair trade legislationAuthor: Ewald T. GretherHF5415.G671939CommerceBusiness Marketing General worksCutter number for GretherYear of publicationBut there are other forms that call numbers can take. For example:4

Title: More West Highland talesAuthor: John Francis CampbellPBModern languages. Celticlanguages1645 Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic, Erse) Literature Folk literature.C26 Cutter number for Campbellv . 1 Volume 1v . 2 Volume 2Title: Louisbourg portraits : life in an eighteenth-centurygarrison townAuthor: Christopher MooreF1039.5.L8M661982History : America (numbers 1001-1145.2) British America (including Canada)Nova Scotia. AcadiaCities, towns, etc., A-ZLouisbourgCutter number for MooreYear of publication5

Title: The sun also risesAuthor: Ernest HemingwayPS3515.E37S81954American literatureIndividual authors 1900-1960 HAuthor's cutter number, using second letter(hEmingway)Title (sun - the, a, an ignored)Year of publicationTitle: Almanac of the 50 statesREFHA203.A51996Library collections ReferenceStatisticsStatistical data By region or country America United States SerialsTitleYear of publication6

How LC Call Numbers are Arranged on the ShelvesThe average call number has four lines on a book label, and each of thoselines are read differently.The first line is made up of 1-3 letters, and is read in alphabeticalorder.A B BC BF CJ D G GE GR HThe second line is made up of whole numbers, and is readnumerically. The numbers in this line may sometimes havedecimals.1 5 25 78 126 333 790 790.5 1357 4274This line is called the cutter number, which usually representsthe author's last name, but can also stand for the name of acorporation or the book's title. It is read first alphabetically byletter, and then the numbers are read as a decimal.D12 .D3 .G45 .G5 .G56 .G564 .G5643 .G6 .G67 .H27

The last line is the year of publication, and is read inchronological order.1654 1776 1796 1854 1910 1959 1959b 1978 1999 2001Some labels, though, may have more than four lines.This call number has two cutter numbers. The first cutternumber narrows the topic; in this case .M7 stands for Mississippi.The second cutter number on this label, I5, represents the book'stitle. Both are read like the examples of cutter numbers above.Ending the call number may be letters or numbersdesignating the book's order in a series or set. They are readeither numerically (v.1, v.2, v.3, .) or alphabetically (ser.A,ser.B, .). Some common examples are:v.1v.193(1998)v.37, no.2no. 305ser.BSupplVolume 1Volume 193, year 1998Volume 37, Number 2Number 305Series BSupplementThe call number may also end with a copy number (c.2, c.3, .).This is used to tell multiple copies of the same book apart.8

Physical Locations in the Library9

Comparing LC and DeweyThe J.D. Williams Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) classification. Like theDewey Decimal classification system, LC is used both as an unique identifier for eachbook in the library and as a way to group books with similar subjects together on theshelves. Note the similarities and differences in the two classification systems in thetable below, using the book "A Quick Reference to Dining Etiquette" by Shelia M. Longas an example.Why use LC or Dewey?Whether LC or Dewey is used in a library is based on the size of the collection. Dewey isdivided into 10 classes, or broad subjects. This limits the number and variety of callnumbers that can be assigned to books, making it better suited for libraries withsmaller collections, such as school libraries or public libraries. LC, on the other hand,has 21 classes, which allows for more call numbers needed for the greater number ofbooks owned by larger academic libraries.10

Dewey Decimal ClassificationLibrary of Congress Classification000 GeneralitiesAGeneral Works100BPhilosophy. Psychology.Philosophy, ParanormalPhenomena, PsychologyReligion2 0 0 ReligionCAuxiliary Sciences Of History3 0 0 Social sciencesDHistory (General) And HistoryOf Europe4 0 0 LanguageEHistory: America (National)500FHistory: America (Local)GGeography. Anthropology.Natural sciences and mathematics6 0 0 Technology and Applied SciencesRecreation7 0 0 The Arts Fine and Decorative ArtsHSocial Sciences800 Literature (Belles-Lettres)JPolitical ScienceKLawLEducationMMusic And Books On MusicNFine ArtsPLanguage And UMilitary ScienceVNaval ScienceZBibliography. Library Science.and Rhetoric9 0 0 Geography, History, andAuxiliary DisciplinesInformation Resources(General)11

The J.D. Williams Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) classification. Like the Dewey Decimal classification system, LC is used both as an unique identifier for each book in the library and as a way to group books with similar subjects together on the shelves. Note the similarities and differences in the two classification systems in the