Library of Congress Classification; Los Angeles Valley College Library

Los Angeles Valley College
Library
5800 Fulton Ave.
Valley Glen, California, 91401-4096
Phone: 818-947-2425
Fax: 818-947-2751

Library of Congress Classification

Using Call Numbers
What Is a Call Number?
In libraries call numbers serve more than one purpose:

A unique identification number. Each book has its own unique call number which is taped to the lower outside edge of the book's spine.
Books written about the same subject have similar call numbers, grouping them together on the shelf and making it easier for you to browse the library's holdings on a specific topic.
A location code. A book's call number also appears in the online computer catalog. Once you have located the entry for a specific book, note its call number and then look for the book in call number order on the library shelves (also called the "stacks").

Library of Congress (LC) Call Numbers

most academic and research libraries use a classification system called Library of Congress (LC) call numbers, which begin with letters of the English alphabet
in the online catalog, the call number is listed on a single line, with spaces between the four parts:
HT871 .F69 1983
in the LC system, works of fiction are assigned call numbers in the same way as nonfiction. However, in this library works of fiction can be found at the end of the Z's in the Fiction collection, shelved alphabetically by the author's last name.

How Are LC Call Numbers Shelved?
Library of Congress call numbers usually have four lines or elements.
The call number for the book Fruits of Merchant Capital by Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, published in 1983, has a call number:

First line: The first line can be either a single or a double letter. If a book's call number begins with a single letter which is the same as the first letter of a call number which begins with a double letter, then the book with the single letter is shelved first, or to the left, on the shelf.
For example, in the section for the Ns the correct sequence would be N, NA, NB, NC to NX followed by P, PA, PB, etc.
Second line: The second line of an LC call number is always a whole number from 1 to 9999. If the letters on the first line of the call number are the same, the book with the smaller number on the second line is shelved to the left of the book with the larger number.
Third line: The third line of an LC call number is always a decimal point, followed by a letter and a number. Books are shelved alphabetically according to the letter to the right of the decimal point. For example, a book with .G on the third line of its call number would be shelved to the left of a book with .H. If two books have the same letter on the third line, then the book with the smaller decimal number is shelved to the left of the book with the larger number. For example, .G53 is shelved to the left of .G532 because .53 is a smaller decimal number than .532.
Fourth line: The fourth line of an LC call number is always a year of publication or a volume number. An earlier edition of the same work is always shelved to the left of a later edition A lower volume number is shelved to the left of a higher volume number.

In the following outline of Library of Congress classification, the major divisions are indicated by a single letter. The major subjects are subdivided into narrower categories, indicated by a double letter.

Finding Books Library Home

Library of Congress Classification

A - General Works

B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion

C - Auxiliary Sciences of History

D - History - General and Eastern Hemisphere, Old World

E-F: History - Western Hemisphere

G - Geography, Anthropology, Recreation

H - Social Sciences

J - Political Science

K - Law

L - Education

M - Music

N - Fine Arts

P - Language and Literature

Q - Science

R - Medicine

S - Agriculture

T - Technology and Engineering

U - Military Science

V - Naval Science

Z - History of Books, Library Science, Bibliography

Finding Books Library Home

December 2000