Library of Congress Call Numbers
What does the call number mean?
The Library of Congress Classification System arranges materials by subjects. A call number usually consists of three sections:
- Initial letter(s) + whole number = the subject of the book
- Following letter + decimal number = the author’s name or the book’s title
- Year of publication
|
The Book: Successful study for degrees Author: Barnes, Rob. Call Number: LB2395 .B32 1992 |
|
LB2395 Methods of study in higher education |
|
.B32 The author’s last name .B32 = Barnes |
|
1992 The year the book was published. |
The initial letter or letters in a call number identifies the subject of a book. Below is a brief outline of the Library of Congress Classification.
LC Classification Summary
|
Call # Class |
Content |
Call # Class
|
Content |
|
A |
General Works |
PS |
American Literature
|
|
B |
Philosophy-Religion-Psychology |
PT |
Germanic Literature
|
|
C |
History (Civilization) |
Q |
Science
|
|
D |
History (Except America) |
QA |
Mathematics
|
|
E |
American History |
QB |
Astronomy
|
|
F |
Local American, Latin American History
|
QC |
Physics |
|
G |
Geography-Anthropology |
QD |
Chemistry
|
|
H |
Social Science |
QE |
Geology
|
|
J |
Political Science |
QH |
Biology
|
|
K |
Law |
QK |
Botany
|
|
L |
Education |
QL |
Zoology
|
|
M |
Music Scores |
QM |
Human Anatomy
|
|
ML |
Music (Literature of Music) |
QP |
Physiology
|
|
N |
Fine Arts |
QR |
Microbiology
|
|
P |
Linguistics |
R |
Medicine
|
|
PC |
Romance Languages |
S |
Agriculture
|
|
PD |
Germanic Languages |
T |
Technology
|
|
PE |
English Languages |
U |
Military Science
|
|
PQ |
Romance Literature |
V |
Naval Science
|
|
PR |
English Literature |
Z |
Bibliography, Library Science |
For a detailed listing of the LC Classification, visit the Library of Congress Web page at http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/lcco.html