Library of Congress Classification

The library classifies the collection by the Library of Congress Classification scheme. It uses alphabets for main subject divisions and numbers to subdivide classified information.

Call Numbers
Call numbers help in locating materials cataloged by the library.

Background of the LC System
In 1800 in Washington, DC, the Library of Congress was established to meet the information needs of the Congress of the United States. It now serves as the national library of the United States. It contains over 100 million items, including over 27 million books and pamphlets. As new books are published, the Library of Congress keeps a record of the items cataloged.

The outline of the Library of Congress classification scheme (LC) was first drawn up in 1897. It has undergone several expansions and continuous revisions. The classification system is popular because it allows excellent subdivisions of all subjects. A large number of American libraries use this scheme as well as many university libraries throughout the world.

Library of Congress Classification Scheme
This is an abbreviated outline of the subjects used in the Library of Congress scheme for classifying library materials.
A     General works
B     Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
             B       Philosophy
             BC      Logic
             BF      Psychology
             BL-BX   Religion
C-F   History
             CC      Archaelogy
             CS      Genealogy
             CT      Biography
             DA      Great Britain
             DC      France
             DD      Germany
             DE      Classical Antiquity
             DK      Russia, Poland
             DL      Scandinavia
             DP      Spain, Portugal
             DS      Asia
             DT      Africa
             E       America (general) & United States (general)
             F       United States (local), Canada, Latin America
G-H     Social Sciences
             G       Geography (general)
             GN      Anthropology
             GV      Physical Education, Recreation
             HA      Statistics
             HB-HJ   Economics & Business
             HM-HX   Sociology
J     Political Science
             JC      Political Theory
             JF-JQ   Costitutional History, Public Administration
             JS      Local Government
             JX      International Law
K     Law
             K       Law (general)
             KF      Law of the United States
L     Education
             LA      History of Education
             LB      Theory of Practice
             LD-LG   Colleges & Universities
M     Music
             M       Scores
             ML      Literature
             MT      Musical Instruction
N     Fine Arts
             NA      Architecture
             NB      Sculpture
             NC      Drawing
             ND      Painting
             NE      Print Media
             NK      Decorative
P     Language and Literature
             P       Philosophy
             PA      Classical Language & Linguistics (general)
             PC      Romance Languages
             PE      English Language
             PF      German Language
             PG      Slavic Languages & Literature
             PJ      Oriental Languages & Literature
             PL      Asian, African Languages & Literature
             PM      American Indian Languages
             PN      Literary History & Collections (general)
             PQ      Romance Literature
             PR      English Literature
             PS      American Literature
             PT      German Literature
Q     Science
             Q       Science
             QA      Mathematics
             QB      Astronomy
             QC      Physics
             QD      Chemistry
             QE      Geology
             QH      Natural History
             QK      Botany
             QL      Zoology
             QM      Human Anatomy
             QP      Physiology
             QR      Bacteriology
R     Medicine (General)
             RA      Public Aspects Medicine
             RC      Internal Medicine
             RM      Theraputics, Pharmacy
             RT      Nursing
S     Agriculture
             SB      Plant Culture
             SD      Forestry
             SF      Animal Culture
             SH      Fish Culture & Fisheries
             SK      Hunting, Wildlife Management
T     Technology
             TA      Engineering (general), Civil Engineering
             TC      Hydraulic Engineering
             TD      Environmental Engineering
             TE      Highway Engineering
             TH      Building Construction
             TJ      Mechanical Engineering
             TK      Electrical Engineering
             TL      Motor Vehicles, Aeronautics
             TN      Mining, Metallurgy
             TP      Chemical Engineering
             TR      Photography
             TS      Manufactures
             TT      Handicrafts
             TX      Home Economics
U     Military Science
V     Naval Science
Z     Bibliography and Library Science

For additional help in understanding the arrangement of the library's collection consult a reference librarian.

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This page created and maintained by Saundra Peterson