Basic Subject Outline
Reading LC Call Numbers
Randall Library's materials are arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification Scheme and each item is assigned an individual call number according to the subject area the item falls under. Listed below is a brief subject outline of LC Classification and the corresponding base call number. Also included is a tutorial for reading and understanding the order of LC Call Numbers.

If you need further assistance, ask for assistance at the Reference Desk.

Outline of the Library of Congress Classification

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A General Work AE Encyclopedias AI Indexes AY Almanacs B Philosophy/Psychology/Religion B-BD Philosophy BF Psychology BL-BX Religion C History: Related Fields CC Archaeology CD Archives CT Biography D History: (except America) E History: America (General) & U.S. (General) F History: U.S. (Local) & North American (except U.S.), Central America, and South American G Geography/Anthropology/Recreation G-GF Geography GN Anthropology GR Folklore GV Recreation H Social Sciences HA Statistics HB-HE Economics HD Labor (Professions) HF Commerce, Accounting, Advertising HG Finance HM Sociology HQ Family, Marriage, Women's Studies HV Social Pathology, Welfare & Criminology HX Socialism, Communism $ Anarchism J Political Science JK United States JX International Law K Law KF Law of the U.S. KFN Law of North Carolina L Education LA History of Education LB Theory & Practice of Education LC Special Aspects of Education M Music M Musical Score ML Literature of Music MT Musical Instruction and Study

N Fine Arts N Visual Arts NA Architecture NB Sculpture NC Drawing ND Painting NE Print Media NK Decorative Arts NX Arts in General P Languages and Literature P Philology, Linguistics, Communication PA Classical Languages & Literatures PB-PH Modern European Languages PE English Language PN Literary History and Collections PQ Romance Literature PR English Literature PS American Literature PT Germanic Literature Q Science QA Mathematics (including Computer Sciences) QC Physics QE Geology QH Natural History (including General Biology) QK Botany QL Zoology QP Physiology QR Microbiology R Medicine RA Public Aspects of Medicine RC Internal Medicine and Practice of Medicine RT Nursing S Agriculture SB Plant Culture SD Forestry SH Aquaculture T Technology TD Environmental Technology TP Chemical Technology U Military Science V Naval Science Z Bibliography and Library Science

For more detail, visit the Library of Congress' web page:  http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/lcco.html

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Reading Library of Congress Call Numbers

1. Every Library of Congress (LC) call number begins with one to three letters, followed by various combinations of whole numbers, decimal numbers, and/or letters. Sometimes at the end of the call number will be a year, a volume number, and a copy number.
2. Items are arranged in alpha-numeric order, with single-letter call numbers shelved ahead of multiple letter call numbers with the same first letter.
   Thus, H40 comes before HA1.
3. Numbers to the left of the decimal point in LC call numbers are whole numbers.
   Thus, HF54 (HF Fifty-four) comes before HF5381 (HF Five-thousand, three-hundred, eight-one).
4. Numbers to the right of the decimal point in LC call numbers are decimal numbers.
   Thus, HF5381 .M37 (M Thirty-seven hundredths) comes before HF5381 .M5 (M Five-tenths or Fifty-hundredths).

The following call numbers are in correct shelf order for the reasons given:

• GV1787 .D513
• H40 .A2 I5 - H comes after G alphabetically
• HA1 .D3 1989 - HA comes after H
• HA1 .D3 1990 1990 - comes after 1989
• HF54 .U5 P74 - HF comes after HA
• HF5381 .E52 - 5,381 is larger than 54
• HF5381 .M37 - M comes after E
• HF5381 .M5 - .5 (.50) is larger than .37
• HF5415 .S272 - 5,415 is larger than 5,381
• HF5415.1263 .B46 - 5415.126 is larger than 5415 (5415.0000)
• HF5415.2 .S89 - .2(.2000) is larger than .1263

For practice with LC call number order use this exercise from the University of Pittsburg: http://www.pitt.edu/~ford29/SatchLCall/COMPLETE/quizonly.html

Last Update: September 6, 2006

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