How do I read Library of Congress call numbers?
How do I read call numbers?
Most academic libraries in the United States use the Library of Congress Classification System for call numbers. This system uses a combination of letters and numbers to arrange materials by subjects.
| Read call numbers line by line: |
|---|
| LB | Read the first line in alphabetical order:
A, B, BF, C, D ... L, LA, LB, LC, M, ML ... Z |
| 2395 | Read the second line as a whole number:
1, 2, 3, 45, 100, 101, 1000, 2000, 2430 ... 9999 |
| .C65 | The third line is a combination of letters and numbers. Read the letter alphabetically. Read the number as a decimal, e.g. .C65=.65 and .C724=.724 (Some call numbers have more than one line of this type number.) |
| 1991 | The last line is the year the book was published. These are in chronological order: 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992 ... |
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