Library of Congress Classification & Call Numbers Danielle
Ostendorf
Slide 2
Library of Congress - History Founded in 1800 o "the oldest
federal cultural institution in the nation" Originally in the
Capital o Until the War of 1812 Locations o Thomas Jefferson
Building (1897) o John Adams Building (1938) o James Madison
Memorial Building (1981) The Copyright Office has been part of the
Library since 1870
Slide 3
Who can guess? The number of items the Library of Congress
houses?
http://eastsidebooksbishop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/used-books.jpg
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Library of Congress - Today Largest Library in the World! 151.8
million items o 34.5 million books/printed material o 3.3 million
records o 13.4 million photographs o 5.4 million maps o 6.5 million
pieces of music o 66.6 million manuscripts 10,000 items added DAILY
763,000 congressional reference requests in 2011 508,830
individuals helped through reference services via phone, online or
in-person
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LOC_Main_Reading_Room_Highsmith.jpg
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Herbert Putnam (1861-1955) Preceded by John Russell Young 8th
Librarian of Congress (1899-1939) o Has served the longest term
Progressive Librarian o New Classification Scheme - available
nationwide o Sale & Distribution of printed catalog cards o
Interlibrary loans Created, what is now known as, the Library of
Congress Classification
Slide 6
"The system the Library of Congress devised has not sought to
follow strictly the scientific order of subjects. It has sought
rather a convenient sequence of the various groups" Source:
Humeston http://www.loc.gov/about/librarianoffice/putnam.html
Slide 7
Library of Congress Classification 21 Basic Classes 21
alphabetical classes divided into subclasses o 2 (sometimes 3)
letter combo Each Topic (or Caption) is divided into a division and
assigned a number 1-4 digits in length (1-9999) Divisions then have
Subdivisions
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21 Basic Classes A -- GENERAL WORKS B -- PHILOSOPHY.
PSYCHOLOGY. RELIGION C -- AUXILIARY SCIENCES OF HISTORY D -- WORLD
HISTORY AND HISTORY OF EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, NEW
ZEALAND, ETC. E -- HISTORY OF THE AMERICAS F -- HISTORY OF THE
AMERICAS G -- GEOGRAPHY. ANTHROPOLOGY. RECREATION H -- SOCIAL
SCIENCES J -- POLITICAL SCIENCE K -- LAW L -- EDUCATION M -- MUSIC
AND BOOKS ON MUSIC N -- FINE ARTS P -- LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE Q --
SCIENCE R -- MEDICINE S -- AGRICULTURE T -- TECHNOLOGY U --
MILITARY SCIENCE V -- NAVAL SCIENCE Z -- BIBLIOGRAPHY. LIBRARY
SCIENCE. INFORMATION RESOURCES (GENERAL)
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Library of Congress Classification 21 Basic Classes 21
alphabetical classes divided into subclasses o 2 (sometimes 3)
letter combo o Page 192 in your Student's Guide Each Topic (or
Caption) is divided into a division and assigned a number 1-4
digits in length (1-9999) Divisions then have Subdivisions
Slide 10
CLASS N - FINE ARTS Subclass NA - Architecture NA1-9428
Architecture NA1-60 General NA100-130 Architecture and the state
NA190-1555.5 History NA1995 Architecture as a profession
NA2000-2320 Study and teaching. Research NA2335-2360 Competitions
NA2400-2460 Museums. Exhibitions NA2500-2599 General works NA
2599.5-2599.9 Architectural criticism NA2695-2793 Architectural
drawing and design NA2835-4050 Details and decoration NA4100-8480
Special classes of buildings NA4100-4145 Classed by material
NA4150-4160 Classed by form NA4170-8480 Classed by use
NA4170-(7020) Public buildings NA4590-5621 Religious architecture
NA7100-7884 Domestic architecture. Houses. Dwellings NA7910-8125
Clubhouses, guild houses, etc. NA8200-8260 Farm architecture
NA8300-8480 Outbuildings, gates, fences, etc. NA9000-9428
Aesthetics of cities. City planning and beautifying
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Theory to Practice Which of the 21 Basic Classes would my book
fall under? Which Subclass?
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BL - Religions. Mythology. Rationalism
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Understanding Call Numbers Q E 5 3 4. 2. B 6 4 Class Subclass
Further Definition of Subject Area Division & Subdivision
Cutter Number
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Q E 5 3 4. 2. B 6 4 CLASS Q - SCIENCE Subclass QE QE1-996.5
Geology QE1-350.62 General Including geographical divisions
QE351-399.2 Mineralogy QE420-499 Petrology QE500-639.5 Dynamic and
structural geology QE521-545 Volcanoes and earthquakes QE601-613.5
Structural geology
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Cataloging with LCC ShorthandMeaning (not A-Z)cutter the title
A-Zlook up table A#-Zstart as the desired location.x2A-.x2Zreplace
x and look up tables Cf.Confer
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Tables of general application Regions and Countries Table Table
of American States and Canadian Provinces Biography Table Table of
Translations Tables of limited application Typically in a Class or
Subclass Internal sub-arrangement LC Cutter Table LCC Tables
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Criticism Knowledge as a whole vs Library of Congress
needs
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LCC vs Dewey
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Want a Copy? 41 Printed Volumes (Schedules) o Can be purchased
individually or as a set LoC Website o
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/ Classification Web Cataloger's
Desktop
Slide 20
Conclusion Classification numbers are listed in schedules o
Class Subclass Division o Subdivision Use tables when needed Cutter
numbers keep everything organized o Also gives each item a unique
call number Always add the imprint date
Slide 21
Bibliography Humeston, H. Student's guide to cataloging and
classification. (2008 Edition ed.). St. Paul, MN Library of
congress classification. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcc.html Library of congress online
catalog. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://catalog.loc.gov Rosenberg,
M. (n.d.). About.com. Retrieved from
http://geography.about.com/library/congress/blhowto.htm Rosendburg,
J. (1993). The nations great library: Herbert Putnam and the
library of congress, 1899-1939. University of Illinois press.
Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/about/librarianoffice/putnam.html
Question?