Library of Congress Classification

1
Library of Congress Classification

• Lecture 12
• Libr 248
• Daniel Stuhlman

2
Historical Note on LCC

• In the late 1890s the collection at LC was
  almost 1 million items and a new building was
  under construction. Many different shelf
  arrangements were being used. In 1897 Charles
  Martel, chief classifier in the Catalogue
  Division between 1897 and 1911, oversaw the
  development of a new system that was adequate for
  the rapidly growing collections. After examining
  existing classifications including Dewey and
  Cutters Expansive Classification, Martel and his
  committee decided to create their own
  classification schedules.

3
Historical Note on LCC 2

• The first schedule, Class Z, bibliography and the
  book arts was published in a preliminary edition
  in 1898 so that the bibliographical materials to
  organize the rest of the collection could be done
  first. The first full edition was published in
  1902. In 1901 the E and F classes were published
  to meet Congressional needs for these materials.
  The KF (Law of the United States) schedule was
  not published until 1969. Some law schedules are
  in still in development (ex. KBM Jewish law)

4
Historical Note on LCC 3

• Many of the characteristics of the schedule grew
  out the piecemeal development. Since LC is
  divided into subject specialty departments, each
  department worked on its own classification
  schedule, according to the needs of the existing
  LC collection and expected growth. Subject
  specialists designed part of the classification
  scheme on the spot. This created different
  kinds of arrangements and supplemental tables.
  Now many scheduled are being edited to remove
  some of the uneven arrangements.
• Additions and Changes, published quarterly keeps
  the library public current for classification
  changes.

5
The LCC System

• The LCC system is based on literary warrant and
  is open ended. A book or other library item has
  to be published in order for the creation of a
  new number. The schedules have evolved over the
  years to take into into account published
  literature and specifically what the Library of
  Congress has in its collection.

6
The LCC System 2

• LCC was designed and developed for use by the
  Library of Congress. LCC was not intended for
  use by other libraries. Problems in the use of
  the system by other libraries result because it
  was designed and developed for use by a single
  library. The vast majority of academic and
  research libraries in American use the LC system.
  Notable exceptions include Northwestern
  University in Evanston, IL and University of
  Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

7
LCC Outline

• A General Works
• GENERAL WORKS (General encyclopedias, reference
  books, periodicals, etc.)
• AE Encyclopedias
• AG Dictionaries and other general reference books
  
• AM Museums
• AY Yearbooks. Almanacs. Directories
• AZ History of scholarship and learning. The
  humanities
• B Philosophy/Religion Philosophy (General)
• BC Logic
• BD Speculative philosophy
• BF Psychology BH Aesthetics
• BJ Ethics. Social usages. Etiquette
• BL Religion BM Judaism
• BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc.
• BQ Buddhism BR Christianity
• BS The Bible BT Doctrinal theology
• BV Practical theology BX Christian
  denominations

8
LCC Outline 2
- DC France - DD Germany -DE The Mediterranean
Region. Greco-Roman World -DF Greece -DG
Italy -DH - DJ Netherlands (Low Countries) -DK
Russia, Former Soviet Union -DL Northern Europe.
Scandinavia -DP Spain -DQ Switzerland -DR Balkan
Peninsula -DS Asia -DT Africa -DU Oceania (South
Seas) -DX Gypsies

• C Auxiliary sciences of history (general)
• CB History of civilization (general)
• CC Archaeology
• CD Archives
• CJ Numismatics
• CN Inscriptions. Epigraphy
• CR Heraldry
• CS Genealogy
• CT Biography (general)
• D HISTORY General and Old World
• D World History, including World Wars
• DA Great Britain
• DB Austria

9
LCC Outline 3

• E-F History of America
• E 1-143 America (General)
• E 151-857 United States (General)
• F 1-957 United States States and local
• F 1001-1140 Canada
• F 1201, etc. Other individual countries
• G Geography, Anthropology, Folklore
• G Geography (General)
• GA Mathematical geography. Cartography
• GB Physical geography
• GC Oceanography
• GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
• GN Anthropology
• GR Folklore
• GT Manners and customs (General)
• GV Recreation. Leisure

10
LCC Outline 4

• H Social Science
• HA Statistics
• HB - HD Economics
• HE Transportation and communications
• HF Commerce
• HG Finance
• HJ Public finance
• HM Sociology
• HN Social history. Social problems. Social
  reform
• HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
• HS Societies Secret, benevolent, etc. Clubs
• HT Communities. Classes. Races
• HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare.
  Criminology
• HX Socialism. Communism. Anarchism

11
LCC Outline 5

• J - Political Science
• JA - JC Political Science
• JF - JQ Constitutional history and public
  administration
• JS Local Government
• JX International Law
• K - Law
• K Law (General)
• KBM Jewish Law (under development)
• KBP Islamic Law and KBX Protestant Law (under
  development)
• KD Law of United Kingdom and Ireland
• KDZ America. North America
• KE Law of Canada
• KF Law of the United States KFA-KFW Law of
  individual states
• KG Latin America
• KH South America
• KJ Europe

12
LCC Outline 6

• L - Education
• L Education (General)
• LA History of Education
• LB Theory and Practice of education
• LC Special aspects of education
• LD - LG Individual institutions Universities,
  colleges
• LH College and school magazines and papers
• LJ Student fraternities and societies, United
  States
• LT Textbooks
• M - Music
• M Scores
• ML Literature of music
• MT Musical instruction

• N - Fine Arts
• NA Architecture
• NB Sculpture
• NC Graphic Arts
• ND Painting
• NK Decorative Arts

13
LCC Outline 7

• P - Language and Literature
• P Philology and linguistics
• PA Classical languages and literatures
• PC Romance language
• PD - PF Germanic languages, incl.
• PE English (i.e. British)
• PG Slavic languages and literatures
• PJ - PL Oriental languages and literatures
• PN General and comparative literature
• PQ Romance literatures
• PR English literature
• PS American literature
• PT Germanic literature
• PZ Fiction in English. Juvenile literature

• 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

14
LCC Outline 8

• R - Medicine
• R Medicine (General)
• RA Public aspects of medicine (public health,
  forensics)
• RB Pathology
• RC Internal medicine. Practice of medicine
• RD Surgery
• RE Ophthalmology
• RF Otorhinolaryngology
• RG Gynecology and obstetrics
• RJ Pediatrics

RK Dentistry RL Dermatology RM Therapeutics.
Pharmacology RS Pharmacy and materia medica RT
Nursing RV Botanics, Thomsonian, and eclectic
medicine RX Homeopathy RZ Other systems of
medicine - chiropractic, osteopathy.
15
LCC Outline 9

• S - Agriculture
• SB Plant culture and horticulture
• SD Forestry
• SF Animal culture
• SH Fish culture and fisheries
• SK Hunting sports
• T - Technology
• TA General engineering, incl. general civil
  engineering
• TC Hydraulic engineering
• TD Sanitary and municipal engineering
• TE Highway engineering
• TF Railroad engineering
• TG Bridge engineering
• TH Building construction
• TJ Mechanical engineering
• TK Electrical engineering. Nuclear engineering
• TR Photography

16
LCC Outline 10

• U - Military Science
• U Military science (General)
• UA Armies Organizations, description,
  facilities.
• UB Military administration
• UC Maintenance and transportation
• UD Infantry
• UE Armored and mechanized cavalry
• UF Artillery
• UG Engineering including chemical warfare,
  signaling and air warfare
• UH Medical services, public relations, social
  welfare, recreation, etc.
• V - Naval Science
• V Naval science (General)
• VA Navies Organizations, description, facilities
• VB Naval administration
• VD Seamen
• VF Naval Ordinance

17
LCC Outline 11

• Z - Bibliography and Library Science
• Including bibliography, library science,
  information science and book trade
• ZA Information resources
• W reserved for National Library of Medicine
• I, O, X, Y are not used

18
What does the call number mean?

• Library of Congress Classification arranges
  materials by subjects.
• The first sections of the call number represent
  the subject of the book.
• The letter-and-decimal section of the call number
  represents the main entry.
• The last line of a call number is the date of
  publication.

19
LC Cutter Table

• (1) After initial vowels
• for the second letter b d l-m
  n p r s-t u-y
• use number 2 3 4
  5 6 7 8 9
• (2) After initial letter S
• for the second letter a ch e
  h-i m-p t u w-z
• use number 2 3 4
  5 6 7 8 9
• (3) After initial letters Qu
• for the second letter a e i o
  r t y
• use number 3 4 5
  6 7 8 9
• For initial letters Qa-Qt, use 2-29
• (4) After other initial consonants
• for the second letter a e i o
  r u y
• use number 3 4 5
  6 7 8 9
• (5) For expansion
• for the letter a-d
  e-h i-l m-o p-s t-v w-z

20
Library of Congress Translation Table

• .x Original work
• .x12 Polyglot (written in several languages)
• .x13 English translation
• .x14 French translation
• .x15 German translation
• .x16 Italian translation
• .x17 Russian translation
• .x18 Spanish translation

21
Location Prefixes

• Reference
• Oversize
• Special collections
• Specific library within system
• Undersize
• Reserve
• Media designator such as audio cassette, video,
  film

22
Shelflisting

• Order goes line by line
• Initial sequence is by class number
• Second within each class sequence order by
  numeric order
• Third use the cutter number(s)Sample order L2,
  L23, L3, L325, L327, L5
• Then year or second cutter
• Finally if volume number is present, order by
  volume.

23
Putting Books in Order
24
Choosing a Class Number

• Method 1 using Classification Web
• Log on with the user name and password
• Choose LC Subject Headings

25
Search
At this screen enter subject heading. I used
labor zionism. Click on browse.
26
Search 2

• Labor Zionism   (May Subd Geog)  R S
  DS150.L3-.L5  B L S
• UF Socialist Zionism
• BT Zionism 
• Labor Zionists   (May Subd Geog)  R S
  BT Zionists

Notice the call number DS150.L3-.L5. Click on
the number.
27
Search 3
Notice that Labor Zionism has three given cutter
numbers, L3, L4, L41-49. Notice this is similar
to Religious Zionism. Choose DS 150 L4.
pretending the item is a general book on Labor
Zionism. Choose a Cutter number based on ME.
Then end with a date.
28
LCC number

• The LCC number for our imaginary book is
• DS DS is for Jewish history
• 150 150 for Zionism
• L4 L4 for Labor Zionism
• G54 Cutter number for ME
• 2004 Date of publication

29
From the printed schedule

• Israel. The Jews.
• 145 Anti-Semitism
• .P49-7, Protocals of the Wise Men of Zion.
• 147 Civil emancipation
• 148 Assimulation.
• Zionism. Restoration. Judenstaat.
• 149 General works
• .A1-39 Periodicals. Society.
• .A4 Congresses
• 150 Special Movements, A-Z
• Under each using successive cutter numbers
• (1) Periodicals. Congresses.
• (2) General Works
• (21-29) Organizations within movement.
• (3) By country
• .G4-6 General Zionism
• .L3-5 Labor Zionism
• .R3-39 Religious Zionism

30
From the printed schedule

• Using the printed schedule the cataloger would
  need to know more about the subject and how to
  synthesize a number

31
Sample Book

• Author Borochov, Ber, 1881-1917.
• Uniform Title Selections. English. 1984
• Title Class struggle and the Jewish nation
  selected essays in Marxist Zionism / Ber Borochov
  edited with introduction by Mitchell Cohen.
• Series Judaica series
• PublishedNew Brunswick, N.J., U.S.A.
  Transaction Books, c1984.
• Physical Descriptionviii, 218 p. 24 cm.
• Call NumberDS150.L4 B59 1984