HOW TO

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HOW TO
READ
A LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
CALL NUMBER
Let's get started!
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CONTENTS
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CALL NUMBER WHAT IS IT?!
THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF AN LC CALL NO.
WHAT IS THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM?
READING A LBRARY OF CONGRESS CALL NUMBER
HOW TO FIND YOUR BOOK ON THE SHELF
Any time you want to come back here, click
on this
Let's Go!
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The Library of Congress Call Number (or LC CALL
NO.)

• A Library of Congress Call Number, or an LC Call
  No. is used like the address of a book, so
  that you can find it on the shelf.

An LC Call No. can be found on the spine of a
book.
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More on the LC Call No

• Many libraries use the
• Library of Congress Call
• Number system because
• It is so accurate and
• thorough.
• Next, well take a
• look at the different parts of
  an
• LC Call No.

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The Different Parts of an LC Call NO.
The first two lines describe the subject of a book
The third line often represents the authors
last name
the last line represents the date of publication
Though all call numbers areDifferent, they have
the same setup.
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An Example

• The call number that you just saw is for the
  following book
• TITLE Uncensored War The Media and Vietnam
• AUTHOR Daniel C. Hallin
• CALL NO DS559.46 .H35 1986
• DS559.45 Vietnamese Conflict (subject)

Now, lets see if you can remember what LC Call
Numbers are made of!
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Test your knowledge!
Below youll see the call number that weve been
talking about so far. Without going back to
sneak a peek, can you name the different parts?
Click on the star next to the answer you
think is right!
The first two lines describe the
The last name of the author of the book
The name of the publisher of the book
The subject area covered by the book
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the parts of
  an LC Call No. portion of the lesson, to sneak a
  peek.

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THATS CORRECT!

• Hey smarty-pants, nice going! Can you name the
  remaining parts of an LC Call No.?

HOORAY!
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Name the parts of an LC Call No..
Click on the star next to the answer you
think is right!
The 3rd line often represents the..
First letter of the title of the book
The authors last name
The name of the publisher
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the parts of
  an LC Call No. portion of the lesson, to sneak a
  peek.

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THATS CORRECT!

• Hey, great job! Can you name the last remaining
  part of an LC Call No.?

Yaaaay!
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Name the parts of an LC Call No..
Click on the star next to the answer you
think is right!
The last line represents the..
The year that the author was born
The year the book was published
The number of books the author has written
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the parts of
  an LC Call No. portion of the lesson, to sneak a
  peek.

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THATS CORRECT!

• Hey, great job! Looks like youre ready to move
  on!

Woo Hoo!
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The LC Classification System
The Library of Congress assigns a different
subject to each letter of the alphabet. What
this means for you is that when you find a book
on the shelf, all the other books around it are
going to share the same subject.
Since all of our call numbers start with the same
letters, we have the same subject. We figured
wed hang out together on the shelf to keep
things simple.
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An Example..
TX394A931993
TX394N621985
TX397B81934
TX401A91964
TX402M3
TX392A1721986
TX392D651984
TX392E841999
TX392G521979
TX392I232004
TX392M83
TX392S721995
This is a typical group of books that youd find
in the stacks. Notice how all of their call
numbers start with the same letters? These books
all happen to share the same subject In
this case, its Vegetarianism. Next,
well take a look at some more subjects
that youll be running into!
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K-Law L-Education M-Music N-Fine Arts P-Language
and Linguistics Q-Science and Math R-Medicine S-Ag
riculture T-Technology U-Military Science V-Naval
Science Z-Bibliography, Library Science
AGeneral Works BPhilosophy, Religion,
Psych C-History (Civilization) D-History (Except
America) E-American History F-Local American,
Latin American History G-Geography,
Anthropology H-Social Sciences J-Political
Science
Library of Congress Subject Headings
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How to read an LC Call No.
When you read an LC Call No., youre reading it
line by line, starting at the top (first line).
TX392A1721986
Read the first line of a call no. alphabetically
Read the second line as a whole number
The 3rd line is a combination of letters and
numbers. Read the letter alphabetically, and the
number as a decimal.
Read this line as a whole number, and in
chronological order 1985, 1991, 1992
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Reading the numbers in the 3rd line of an LC Call
No.
TX392A1721986
You would read this number, 172, as .172
Just stick a decimal point in front of the number!
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Finding a book on the shelf
Alright, so far youve learned what the different
parts of an LC Call No. are, and how to read
them. You need to be sure that you know how to
read an LC Call No., or you wont be able to find
your book on the shelf once you find it in the
catalog.
Are you ready to test your skills by putting
some books in call number order? If so, lets
go! If youre not ready, please feel free to
review the material that weve
gone over so far.
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These books are all out of order! Can you help?
Click on the star underneath the book you think
would appear first on the shelf.
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the how to
  read an LC Call No. part of the lesson, to sneak
  a peek.

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THATS CORRECT!

• Hey, youre great! Lets go and put the next
  book in order!

Nice One!
Next
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1
Now, click on the star underneath the book you
think would appear second on the shelf.
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the how to
  read an LC Call No. part of the lesson, to sneak
  a peek.

Back
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THATS CORRECT!

• Hey, youre a genius! Lets go and put the next
  book in order!

Good work!
Next
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2
1
Now, click on the star underneath the book you
think would appear third on the shelf.
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the how to
  read an LC Call No. part of the lesson, to sneak
  a peek.

Back
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THATS CORRECT!

• Brilliant! Lets go and put the next book in
  order!

Neato!
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2
3
1
Now, click on the star underneath the book you
think would appear fourth on the shelf.
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the how to
  read an LC Call No. part of the lesson, to sneak
  a peek.

Back
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THATS CORRECT!

• Excellent! Lets go and put the next book in
  order!

Whoopee!
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2
3
4
1
Now, click on the star underneath the book you
think would appear fifth on the shelf.
35
DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the how to
  read an LC Call No. part of the lesson, to sneak
  a peek.

Back
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THATS CORRECT!

• Nice one! Lets go and put the next book in
  order!

Wheeeee!
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2
3
4
1
5
Now, click on the star underneath the book you
think would appear sixth on the shelf.
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DOH! TRY AGAIN.

• You can either go back to the question to give it
  another shot, or you can go back to the how to
  read an LC Call No. part of the lesson, to sneak
  a peek.

Back
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THATS CORRECT!

• Great! Lets go and put the last book in order!

Good goin'!
Next
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2
3
4
1
6
5
Gee, I wonder which book is going to appear
seventh on the shelf (pssst why dont you click
on that last star to find out!!)
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Wonderful!
Look at that! Beautiful. Well, it looks like
youre ready to go and find some books for
yourself in the stacks, by finding and reading an
LC Call No. Just remember what youve
learned today, and youll do great!