Library of Congress Classification Outline

Beginning in the Summer 2007, the Library is reorganizing its book collection, using the Library of Congress classification system.

Each book is assigned a Library of Congress call number which is like an address: it tells you where the book is located in the library. The LC system uses a combination of letters and numbers to arrange materials by subjects.  The first sections of the call number represent the subject of the book. The decimal-letter section of the call number represents the author's last name. The last section of a call number is the date of publication. Call numbers read from left to right in the online catalog (such as LB2387 .C65 2006) and from top to bottom on the spines of books:

LB
2387
.C65
2006

The general LC subject categories are:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | Z

Class A: General Works

AC

Collected works

AE

Encyclopedias

AG

Dictionaries and other general reference works

AI

Indexes

AM

Museums

AN

Newspapers

AP

Periodicals

AS

Academies and learned societies

AY

Yearbooks. Almanacs. Directories

AZ

History of scholarship and learning

Class B: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion

B

Philosophy (general)

BC

Logic

BD

Speculative philosophy

BF

Psychology. Parapsychology. Occultism

BH

Aesthetics

BJ

Ethics

BL

Religions. Mythology. Rationalism

BM

Judaism

BP

Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc.

BQ

Buddhism

BR

Christianity

BS

The Bible

BT

Christianity: Doctrinal theology

BV

Christianity: Practical theology

BX

Denominations and sects

Class C: Auxiliary Sciences of History

C

Auxiliary sciences of history (general)

CB

History of civilization and culture

CC

Archaeology

CD

diplomatic. Archives. Seals

CEO

Chronology

CJ

Numismatics

CN

Inscriptions. Epigraphy

CR

Heraldry

CS

Genealogy

CT

Biography

Class D: History (except America)

D

History (general)

DA

Great Britain

DB

Austria. Liechtenstein. Hungary. Czechoslovakia

DC

France

DD

Germany

DE

Mediterranean Region. Greco-Roman world

DF

Greece

DG

Italy. Malta

DH

Netherlands (Low Countries). Belgium. Luxembourg

DJ

Netherlands (Holland)

DJK

Eastern Europe

DK

Russia. Soviet Union. Poland

DL

Northern Europe. Scandinavia

DP

Spain. Portugal

DQ

Switzerland

DR

Balkan Peninsula. Turkey

DS

Asia

DT

Africa

DU

Oceania. Australia. New Zealand

DX

Gypsies

Class E: America (Western Hemisphere)

E11 - E143

America

E151 - E887

United States

E184.5 - E185.98

African-Americans

E186 - E199

Colonial history, 1607-1775

E201 - E298

The Revolution, 1775-1783

E300 - E453

Revolution to the Civil War

E456 - E655

Civil War period, 1861-1865

E660 - E738

Late nineteenth century, 1865-1899

E740 - E837.7

Twentieth century, 1900-1960

E838 - E887

Twentieth century, 1961-

Class F: History - United States (local). Canada. Central America. South America

F1 - F975

United States (local history)

F1001 - F1140

Canada

F1201 - F1392

Mexico

F1401 - 3799

Central and South American. Caribbean

Class G: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation

G

Geography. Atlases. Maps

GA

Mathematical geography. Cartography

GB

Physical geography

GC

Oceanography

GE

Environmental sciences

GF

Human ecology

GN

Anthropology. Ethnology. Ethnography

GR

Folklore

GT

Manners and customs

GV

Sports. Recreation. Games

Class H: Social Sciences

H

Social Sciences (general)

HA

Statistics

HB

Economic theory

HC

Economic history and conditions

HD

Land. Agriculture. Industry

HE

Transportation and communications

HF

Commerce

HG

Finance

HJ

Public Finance

HM

Sociology (General)

HN

Social history

HQ

Family. Marriage. Women

HS

Societies. Clubs

HT

Communities. Classes. Races

HV

Social pathology. Criminology. Social services

HX

Communism. Socialism. Anarchism

Class J: Political Science

J

General legislative and executive papers

JA

Political science (general)

JC

Political theory

JF

Constitutional history - General

JK

Constitutional history - United States

JL

Constitutional history - Canada. Latin America

JN

Constitutional history - Europe

JS

Local government

JV

Colonization. Emigration. Immigration

JX

International law. International relations

JZ

International relations

Class K: Law

K

Law (general)

KD

United Kingdom. Ireland

KE

Canada

KF

United States

KG

Latin America (General). Mexico. Central America

KH

South America

KJ - KKZ

Europe

KL - KP

Asia and Eurasia

KQ - KT

Africa

KU - KW

Pacific Area

KZ

Law of nations (including treaties, international law, law of the sea and space law)

Class L: Education

L

Education (general)

LA

History of education

LB

Educational theory and practice

LC

Special aspects of education

LD

Individual institutions - United States

LE

Individual institutions - Americas except the U.S.

LF

Individual institutions - Europe

LG

Individual institutions - Asia. Africa. Oceania

LH

College and school publications

LJ

Student fraternities and sororities

LT

Textbooks (General)

Class M: Music

M1.A1 - M1.A15

Manuscripts and printed music in the United States pre-1860

M1.A5 - M3

Collections, collected works of individual composers

M5 - M1490

Instrumental music

M1495 - 5000

Vocal music

M

Music scores

ML

Literature on music

MT

Music instruction and study

Class N: Fine Arts

N

Visual arts (general)

NA

Architecture

NB

Sculpture

NC

Graphic arts (drawing, design, illustration)

ND

Painting

NE

Print media

NK

Decorative arts. Applied arts

NX

Arts in general

Class P: Languages and Literatures

P

Linguistics

PA

Classical languages and literature (Greek and Latin)

PB

Modern European languages (general). Celtic languages and literature

PC

Romance languages

PD

Germanic languages. Scandinavian languages

PE

English language

PF

West Germanic languages. Dutch, Flemish

PG

Slavic languages and literature

PH

Finno-Ugrian, Basque languages and literatures

PJ

Oriental languages and literatures

PK

Indo-Iranian languages and literatures

PL

East Asian languages and literatures

PM

American Indian languages. Artificial languages

PN

Literature. Literary history and collections. Performing Arts

PQ

Romance literatures

PR

English literature

PS

American literature

PT

Germanic literatures

PZ

Children's literature

Class Q: Science

Q

Science (general)

QA

Mathematics. Computer science

QB

Astronomy

QC

Physics

QD

Chemistry

QE

Geology

QH

Natural history. Biology

QK

Botany

QL

Zoology

QM

Human anatomy

QP

Physiology

QR

Microbiology

Class R: Medicine

R

Medicine (general)

RA

Public aspects of medicine

RB

Pathology

RC

Internal medicine

RD

Surgery

RE

Ophthalmology

RG

Gynecology and obstetrics

RJ

Pediatrics

RK

Dentistry

RL

Dermatology

RM

Therapeutics. Pharmacology

RS

Pharmacy. Materia medica

RT

Nursing

RV

Botanic. Thomsonian and eclectic medicine

RX

Homeopathy

RZ

Other systems of medicine

Class S: Agriculture

S

Agriculture (general)

SB

Plant culture

SD

Forestry

SF

Animal culture

SH

Aquaculture. Fisheries. Fishing

SK

Hunting sports

Class T: Technology

T

Technology (general)

TA-TK

Engineering

TL

Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics

TN

Mining. Metallurgy

TP

Chemical technology

TR

Photography

TS

Manufactures

TT

Handicrafts. Arts and crafts

TX

Home economics. Cooking

Class U: Military Science

U

Military science (general)

UA-UH

Armies and air forces

Class V: Naval Science

V

Naval science (general)

VA-VM

Navies and marines

Class Z: Bibliography: Library Science

Z 4 - Z 115.5

Books (General). Writing

Z 116 - Z 659

Book industries and trade

Z 662 - Z 1000.5

Libraries

Z 1001 - Z 8999

Bibliography

ZA

Information resources