At the Proctor Library, we use the alphanumeric Library of Congress Classification System. This allows us to easily and efficiently keep track of the large amount of books in our collection. As a work study employee, part of your responsibility will be to use this system to shelve books and ensure that the shelves are properly ordered. This tutorial will teach you how to use the LCC system to shelve books, shelf-read, and to perform general stack maintenance.
How to Read a Call Number
Introduction
A call number is like an address for a book. It tells you exactly where to go to find the book, or where the book should be returned. The call number is made up of letters, whole numbers, decimals, a publication date, and occasionally a volume and/or copy number. This allows for each book to have a specific location. One book’s location cannot be confused with another book’s location.
For example, a library patron may wish to find Speedway to Sunshine: The Story of the Florida East Coast Railway. To find this book, the patron must go to the library’s website and search for the book using the online library catalog. After the patron conducts the search they will find this call number in the book’s display record:
HE2791 .F53 B73 2003
But the call number actually looks like this on the spine of the book:
HE
2791
.F53
B73
2003
Alphanumeric Subject
The LCC system uses the beginning letters and first line of numbers to indicate the subject of the book. These letters are in alphabetical order. For example, the letter D comes before K, and so forth. Similarly, the letter H comes before HE, which comes before HF.
The numbers immediately following the first letter(s) are read as whole numbers. For example, 2791 comes before 5620 but after 193. Sometimes there are decimals in the first number. In these cases, the whole numbers are read as before, but the numbers following the decimal are read as decimals.
How do we read decimals? How are they different from whole numbers?
For example, 212.16 comes before 212.5 because .16 is a smaller decimal number than .50. Similarly, 212.257836 comes before 212.3 because .257836 is a smaller decimal number than .300000.
Cutter Numbers
The next part of the call number (.F53) is referred to as the Cutter number. It is called a Cutter number after Charles Ammi Cutter, who developed the Cutter Expansive Classification scheme in the late 19th century. This original system was later adapted by the Library of Congress.
Cutter numbers contain letters, which are ordered alphabetically, and decimal numbers. So, for example, .F53 comes after .A38 and .A83, but before .M37 and .U55.
Some books like the example above have two Cutter numbers. They are both read as decimals even though the second Cutter number does not contain a decimal (in order to distinguish the two numbers).
Date of Publication
Beneath the Cutter numbers is the date of publication. This is to be shelved in chronological order for the same book. For example, a 2003 second edition comes after the original 1984 publication.
Volume Numbers
Sometimes a call number will contain a volume number, labeled v.1, v.2, etc. These are shelved in whole number numerical order within the set of books.
Copy Numbers
A call number will contain a copy number if there are multiple copies of the same book on the shelf, labeled c.1, c.2, etc. These are shelved in whole number order. This is seen in our example above.
One thing to always keep in mind when shelving books and shelf-reading is that nothing comes before something. If a book contains no volume number, that book comes before a book within a set that does contain a volume number. If a book contains no date in the call number, that book comes before the same book that does have a date in the call number.
Review of LCC Rules
- The first line is always a Letter line and is filed alphabetically.
- The second line is a Whole Number line and is filed numerically.
- Sometimes the second line is decimalized and continued on the same line or on the third line. Anytime you see a decimal point, always take each space separately (do not consider it a whole number).
- Generally the third line is a Cutter Line. It begins with a decimal, then a letter. Always read each digit separately in the Cutter Line. Remember if there is a decimal point, take one space at a time. The Cutter Line may also be split on two lines, but when this occurs there is only a decimal point at the very beginning of the Cutter Line.
- Other lines may include volume numbers, copy numbers, dates or a combination.
- Letters come before numbers.
- Nothing comes before something.
- No date comes before a date.
- Volumes are compared before copies.
- Copies are compared before dates.
It is very important to take your time when shelving and to look carefully at every aspect of a call number.
If you have any questions about the LC classification system, ask your supervisor!