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Library of Congress Classes & Shelving

How are books (and other items) classified?

There are two basic systems that libraries use for classifying most books (and movies, and other kinds of items):

 

1) the Dewey Decimal system (example call number: 231.8 L525t)

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2) the Library of Congress system (example call number: B2590 .E5  (This is what we use! )

 

All Dewey Decimal call numbers begin with a number.  All Library of Congress call numbers begin with a letter.

If the item is here, at the Loyola Notre Dame Library, it will of course have a Library of Congress call number.  So the next logical questions are - 

1) What does a Library of Congress call number mean?

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2) How do I find the item in the library?

 

 

 Go to the next two tabs in this help guide to find out the answers to these questions!