How to Read LC Call Numbers

1. Books and other materials
are arranged in the library
according to subject and are
shelved by call number.
You may already know the
Dewey Decimal system, but
the BSC Library uses the
Library of Congress
Classification System
(often called “LC”). Each
item has a unique
call number.
Understanding and Using Call Numbers
Understanding the Library of Congress system and how to
use it will make you a more effective library user.

2. Library of Congress Classification System
Below are the main classes of the Library of Congress Classification. To
see a detailed outline of the subclasses go to
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/lcco.html
A -- General Works L -- Education
B -- Philosophy, Psychology,
Religion
M -- Music and books on music
C -- Auxiliary Sciences of History N -- Fine Arts
D -- History (general) & History of
Europe
P -- Language & Literature
E -- History: America Q -- Science
F -- History: America R -- Medicine
G -- Geography, Anthropology, &
Recreation
S -- Agriculture
H -- Social Sciences T -- Technology
J -- Political Sciences U -- Military Science
K -- Law Z -- Bibliography, Library Science,
& Information Resources

3. BR
535
.R437
1985
You will see call numbers written
different ways.
Typically, call numbers appear on
the spines of books and are read
vertically.
How do you read call numbers?

4. In bibliographies and in online catalogs, call numbers are usually
written in one line.
Here is an example from the BSC Online catalog:
BR 535 .R437 1985

5. The first part, 1 or 2 letters, represents the subject
of the item.
B is the LC classification that includes religion, and
within that, BR is the classification for “Christianity”
Read the first line in alphabetical order:
A, B, BF, BR,. . . C. . . L, LA. . .M. . .
So, “BR” is shelved after “BF” and before “BT”.
BR
535
.R437
1985
Parts of a Call Number

6. The second part explains the subject further:
535 narrows “Christianity” by “history” and then
by “region or country.”
In this case, BR 535 refers to the history of
Christianity in the American South.
Read the second line as a whole number:
1, 2, 3, 45, 100.25, 101, 1542, 2000, etc.
In this example, “BR 535” will be located after
“BR 530.7" and before “BR 540”.
BR
535
.R437
1985
Parts of a Call Number

7. The third part (and sometimes a fourth) combines letters
and numbers. It identifies the title or sometimes the author.
Read the letter alphabetically and the number as a decimal.
Imagine that there is an “invisible” decimal point between
the letter and the number.
.A2, . . .B42, .B425, .B55. . .H 352, .H49
.B425 = .425 .B55 = .55
So, on the shelves you would find:
BR
535
.R437
1985
Parts of a Call Number
BR
535
.R437
1985
BR
535
.R44
1983
on the
shelf
before

8. BR
535
.R437
1985
The last line of the call number represents the year
the item was published. Read this line in chronological
order.
1982, 1985. . . 1999, 2000. . .
Note: Not all call numbers include a year of publication,
but most newer items will.
Parts of a Call Number

9. BA
1
.D15
BR
534.15
.D2
1988
BR
534.6
.M29
1993
BR
535
.R437
1985
BR
535
.R44
1983
BS
650
.S2
2000
BT
5
.B32
1952
BT
5
.B32
1995
B
1
.D15
1990
The following books are in call number order as they would
appear on the shelves.
Take a look at each line:
B before BR 534.15 before 534.6
.R437 before .R44 1952 before 1995

10. If you have any questions about call numbers or finding material in the BSC
Library be sure to ask at any service desk.
Send your Reference questions to libref@bsc.edu
This information was adapted from the Honolulu Community College web site, written by Nadine Leong-Kurio.
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/callno.html
Ask Your Librarians
At BSC Library