Library of
Congress
Classification
Access Services Student
Worker Training
Seattle Pacific University
Library
Library of Congress Classification

Several of the SPU Library guiding principles relate to the
space, collection, and materials.

Access Services student workers play a very important role
in helping keep the space and collection organized and
accessible. One of the biggest ways student workers do this
is through shelving returned books and pulling holds.

To do this, knowledge of the Library of Congress
Classification system is needed.

The Library of Congress Classification is a system developed
by the Library of Congress used by most research and
academic libraries in the United States. SPU uses this
classification for the majority of the collection.

Local call numbers are sometimes used for other items in
the collection.
How to Read a Call Number
A LoC call number in the catalog will look like this:
LA 212 .R423 2005
However, it looks like this on the book spine:
LA
212
.R423
2005
How do these letters and numbers break down to form
a call number? Read on!
Letter Line
 The
first line is a Letter Line and is filed
alphabetically.
 Single
letters go before double letters.
Thus, Q would come before QA.
Number Line
 The
second line is a Number Line and is
filed numerically.
 Numbers
range from 1 to 9999 and are
read as a whole number.
 Numbers
do not change the letter line.
Thus, Q 105 would still come before QA
104.
Number Line

Sometimes the second line is decimalized and
continued on the same or third line.

Anytime there is a decimal point, take each
space separately (i.e. do not consider it a whole
number.)
For example:
QA  Letter Line
598  Number Line
.A123
1994
Would come before:
QA  Letter Line
598.8  Number Line
.A123
1994
Cutter Line

The third line is called the Cutter Line. It begins
with a decimal, then a letter.

You can tell a Cutter Line from a split Number
Line because it will always begin with a letter.

Always treat the Cutter Line like a decimal.
For example .K79 would come before .K8
Cutter Line

Sometimes the Cutter Line is split on two lines. The
second line is called a Double Cutter Number.

It is also treated as a decimal number even
though the decimal point will only appear at the
very beginning of the Cutter Line.
For example:
R  Letter Line
128  Number Line
.K8T43  Cutter Line
1994
Could appear as:
R  Letter Line
128  Number Line
.K8  Cutter Line
T43  Double Cutter Line
1994
Other Lines
 Other
lines might include volume
numbers, copy numbers, dates, or a
combination of all of these.
 For
example:
F  Letter Line
880  Number Line
.L47  Cutter Line
1968  Date
BP  Letter Line
67  Number Line
.U6  Cutter Line
E53  Double Cutter Line
2007  Date
v. 1  Volume Number
LC  Letter Line
109  Number Line
.M68x  Cutter Line
1968  Date
pt. 2  Part Number
Other Lines

Absence of volume, copy, or date will always come before a
date.

Volume and copy numbers are also read as whole numbers.

Volumes are compared before copies which are compared
after dates.

Volumes are shelved as whole numeric numbers within the set
of books.

Copy numbers are shelved numerically.

Dates are considered whole numbers and shelved
accordingly.
Rules to Remember
Here are some rules to remember to help break down the
LoC call number when shelving:

Letters before numbers

Nothing comes before something

Volumes are considered before copies

Copies are considered before dates

No date comes before a date (nothing before something)

x (lowercase x) represents ½ -- it comes after letters but before numbers
Collection Notations





Occasionally you will see a notation before the Letter Line.
Examples would be REF, CUR, JUV, THESIS or DISS.
These notations tell you if an item belongs to a special
collection shelved outside of the general collection.
Occasionally, items will have stickers on the spine (not part of
the call number) denoting a special shelving location.
Examples would be Work and Faith and Oversize.
If you have questions about where these items go, please ask a
supervisor.
For example:
JUV  Collection
PS  Letter Line
3619  Number Line
.E495  Cutter Line
W54  Double Cutter Line
2012  Date
This example is
shelved in the
Juvenile Collection as
noted by the JUV
above the Letter Line.
Format Designation




Occasionally, you will see a format designation AFTER the call number.
Examples would be Video, DVD, CD, Manual, txt/stu, or big
These format designations tell you what an item is and sometimes where it is
shelved.
Please ask a supervisor if you see a format designation and have questions
about where it should be shelved.
For example:
CUR  Collection
LT  Letter Line
2300  Number Line
.H83  Cutter Line
H839b  Double Cutter Line
2005  Date
big  Format Designation
For example:
M  Letter Line
1627  Number Line
.M875  Cutter Line
2001  Date
CD  Format Designation
Manual  Format Designation
This tells you the item should be
shelved with the big books in
the Curriculum section.
This tells you this item is shelved
with the CDs and within the
manuals in the CD collection.
Online Tutorials
Finally, here are some outside resources
explaining the LoC classification system:

Kent State University has an excellent
interactive LoC shelving tutorial. You can
practice virtual shelving here.

Valley Forge Christian College made a great
YouTube video about LoC classification.
 Practice
want.
virtual shelving as much as you
 When
you are ready, take the LoC
Blackboard quiz.
Special thanks to Kaitlyn Straton for her
assistance in preparing this tutorial.