Answered By: Crumb Library
Last Updated: Aug 22, 2022     Views: 233

The Library of Congress classification system (LC classification) was developed to organize and arrange a library's collection in subject order using a system of letters and numbers.  This system is the beginning part of the "call numbers" used to find each book on our shelves.  Each call number starts with the LC classification letter & number for that SUBJECT and then also includes codes relating to the AUTHOR and for more recent publications the DATE.  While the system was developed specifically for the Library of Congress, it has been adopted by many academic libraries in the United States.  There are other classification systems in use -- Dewey Decimal is another example -- but the SUNY Potsdam College Libraries use the Library of Congress System.  One advantage of the classified organization is that it provides the ability to browse the collection by subject.

Example: We own a book titled "Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? : a neuroscientific view of the zombie brain". 

  • The catalog record for this item shows that the subjects covered are Neurosciences, Zombies,Brain, and Psychophysiology.  Since a book can only be put in one place on the shelf, the first subject listed is assumed to be the main focus. 
  • The LC classification for Neurophysiology and neuropsychology is between QP351 and QP495
  • The author of this book is Timothy Verstynen.
  • It was published in 2014
  • So the complete call number for this book is QP355.2 .V47 2014. 
    • QP 355.2 describes the subject,
    • V47 is for Vertsynen, and
    • 2014 is the publication year. 

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