How to Research: A Tutorial
Library of Congress (LC) Call Numbers
What is this jumbled mess of letters and numbers, anyway?
- RVCC Library uses Library of Congress (also called LC) Call Numbers to organize materials.
For a list of subject areas, refer to the <Library of Congress Classification Outline>, or look for the Classification System posters throughout the library.
- The letters at the beginning of the call number designate a broad subject area. The numbers are used to group items about specific topics together.
- Call numbers are read first in alphabetical order by the letters, then in numeric order up to the first decimal point.
- Examples:
- HG comes before KF
- PN comes before PR
- HG57.M23 comes before HG275.R75
- HINT: It helps to read the numbers before the decimal point as "fifty seven" and "two hundred and seventy five"
