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Most academic libraries,
including the Hamersly Library, categorize their collections with a system
developed by the Library of Congress. Materials are classified by subject,
but unlike the Dewey Decimal system (in which subjects are assigned numbers),
the subjects are assigned letters. The first table below shows the general
outline of the scheme; the second provides some detail. The Library
of Congress provides a further breakdown of the subclasses.
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| A |
General Works, Encyclopedias |
N |
Fine Arts, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture |
| B |
Philosophy, Psychology, Religion |
P |
Language, Literature |
| C-F |
History, Biography |
Q |
Sciences |
| G |
Geography, Anthropology, Folklore, Sports, Recreation |
R |
Medicine |
| H |
Business, Social Sciences |
S |
Agriculture, Forestry |
| J-K |
Political Science, Law |
T |
Technology |
| L |
Education |
U-V |
Military Science |
| M |
Music |
Z |
Bibliographies, Library Science |
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The broad subject areas designated by the
letters are divided into smaller subject areas by adding one or two additional
letters and a set of numbers. The call number of a book or other item,
based on this classification scheme, determines the item's placement in
the shelves. |
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| A: General
Works |
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N: Fine
Arts |
| AE |
Encyclopedias |
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NA |
Architecture |
| AX |
Almanacs & Directories |
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NB |
Sculpture |
| B: Philosophy,
Psychology, Religion |
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NC |
Drawing, Design, & Illustration |
| B-BD |
Philosophy |
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ND |
Painting |
| BF |
Psychology |
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NE |
Print Media |
| BL-BX |
Religion |
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NK |
Decorative & Applied Arts |
| C-F: History |
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P: Language,
Literature |
| CT |
Biography |
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PE |
English Language |
| DA-DR |
Europe |
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PN |
Comparative Literature |
| DS |
Asia |
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PQ |
French & Spanish Literature |
| DT |
Africa |
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PR-PS |
English & American Literature |
| E-F |
Americas |
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PT |
German & Scandinavian Literature |
| G: Geography,
Anthropology, Folklore, Sports, Recreation |
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Q: Science |
| G-GF |
Geography |
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QA |
Math & Computer Science |
| GN |
Anthropology |
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QB |
Astronomy |
| GR |
Folklore |
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QC |
Physics |
| GV |
Sports & Recreation |
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QD |
Chemistry |
| H: Business,
Social Sciences |
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QE |
Geology |
| HB-HD |
Economics |
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QH-QR |
Biology |
| HE-HG |
Business |
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R: Medicine |
| HM-HX |
Sociology |
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S: Agriculture & Forestry |
| HV |
Criminal Justice |
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T: Technology |
| J-K: Political
Science, Law |
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TD |
Environment |
| KF |
U.S. Law |
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TK |
Electronics & Computers |
| L: Education |
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TR |
Photography |
| M: Music |
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TX |
Nutrition |
| ML |
Literature of Music |
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U-V: Military
Science |
| MT |
Musical Instruction & Study |
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Z: Bibliography & Library
Science |
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| Letters (as shown in the above two tables)
are combined with numbers to create call numbers, which serve two purposes:
to indicate where books are located, and to group material on the shelf
by subject.
Example: A 1990 book by Cheryl Simon Silver entitled One
Earth, One Future has the
call number GF 75 .S55 1990
| GF |
represents geography, specifically human ecology. |
| 75 |
focuses on global warming. |
| .S55 |
is based on the author's last name, or (in some
cases) the title of a volume containing works of many
authors. The number is treated as a decimal, so GF 75
.S55 would come before GF 75 .S6 on the shelf |
| 1990 |
represents the year of publication. |
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