Call Number Guides and Links
| The Library of Congress Classification system is used to organize books in many academic and research libraries. Olin library uses the Library of Congress system to shelve books. Follow these links for help in finding books using (LC) and for a classification outline. |
Once you have located the records for the books you want, be sure to note the LOCATION, the CALL NUMBER, and the STATUS. Noting these is important and will prevent you from looking in the wrong library location, or looking for a book which is checked out or lost. Books are arranged on the shelves according to their Library of Congress classification number.
Here is an example of a Library of Congress call number:
QE Subject area for the book
515 Number for a more specific subdivision of the subject area
N 67 Number for the main entry (individual book)
1994 Publication date
How do I use this number to find a book?
In the stacks, books are arranged first by the letters of the subject area designation in alphabetical order:
| GB 1092 W 19 1965 |
QC 481 B 53 1985 |
QE 515 N 67 1994 |
TN 629 G 732 1991 |
Books with the same subject area designation are then arranged by the designation for the subject subdivision in numerical order:
| QC 3 T 38 1991 |
QC 21.7 L 34 1977 |
QC 174 N 67 1994 |
QC 794.2 C 2 1988 |
Books with subdivision designations containing decimals are arranged by the numbers following the decimal point in decimal order:
| QE 515 N 67 1994 |
QE 515.2 W 18 1958 |
QE 515.24 F 59 1993 |
QE 515.3 I 23 1987 |
Books with the same subject area and subdivision designations are then arranged by the main entry designation, with the numbers arranged in decimal order:
| QE 515 B 25 1995 |
QE 515 N 555 1989 |
QE 515 N 67 1994 |
QE 515 N 7 1981 |
If you can't locate the book you're looking for, ask at any library circulation or reference desk, or use the Request feature in the online catalog to have the book searched.