Have questions?
Need research assistance?
Please ask us!
The John C. Pace Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) Classification System to catalog and shelve its books and periodicals. Library of Congress (LC) call numbers are alphanumeric and the first part of the call number begins with letters that represent the 21 subject divisions of the LC system.
Here is an example of a Library of Congress call number for the book Roman Sculpture by Diana Kleiner:
| NB 115 .K57 1992 |
The call number has several parts to it:
| NB | represents a specific area of the fine arts, namely sculpture. |
| 115 | defines this book as Roman sculpture |
| .K57 | Cutter number, which is a code for the author's last name |
| 1992 | date of publication |
This call number system results in materials on related subjects being shelved in the same area. For example, if a patron goes to the book shelves to locate the call number NB 115 .K57 1992, other books on Roman sculpture would be found in the vicinity.
Here are the letters that represent the 21 subject divisions of the LC system: