Search the library catalog or browse the library shelves
All Library of Congress Call Numbers begin with letters that represent various subject areas (see the box on the Left).
The main subject classes often are narrowed even further by the addition of a second letter, called a subdivision. For the full listing of the main classes and their subdivisions, see the Library of Congress site.
How do I find a call number on the shelf?
Follow these steps when you're looking for a book on the shelf.
- Find the correct letter combination. L comes before LA on the shelves.
- Look for the number - be sure to look for the whole number. 19 comes before 23 and 23 comes before 2340 (two thousand three hundred forty).
- In the last line, first locate the letter and then the decimal. .M371 will come before .M38
