Use Call Numbers
Library of Congress Call Numbers
Preus Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) system to shelve books, journals, DVDs, CDs, and other items. LC call numbers group library materials into subject categories, or classes; each class is identified by a letter. Classes are broken down into subclasses by adding more letters; subtopics within are identified by numbers.
Because library materials are organized by subject, if you’re headed to the stacks to find a book, take a minute to browse the shelves around the book, too. You’ll likely find more books on the same or similar topics!
Where in the library?
Books with call numbers that start with the letters A-L are found on the First Floor of the library (the lower floor). Call numbers that start with the letters M-Z are on the Third Floor of the library (the upper floor). Ask at the Research Help Desk if you’re not able to find what you’re looking for.
LC Classes and Subclasses
Below is a list of those subject categories, or classes, and some of the major subclasses.
AE Encyclopedias
AG Dictionaries
AI Indexes
AY Yearbooks, Almanacs, Directories
B Philosophy (general)
BC Logic
BD Speculative Philosophy
BF Psychology, Parapsychology, Occultism
BH Aesthetics
BJ Ethics. Etiquette
BL Religions. Mythology
BM Judaism
BP Islam
BQ Buddhism
BR Christianity
BS The Bible
BT Doctrinal theology
BV Practical theology
BX Christian denominations
C General
CB History of Civilization
CC Archaeology
CR Heraldry
CS Genealogy
CT Biography
D General
DA-DR Europe
DA Great Britain
DB Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia
DC France
DD Germany
DE Classical: Greco-Roman
DF Greece
DG Italy
DK Soviet Union. Poland
DL Northern Europe. Scandinavia
DP Spain. Portugal
DR Balkan Peninsula. Turkey
DS Asia
DT Africa
DU Oceania, Australia, New Zealand
E America. U.S.
F U.S. local history. Canada. Latin America
G General. Atlases. Maps
GB Physical Geography
GC Oceanography
GE Environmental Sciences
GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
GN Anthropology
GR Folklore
GT Manners and customs
GV Recreation. Sports. Games
H General
HA Statistics
HB Economic theory. Demography
HC Economic history and conditions
HD Industries. Land Use. Labor
HE Transportation and communications
HF Commerce
HG Finance
HJ Public finance. Taxes
HM Sociology (general)
HN Social history, problems, reform
HQ Family. Marriage. Women
HS Societies. Clubs
HT Communities. Classes. Races
HV Social Pathology. Social service. Criminology
HX Socialism. Communism. Anarchism
J General legislative and executive papers
JA Political science – General
JC Political theory. The state
JF Political Institutions – General
JK Political Institutions – United States
JL-JQ Political Institutions – Non-U.S.
JS Local government
JV Colonies and colonization. Immigration
JX International law
JZ International relations
K General
KF United States
L General
LA History of Education
LB Theory and practice of education
LC Special aspects of education
LD Individual institutions – U.S.
M General (scores, sheet music)
ML Literature of Music
MT Music Instruction and study
N Visual arts (General)
NA Architecture
NB Sculpture
NC Drawing. Design. Illustration
ND Painting
NE Print media
NK Decorative arts. Applied arts
NX Arts in general
P Philology and linguistics
PA Classical languages and literature
PB Celtic Languages
PC Romance Languages
PD Germanic & Scandinavian Languages
PE English Language
PF West Germanic Languages. Dutch. German
PG Slavic (Russian). Baltic. Albanian
PH Uralic languages & literature
PJ Oriental languages & literature
PK Indo-Iranian languages & literature
PL East Asian languages & literature
PM American Indian & Artificial languages.
PN Literature, general & history. Performing arts.
PQ Romance language literatures.
PR English literature
PS American literature
PT Germanic literatures
PZ Fiction and Juvenile Literature
Q General
QA Mathematics. Computer Science
QB Astronomy
QC Physics
QD Chemistry
QE Geology
QH Natural history. Biology
QK Botany
QL Zoology
QM Human anatomy
QP hysiology
QR Microbiology
R General
RA Public aspects of medicine
RB Pathology
RC Internal Medicine
RD Surgery
RE Ophthalmology
RF Otorhinolaryngology
RG Gynecology and obstetrics
RJ Pediatrics
RK Dentistry
RL Dermatology
RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
RS Pharmacy and materia medica
RT Nursing
RX Homeopathy
RZ Other systems of medicine
S General
SB Plant Culture
SD Forestry
SF Animal Culture
SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
SK Hunting
T General
TA Engineering – General and civil
TC Hydraulic engineering
TD Environmental tech. Sanitary engineering
TE Highway engineering
TF Railroad engineering
TG Bridge construction
TH Building construction
TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
TK Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering
TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
TN Mining engineering. Metallurgy
TP Chemical technology
TR Photography
TS Manufactures
TT Handicrafts. Arts and crafts
TX Home economics
U General
UA Armies
UB Military administration
UF Artillery
UG Military engineering. Air forces. Air warfare
V General
VA Navies
VK Navigation. Merchant marine
VM Naval architecture. Marine engineering
Z Books. Writing. Paleography. Book industries. Libraries.
ZA Information resources (general)