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The purpose of this LibGuide is to introduce you to the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system. Academic Libraries like the El Camino College Library use LCC to organize our collections, so being familiar with the system will help you to understand the results of a catalog search and to find items on the shelf. We also want to share some key information about how Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) reflect bias in cataloging and why they are changing over time. As always, you are welcome and encouraged to ask a librarian for help finding resources.
The Library of Congress uses a classification system (LCC) to organize their collections. Many other libraries, including academic libraries, use the LCC to organize their collections. The LCC allows for descriptions of materials by their broad subjects that can be narrowed for specificity to make individual items easier to find. The infographics and explanations below will show you a little bit about how the LCC works.
Most of these alphabetical classes are further divided into more specific subclasses, identified by two-letter combinations. For example, class N, Fine Arts, has subclasses NA, Architecture; NB, Sculpture; ND, Painting; as well as several other subclasses. Below is the T class further subdivided by subclass.
| T | General Technology |
| TA | General Engineering, General Civil Engineering |
| TC | Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering |
| TD | Environmental Technology, Sanitary Engineering |
| TE | Highway Engineering |
| TF | Railroads |
| TG | Bridge Engineering |
| TH | Buildings |
| TJ | Mechanical Engineering |
| TK | Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering |
| TL | Motor Vehicles, Aeronautics, Astronautics |
| TN | Mining, Metallurgy |
| TP | Chemical Technology |
| TR | Photography |
| TS | Manufactures |
| TT | Arts and Crafts, Handicrafts |
| TX | Home Economics |
Part of the Subclass is the topic or caption that more specifically identifies an item. In a call number, the topic is listed as a number from 0 to 9999. To narrow an item's classification from topic to subtopic, LCC uses another set of alphanumeric codes called a cutter. The cutter reflects different aspects of an item like a place, time, format, and more. Sometimes, a cataloged item will have more than one cutter.
Date of Publication, Volume Number, and other identifying information are also included in an item's record. All of these specific details about an item will be shown in an item's call number. Call numbers usually appear on a physical label, arranged in order on the shelves.