Classes of Library of Congress System
The Library of Congress Classification system is a system of library classification that was first developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to organize and arrange the collections of the Library of Congress. It is widely used in academic and research libraries in the United States and has been adopted by many other libraries around the world.
The Library of Congress Classification system consists of 21 main classes, which are organized into a hierarchical system that can be used to categorize and arrange materials based on their subject matter. The following is a brief explanation of each of the main classes of the Library of Congress Classification system:
A – General Works: This class includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works, as well as works that deal with philosophy, logic, and general science.
B – Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion: This class includes works on philosophy, psychology, religion, ethics, and theology.
C – Auxiliary Sciences of History: This class includes works on archaeology, genealogy, and biographical works.
D – World History: This class includes works on world history, ancient history, and medieval history.
E – History of the Americas: This class includes works on the history of North and South America, including the United States, Canada, and Central and South America.
F – Local History: This class includes works on local history, including regional and state histories.
G – Geography, Anthropology, and Recreation: This class includes works on geography, anthropology, and recreation, including travel and tourism.
H – Social Sciences: This class includes works on sociology, political science, economics, law, education, and linguistics.
J – Political Science: This class includes works on political science, including government and public administration.
K – Law: This class includes works on law, including legal history and the legal system.
L – Education: This class includes works on education, including educational theory and pedagogy.
M – Music: This class includes works on music, including music history and music theory.
N – Fine Arts: This class includes works on the fine arts, including painting, sculpture, and architecture.
P – Language and Literature: This class includes works on language and literature, including grammar and rhetoric, literary theory and criticism, and works in specific languages.
Q – Science: This class includes works on science, including mathematics, astronomy, and earth sciences.
R – Medicine: This class includes works on medicine, including anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology.
S – Agriculture: This class includes works on agriculture, including agronomy, horticulture, and animal husbandry.
T – Technology: This class includes works on technology, including engineering and applied sciences.
U – Military Science: This class includes works on military science, including military history and tactics.
V – Naval Science: This class includes works on naval science, including naval history and navigation.
Z – Bibliography and Library Science: This class includes works on bibliography and library science, including cataloging, classification, and library administration.
In conclusion, the Library of Congress Classification system is a widely used system of library classification that provides a comprehensive and flexible framework for organizing and arranging collections of materials in libraries. The system is designed to reflect the major subjects of the collections and to provide a means of finding and accessing materials on specific subjects.
Sources:
Library of Congress. (2021). Library of Congress Classification. Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcc.htmlLibrary of Congress. (2021). How does the Library of Congress Classification work? Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeLCC/freelcc.htmlKwasnik, B. H., & Asher, A. D. (2010). Introduction to Library and Information Science. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.Oberg, D. (Ed.). (2010). Library Classification Schemes. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.