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The VC library uses the Library of Congress classification system to organize most of its print materials.
Elements of a call number
Call numbers begin with one, two or three capital letters. The first letter indicates one of 21 major
classes; additional letters indicate subdivisions of the major classes.
Main classes of the Library of Congress Classification:
Following this is a number from 1 to 9999 representing a specific subject area. After that is a
Cutter number, usually a coded representation of the author or title of a work. Call numbers may also
contain additional elements such as a date and/or volume number.
Example:
| RT | – Nursing (a subclass of R – Medicine) |
| 48 | – Nursing assessment |
| .W55 | – represents the authors last name, Wilson |
| 2005 | – year of publication |
Some call numbers contain two Cutter numbers, the first one being a further breakdown of the subject.
Example:
| LB | – Theory and practice of education (a subclass of L – Education) |
| 1140.5 | – Individual areas of study in preschool education |
| .R4 | – Reading |
| A515 | – represents the authors last name, Anbar |
| 2004 | – year of publication |
Book arrangement
Call numbers allow for a precise arrangement of the materials on the shelves. The initial letters are
sorted alphabetically and the first set of numbers is sorted numerically:
SB43 .D68 1974
SB375 .H95 2001
43 comes before 375
The numerical portion of a Cutter number is treated as a decimal number:
BF503 .M375 1987
BF503 .M43 1984
.375 comes before .430
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