Library of Congress Classification - Revision history

imported>OboeBlanket: Adding/improving reference(s) Spelling/grammar/punctuation/typographical correction

2026-06-02T12:54:43Z

Adding/improving reference(s) Spelling/grammar/punctuation/typographical correction

imported>Ligaturama: cr

2026-03-25T15:48:04Z

imported>Ensaymadab at 13:21, 7 December 2025

2025-12-07T13:21:19Z

← Previous revision		Revision as of 13:21, 7 December 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|System of library classification}}		{{short description\|System of library classification}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}
	The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system.<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> ~~The classification~~ was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].		The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system,<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> which was first published in the U.S. by [[Melvil Dewey]] in 1876.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Dewey Decimal Classification \|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12513/12513-h/12513-h.htm \|access-date=2025-12-07 \|website=www.gutenberg.org}}</ref> LCC was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].

	LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.		LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.

~2025-35021-39 at 05:37, 20 November 2025

2025-11-20T05:37:38Z

Show changes

imported>SSR07: /* History */ clarification

2025-06-27T15:46:57Z

History: clarification

← Previous revision		Revision as of 15:46, 27 June 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|System of library classification}}		{{short description\|System of library classification}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}
	The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system.<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> The classification was developed by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]]~~, in 1897,~~ while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].		The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system.<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> The classification was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].

	LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.		LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.

	== History ==		== History ==
	The central core of the modern Library of Congress was formed from books sold to the government by Thomas Jefferson after the original collection was burned by the British in the [[War of 1812]]. As a result, the original classification system used by the library was of ~~his own~~ invention. However, by the end of the nineteenth century, the collection had grown to over a million volumes and his system was deemed too unwieldy.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification \|url=https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/11/library-of-congress-classification.html \|date=June 23, 2020 \|website=Librarianship Studies & Information Technology \|access-date=2022-10-03}}</ref>		The central core of the modern Library of Congress was formed from books sold to the government by Thomas Jefferson after the original collection was burned by the British in the [[War of 1812]]. As a result, the original classification system used by the library was of Jefferson's invention. However, by the end of the nineteenth century, the collection had grown to over a million volumes and his system was deemed too unwieldy.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification \|url=https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/11/library-of-congress-classification.html \|date=June 23, 2020 \|website=Librarianship Studies & Information Technology \|access-date=2022-10-03}}</ref>

	[[John Russell Young]], the seventh Librarian of Congress, hired James Hanson and Charles Martel in 1897,<ref>{{Cite web \|title=John Russell Young (1840-1899) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n83202815/john-russell-young-1840-1899/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress}}</ref> who began the development of a new classification system that would more accurately describe the collections the library held. Young's tenure as Librarian ended with his death in 1899, and his successor, [[Herbert Putnam]], continued to implement the updates to the catalog through his long stay in the office.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Herbert Putnam (1861-1955) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004005650/https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|archive-date= 2022-10-04 }}</ref> By the time he departed from his post in 1939, all the classes except K (Law) were well developed.<ref name=":3" />		[[John Russell Young]], the seventh Librarian of Congress, hired James Hanson and Charles Martel in 1897,<ref>{{Cite web \|title=John Russell Young (1840-1899) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n83202815/john-russell-young-1840-1899/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress}}</ref> who began the development of a new classification system that would more accurately describe the collections the library held. Young's tenure as Librarian ended with his death in 1899, and his successor, [[Herbert Putnam]], continued to implement the updates to the catalog through his long stay in the office.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Herbert Putnam (1861-1955) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004005650/https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|archive-date= 2022-10-04 }}</ref> By the time he departed from his post in 1939, all the classes except K (Law) were well developed.<ref name=":3" />

imported>Deisenbe: /* History */ razed > burned

2025-05-05T19:22:22Z

History: razed > burned

Show changes

← Previous revision		Revision as of 13:21, 7 December 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|System of library classification}}		{{short description\|System of library classification}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}
	The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system.<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> ~~The classification~~ was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].		The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system,<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> which was first published in the U.S. by [[Melvil Dewey]] in 1876.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Dewey Decimal Classification \|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12513/12513-h/12513-h.htm \|access-date=2025-12-07 \|website=www.gutenberg.org}}</ref> LCC was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].

	LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.		LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.

← Previous revision		Revision as of 15:46, 27 June 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|System of library classification}}		{{short description\|System of library classification}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}
	The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system.<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> The classification was developed by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]]~~, in 1897,~~ while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].		The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system.<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> The classification was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].

	LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.		LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.

	== History ==		== History ==
	The central core of the modern Library of Congress was formed from books sold to the government by Thomas Jefferson after the original collection was burned by the British in the [[War of 1812]]. As a result, the original classification system used by the library was of ~~his own~~ invention. However, by the end of the nineteenth century, the collection had grown to over a million volumes and his system was deemed too unwieldy.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification \|url=https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/11/library-of-congress-classification.html \|date=June 23, 2020 \|website=Librarianship Studies & Information Technology \|access-date=2022-10-03}}</ref>		The central core of the modern Library of Congress was formed from books sold to the government by Thomas Jefferson after the original collection was burned by the British in the [[War of 1812]]. As a result, the original classification system used by the library was of Jefferson's invention. However, by the end of the nineteenth century, the collection had grown to over a million volumes and his system was deemed too unwieldy.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification \|url=https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/11/library-of-congress-classification.html \|date=June 23, 2020 \|website=Librarianship Studies & Information Technology \|access-date=2022-10-03}}</ref>

	[[John Russell Young]], the seventh Librarian of Congress, hired James Hanson and Charles Martel in 1897,<ref>{{Cite web \|title=John Russell Young (1840-1899) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n83202815/john-russell-young-1840-1899/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress}}</ref> who began the development of a new classification system that would more accurately describe the collections the library held. Young's tenure as Librarian ended with his death in 1899, and his successor, [[Herbert Putnam]], continued to implement the updates to the catalog through his long stay in the office.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Herbert Putnam (1861-1955) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004005650/https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|archive-date= 2022-10-04 }}</ref> By the time he departed from his post in 1939, all the classes except K (Law) were well developed.<ref name=":3" />		[[John Russell Young]], the seventh Librarian of Congress, hired James Hanson and Charles Martel in 1897,<ref>{{Cite web \|title=John Russell Young (1840-1899) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n83202815/john-russell-young-1840-1899/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress}}</ref> who began the development of a new classification system that would more accurately describe the collections the library held. Young's tenure as Librarian ended with his death in 1899, and his successor, [[Herbert Putnam]], continued to implement the updates to the catalog through his long stay in the office.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Herbert Putnam (1861-1955) \|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|access-date=2022-10-04 \|website=Library of Congress \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004005650/https://www.loc.gov/item/n85185518/herbert-putnam-1861-1955/ \|archive-date= 2022-10-04 }}</ref> By the time he departed from his post in 1939, all the classes except K (Law) were well developed.<ref name=":3" />

← Previous revision		Revision as of 12:54, 2 June 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|System of library classification}}		{{short description\|System of library classification}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}
	The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is ~~mainly~~ used by large research and [[academic libraries]].{{cn\|date=~~March~~ 2026}} LCC was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].
			The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is used by many large research and [[academic libraries]].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Library \|first=A. L. A. \|title=LibGuides: Cataloging Tools and Resources: Classification \|url=https://libguides.ala.org/catalogingtools/classification \|access-date=2026-06-02 \|website=libguides.ala.org \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":7" /> LCC was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].

	LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.		LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.
Line 16:		Line 17:
	== <span class="anchor" id="Design and Organization"></span>Design and organization ==		== <span class="anchor" id="Design and Organization"></span>Design and organization ==
	LCC divides all knowledge into twenty-one basic classes, each given a single letter of the alphabet as an identifier. Most of these classes are divided further into two and three level sub-classes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification \|url=https://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcc.html \|access-date=2022-10-03 \|website=Library of Congress }}</ref> With these sub-classes, numerical ranges are assigned to topics, going from more general to more specific. Unlike in the Dewey Decimal Classification, where the numbers assigned to a topic iterate throughout the system (e.g., the ".05" tag indicated a periodical publication on the topic), the LCC numerical ranges are strictly hierarchal, only corresponding to their level on the outline. LCC is enumerative, meaning that it lists all the classes in officially published schedules, which are updated as needed by the Library of Congress.<ref name=":0" />		LCC divides all knowledge into twenty-one basic classes, each given a single letter of the alphabet as an identifier. Most of these classes are divided further into two and three level sub-classes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification \|url=https://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcc.html \|access-date=2022-10-03 \|website=Library of Congress }}</ref> With these sub-classes, numerical ranges are assigned to topics, going from more general to more specific. Unlike in the Dewey Decimal Classification, where the numbers assigned to a topic iterate throughout the system (e.g., the ".05" tag indicated a periodical publication on the topic), the LCC numerical ranges are strictly hierarchal, only corresponding to their level on the outline. LCC is enumerative, meaning that it lists all the classes in officially published schedules, which are updated as needed by the Library of Congress.<ref name=":0" />
	[[File:G&G LCC Call number.png\|alt=GB 2403.2 .B44 2010 is described as components based on how such an LCC call number is formed: G being the class, GB being in the subclass, 2403.2 being the topic number, .B44 being the Cutter Number, and 2010 being the publication date.\|thumb\|The call number for ''Glaciers and Glaciation'' (2nd edt.) by Benn & Evans. This indicates that it belongs to the broad class of "Geography, Anthropology, Recreation," the subclass of "Physical Geography," and the topic of "Ice. Glaciers. Ice sheets. Sea ice." B44 is the Cutter number, after the first author Benn, and 2010 represents the publication year.]]		[[File:G&G LCC Call number.png\|alt=GB 2403.2 .B44 2010 is described as components based on how such an LCC call number is formed: G being the class, GB being in the subclass, 2403.2 being the topic number, .B44 being the Cutter Number, and 2010 being the publication date.\|thumb\|The call number for ''Glaciers and Glaciation'' (2nd edt.) by Benn & Evans. This indicates that it belongs to the broad class of "Geography, Anthropology, Recreation," the subclass of "Physical Geography," and the topic of "Ice. Glaciers. Ice sheets. Sea ice." B44 is the Cutter number, after the first author Benn, and 2010 represents the publication year.]]

	After the range of numbers making up the topical division, call numbers often also include one or more Cutter numbers, modeled after the unfinished [[Cutter Expansive Classification]] index. The full LCC schedules contain tables that describe Cutter numbers for certain types of media, collections of work, and geographical areas.<ref name=":3" /> Cutter numbers also can take the form of an author-specific code, containing a letter and several numbers corresponding to the author's last name. This serves to further distinguish publications and nominally alphabetize volumes within a topic section. The final component of a typical LCC call-number is the publication year, in full.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Chan \|first=Lois Mai \|title=A guide to the Library of Congress classification \|date=1999 \|publisher=Libraries Unlimited \|others=Lois Mai Chan \|isbn=1-56308-499-6 \|edition=5th \|location=Englewood, Colo. \|oclc=41211262}}</ref> Library collections can add modifiers to distinguish specific volumes, such as "Copy 1."<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206090626/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|archive-date=6 February 2015}}</ref>		After the range of numbers making up the topical division, call numbers often also include one or more Cutter numbers, modeled after the unfinished [[Cutter Expansive Classification]] index. The full LCC schedules contain tables that describe Cutter numbers for certain types of media, collections of work, and geographical areas.<ref name=":3" /> Cutter numbers also can take the form of an author-specific code, containing a letter and several numbers corresponding to the author's last name. This serves to further distinguish publications and nominally alphabetize volumes within a topic section. The final component of a typical LCC call-number is the publication year, in full.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Chan \|first=Lois Mai \|title=A guide to the Library of Congress classification \|date=1999 \|publisher=Libraries Unlimited \|others=Lois Mai Chan \|isbn=1-56308-499-6 \|edition=5th \|location=Englewood, Colo. \|oclc=41211262}}</ref> Library collections can add modifiers to distinguish specific volumes, such as "Copy 1."<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206090626/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|archive-date=6 February 2015}}</ref>
Line 73:		Line 74:
	== Use and criticism ==		== Use and criticism ==
	{{See also\|Comparison of Dewey and Library of Congress subject classification}}		{{See also\|Comparison of Dewey and Library of Congress subject classification}}
	Together, the Dewey Decimal System (DDC) and LCC make up the two main classification systems used in U.S. libraries.<ref name="DeweyDiscord" /> LCC is favored by large academic and research libraries.{{cn\|date=~~March~~ 2026}}		Together, the Dewey Decimal System (DDC) and LCC make up the two main classification systems used in U.S. libraries.<ref name="DeweyDiscord" /> LCC is favored by large academic and research libraries.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web \|title=Library of Congress Classification (LCC) {{!}} Library and Information Science {{!}} Research Starters {{!}} EBSCO Research \|url=https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/library-and-information-science/library-congress-classification-lcc \|access-date=2026-05-22 \|website=EBSCO \|language=en}}</ref>

	Systems of classification can be evaluated on several metrics, including expressiveness (the ability of the numeration system to express the hierarchal and correlative relationships between topics), hospitality (the ability of the system to accommodate new subjects), and brevity (length of call numbers).<ref name=":3" /> While LCC is significantly less expressive than DDC, it is extremely hospitable, mainly in the fact that five classes (I, O, W, X, and Y) lack any assignment to topics.<ref name=":4" /> LCC call numbers also tend to be shorter than those in DDC.		Systems of classification can be evaluated on several metrics, including expressiveness (the ability of the numeration system to express the hierarchal and correlative relationships between topics), hospitality (the ability of the system to accommodate new subjects), and brevity (length of call numbers).<ref name=":3" /> While LCC is significantly less expressive than DDC, it is extremely hospitable, mainly in the fact that five classes (I, O, W, X, and Y) lack any assignment to topics.<ref name=":4" /> LCC call numbers also tend to be shorter than those in DDC.
Line 79:		Line 80:
	The main difference between DDC and LCC is their approach to classifying. Dewey's system is a comprehensive classification to all topics, with no regard to the actual collections a library might hold. While this has allowed it to be successfully adapted into more modern classification systems for use outside of libraries, such as the [[Universal Decimal Classification]] (UDC),<ref>"A Brief Introduction to the Dewey Decimal Classification". OCLC. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.</ref> it does make it more unwieldy for large or specialized collections. On the other hand, Hanson and Martel designed LCC specifically for library use, which means while it does not completely enumerate the world, it does more reflect what books a library might hold.<ref name=":6" />		The main difference between DDC and LCC is their approach to classifying. Dewey's system is a comprehensive classification to all topics, with no regard to the actual collections a library might hold. While this has allowed it to be successfully adapted into more modern classification systems for use outside of libraries, such as the [[Universal Decimal Classification]] (UDC),<ref>"A Brief Introduction to the Dewey Decimal Classification". OCLC. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.</ref> it does make it more unwieldy for large or specialized collections. On the other hand, Hanson and Martel designed LCC specifically for library use, which means while it does not completely enumerate the world, it does more reflect what books a library might hold.<ref name=":6" />

	Because LCC was designed around the collections of the Library of Congress, it has an American, European, and Christian bias, as reflected mainly in the earlier developed schedules of D (World History), E and F (History of the Americas), and B (Philosophy, Psychology, Religion). On the other hand, the later-developed K (Law) gives fairly even weight to global law.<ref name=":0" /> Today, the various schedules are maintained and revised by the Library's Policy and Standards Division, in conjunction with experts in each field. However, updating various schedules with classification biases is generally assumed to be impractical due to the massive workload that would result in,<ref name=":3" /> especially as the "discipline" based classes of LCC have been entrenched in the average library user's mind.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal \|last1=Howard \|first1=Sara A. \|last2=Knowlton \|first2=Steven A. \|date=2018 \|title=Browsing through Bias: The Library of Congress Classification and Subject Headings for African American Studies and LGBTQIA Studies \|journal=Library Trends \|volume=67 \|issue=1 \|pages=74–88 \|doi=10.1353/lib.2018.0026 \|s2cid=69496735 \|via=Muse\|hdl=2142/101937 \|hdl-access=free }}</ref>		Because LCC was designed around the collections of the Library of Congress, it has an American, European, and Christian bias, as reflected mainly in the earlier developed schedules of D (World History), E and F (History of the Americas), and B (Philosophy, Psychology, Religion). On the other hand, the later-developed K (Law) gives fairly even weight to global law.<ref name=":0" /> Today, the various schedules are maintained and revised by the Library's Policy and Standards Division, in conjunction with experts in each field. However, updating various schedules with classification biases is generally assumed to be impractical due to the massive workload that would result in,<ref name=":3" /> especially as the "discipline" based classes of LCC have been entrenched in the average library user's mind.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal \|last1=Howard \|first1=Sara A. \|last2=Knowlton \|first2=Steven A. \|date=2018 \|title=Browsing through Bias: The Library of Congress Classification and Subject Headings for African American Studies and LGBTQIA Studies \|journal=Library Trends \|volume=67 \|issue=1 \|pages=74–88 \|doi=10.1353/lib.2018.0026 \|s2cid=69496735 \|via=Muse\|hdl=2142/101937 \|hdl-access=free }}</ref>

	Like all classification systems, LCC struggles with catering to interdisciplinary scholars and topics, as ultimately, a book can only be shelved in a single location.<ref name=":5" /> Additionally, LCC has a problem with "othering" marginalized groups, making works related to or authored by members of these groups particularly difficult to locate.<ref name=":5" /> This is not a new issue, and libraries with more specialized collections about minority groups or issues sometimes eschew LCC,<ref name=":5" /> with one example alternative classification being the [[Harvard–Yenching Classification]], specifically developed for Chinese language materials.		Like all classification systems, LCC struggles with catering to interdisciplinary scholars and topics, as ultimately, a book can only be shelved in a single location.<ref name=":5" /> Additionally, LCC has a problem with "othering" marginalized groups, making works related to or authored by members of these groups particularly difficult to locate.<ref name=":5" /> This is not a new issue, and libraries with more specialized collections about minority groups or issues sometimes eschew LCC,<ref name=":5" /> with one example alternative classification being the [[Harvard–Yenching Classification]], specifically developed for Chinese language materials.

	==See also==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->		==See also==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->

← Previous revision		Revision as of 15:48, 25 March 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{short description\|System of library classification}}		{{short description\|System of library classification}}
	{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}		{{Use mdy dates\|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English\|date=November 2023}}
	The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]], while most public libraries and small academic libraries use the [[Dewey Decimal Classification]] system,<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|quote=Some 95% of U.S. public '''libraries''' use Dewey, and nearly all of the others, the OCLC says, use a closely related Library of Congress system.}}</ref> which was first published in the U.S. by [[Melvil Dewey]] in 1876.<ref>{{~~Cite web \|title=Dewey Decimal Classification \|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12513/12513-h/12513-h.htm~~ \|~~access-~~date=~~2025-12-07 \|website=www.gutenberg.org~~}}~~</ref>~~ LCC was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].		The '''Library of Congress Classification''' ('''LCC''') is a system of [[library classification]] developed by the [[Library of Congress]] in the [[United States]], which can be used for shelving books in a library. LCC is mainly used by large research and [[academic libraries]].{{cn\|date=March 2026}} LCC was developed in 1897 by [[J. C. M. Hanson\|James Hanson]] (chief of the [[Cataloging (library science)\|Catalog]] Department), with assistance from [[Charles Martel (librarian)\|Charles Martel]] while they were working at the Library of Congress.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Dittmann \|first=Helena \|url=http://archive.org/details/learnlibraryofco0000ditt \|title=Learn Library of Congress classification \|date=2000 \|publisher=Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press \|others=Internet Archive \|isbn=978-0-8108-3696-9}}</ref> It was designed specifically for the purposes and collection of the Library of Congress, to replace the fixed location system developed by [[Thomas Jefferson]].

	LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.		LCC has been criticized for lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the practical needs of that library rather than [[Epistemology\|epistemological]] considerations.<ref name=":6">{{cite journal \|last=Hickey \|first=Doralyn J. \|date=1969 \|title=Reviewed work: The Use of the Library of Congress Classification: Proceedings of the Institute on the Use of the Library of Congress Classification Sponsored by the American Library Association, Resources and Technical Services Division, Cataloging and Classification Section, New York City, July 7-9, 1966, Richard H. Schimmelpfeng, C. Donald Cook \|journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy \|volume=39 \|issue=3 \|pages=294–296 \|doi=10.1086/619784 \|jstor=4306016}}</ref> Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially [[Library classification#Types\|enumerative]] in nature. That is, it provides a guide to the books actually in one library's collections, not a classification of the world.
Line 18:		Line 18:
	[[File:G&G LCC Call number.png\|alt=GB 2403.2 .B44 2010 is described as components based on how such an LCC call number is formed: G being the class, GB being in the subclass, 2403.2 being the topic number, .B44 being the Cutter Number, and 2010 being the publication date.\|thumb\|The call number for ''Glaciers and Glaciation'' (2nd edt.) by Benn & Evans. This indicates that it belongs to the broad class of "Geography, Anthropology, Recreation," the subclass of "Physical Geography," and the topic of "Ice. Glaciers. Ice sheets. Sea ice." B44 is the Cutter number, after the first author Benn, and 2010 represents the publication year.]]		[[File:G&G LCC Call number.png\|alt=GB 2403.2 .B44 2010 is described as components based on how such an LCC call number is formed: G being the class, GB being in the subclass, 2403.2 being the topic number, .B44 being the Cutter Number, and 2010 being the publication date.\|thumb\|The call number for ''Glaciers and Glaciation'' (2nd edt.) by Benn & Evans. This indicates that it belongs to the broad class of "Geography, Anthropology, Recreation," the subclass of "Physical Geography," and the topic of "Ice. Glaciers. Ice sheets. Sea ice." B44 is the Cutter number, after the first author Benn, and 2010 represents the publication year.]]

	After the range of numbers making up the topical division, call numbers often also include one or more Cutter numbers, modeled after the unfinished [[Cutter Expansive Classification]] index. The full LCC schedules contain tables that describe Cutter numbers for certain types of media, collections of work, and geographical areas.<ref name=":3" /> Cutter numbers also can take the form of an author-specific code, containing a letter and several numbers corresponding to the author's last name. This serves to further distinguish publications and nominally alphabetize volumes within a topic section. The final component of a typical LCC call-number is the publication year, in full.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Chan \|first=Lois Mai \|title=A guide to the Library of Congress classification \|date=1999 \|publisher=Libraries Unlimited \|others=Lois Mai Chan \|isbn=1-56308-499-6 \|edition=5th \|location=Englewood, Colo. \|oclc=41211262}}</ref> Library collections can add modifiers to distinguish specific volumes, such as "Copy 1."<ref name="DeweyDiscord" />		After the range of numbers making up the topical division, call numbers often also include one or more Cutter numbers, modeled after the unfinished [[Cutter Expansive Classification]] index. The full LCC schedules contain tables that describe Cutter numbers for certain types of media, collections of work, and geographical areas.<ref name=":3" /> Cutter numbers also can take the form of an author-specific code, containing a letter and several numbers corresponding to the author's last name. This serves to further distinguish publications and nominally alphabetize volumes within a topic section. The final component of a typical LCC call-number is the publication year, in full.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Chan \|first=Lois Mai \|title=A guide to the Library of Congress classification \|date=1999 \|publisher=Libraries Unlimited \|others=Lois Mai Chan \|isbn=1-56308-499-6 \|edition=5th \|location=Englewood, Colo. \|oclc=41211262}}</ref> Library collections can add modifiers to distinguish specific volumes, such as "Copy 1."<ref name="DeweyDiscord">{{Cite news \|last=Lavallee \|first=Andrew \|date=July 20, 2007 \|title=Discord Over Dewey: A New Library in Arizona Fans a Heated Debate Over What Some Call the 'Googlization' of Libraries \|newspaper=Wall Street Journal \|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|access-date=May 25, 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206090626/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118340075827155554 \|archive-date=6 February 2015}}</ref>

	LCC should not be confused with [[Library of Congress Control Number]]s (LCCN), which are assigned to all books (and authors) and defines online catalog entries.<ref name="authors" group="lower-alpha" /> Library of Congress Classification is also distinct from [[Library of Congress Subject Headings]], the system of labels such as "Glaciers" and "Glaciers—Fiction" that describe contents systematically.<ref name="subjects" group="lower-alpha" />		LCC should not be confused with [[Library of Congress Control Number]]s (LCCN), which are assigned to all books (and authors) and defines online catalog entries.<ref name="authors" group="lower-alpha" /> Library of Congress Classification is also distinct from [[Library of Congress Subject Headings]], the system of labels such as "Glaciers" and "Glaciers—Fiction" that describe contents systematically.<ref name="subjects" group="lower-alpha" />
Line 73:		Line 73:
	== Use and criticism ==		== Use and criticism ==
	{{See also\|Comparison of Dewey and Library of Congress subject classification}}		{{See also\|Comparison of Dewey and Library of Congress subject classification}}
	Together, the Dewey Decimal System (DDC) and LCC make up the two main classification systems used in U.S. libraries.<ref name="DeweyDiscord" /> LCC is favored by large academic and research libraries.		Together, the Dewey Decimal System (DDC) and LCC make up the two main classification systems used in U.S. libraries.<ref name="DeweyDiscord" /> LCC is favored by large academic and research libraries.{{cn\|date=March 2026}}

	Systems of classification can be evaluated on several metrics, including expressiveness (the ability of the numeration system to express the hierarchal and correlative relationships between topics), hospitality (the ability of the system to accommodate new subjects), and brevity (length of call numbers).<ref name=":3" /> While LCC is significantly less expressive than DDC, it is extremely hospitable, mainly in the fact that five classes (I, O, W, X, and Y) lack any assignment to topics.<ref name=":4" /> LCC call numbers also tend to be shorter than those in DDC.		Systems of classification can be evaluated on several metrics, including expressiveness (the ability of the numeration system to express the hierarchal and correlative relationships between topics), hospitality (the ability of the system to accommodate new subjects), and brevity (length of call numbers).<ref name=":3" /> While LCC is significantly less expressive than DDC, it is extremely hospitable, mainly in the fact that five classes (I, O, W, X, and Y) lack any assignment to topics.<ref name=":4" /> LCC call numbers also tend to be shorter than those in DDC.