Answered By: Laura Galas
Last Updated: Jul 11, 2022     Views: 2616

Q: What does "LC" mean?
Answered by: Laura Galas

"LC" stands for "Library of Congress," and it is one of the systems we use to classify or organize our books in the library collection.

Books in the library are categorized based on their subject and assigned a unique call number, which is a combination of letters and numbers that help us organize books in the library stacks. This system means that books are grouped on the shelf with other books on similar topics. Some books are large and need to be shelved separately. We distinguish oversize items by including "Oversize" in the call number.

A Library of Congress call number will appear like this:

PQ8098.12.O38 A122X 2004

ND3241 S27 (LC)+ Oversize

Watch the video below to learn more about finding a book using a call number.

Note: At Yale we have two classification systems in some campus libraries, Library of Congress and Yale Classification. See the FAQ, "What is Yale Classification" for more information.

Email askyalelibrary@yale.edu or stop by the service desk in Sterling Memorial Library for assistance finding your book.

Media

Related Questions