Book Shelving
Using Library of Congress Classification System

Sample Call Numbers
1          Church         Pent                Pent               Church          Pent                   Church
2          BR                  BT                   BV                  BV                   PS                       QA
3          117                 305.2              652.25            652.25            531                      117.1
4          G46                 B3                  W329              W38                P8                        K82
5          1972                                                               Z78
 
Configuration
First line — Church or Pent
  • If a book has "Church" at the beginning of the call number, it is related to the Church of God.
  • If a book has "Pent" at the beginning of the call number, it is a book containing information about the Pentecostal movement by a non-Church of God author.
  • Unlike the below, this designation does not affect placement of books on the shelf.
First line — Other designators
  • "Ref": the reference section of LC books are at the very beginning of the shelves, just inside the door
  • "Prof Coll": the professional section of LC books, the books designated for staff work issues (e.g., how to make exhibit labels), immediately follows the reference section
  • "Juv" and "Juv Fic": the small juvenile section of books is at the very end of the LC book shelves (currently behind the large format cabinet across from the UMatic tapes)
  • "Spec Coll": small section of books immediately before the juvenile books
  • For "Pamph": see the page for shelving pamphlets
Second line — 1 to 2 letters
  • Arrange in alphabetical order
Third line — numbers
  • Arrange in numerical order as whole numbers with or without decimal values.
 Fourth line — 1 letter and 1 or more numbers
  •  This line has an unprinted decimal point before the letter.
  • Arrange first in alphabetical order by the letter.
  • Then arrange in numerical order by decimal value (note examples 3 and 4 on the above where .329 comes before .38). Think of these numbers with zeros added at the end.
Fifth line — varies
  • If this line is like the third line, treat it the same.
  • If it is different from the third line, it may be a volume or copy number or date. Arrange accordingly.