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Explaining the Mysteries of LC

Library of Congress (LC) v. Dewey Decimal (Dewey)

Virtually every library in the United States uses one of these two classification schemes to organize their materials by subject and assign call numbers.

How Call Numbers Work: LC v Dewey

(for the book Heroes, Rogues and Lovers: Testosterone and Behavior by James Dabbs, 2000)

LC and Dewey in a Nutshell

Adapted from: http://www2.clackamas.edu/library/Tutorials/Libraries/ClassifCompare.htm

Reasons for the Conversion

• Ninety-eight percent of academic libraries in the United States use the Library of Congress (LC) classification scheme; it’s the “national standard. It’s authoritative and efficient… Most academic libraries with collections larger that 100,000 volumes use LC.” Converting our collection will bring us in line with our peer institutions and national standards.


• Because most academic libraries use LC, Aquinas students who go on to graduate school are likely to encounter LC at whatever institution they attend. An LC collection at Aquinas would better prepare students for that library environment.


• Because most faculty members used LC at the undergraduate and graduate institutions they attended, they are already familiar with the system.


• LC is more appropriate for the scholarly resources the library collects. Because of the way it is structured, it more easily accommodates scientific and scholarly titles and more nimbly allows for the inclusion of new subjects.


• LC classifications do not change like the Dewey numbers do over time. Therefore, once this conversion is completed, future classification changes will be rare.


• LC makes finer distinctions among disciplines and subjects than Dewey, making it more likely that books on the same or similar topics will be found near each other. This will make it easier for our students to find books on their topics.


• Browsing the stacks for a language or literature book will be easier because all of an author's works will be shelved together. For example, if an author wrote both poetry and fiction, these works will be together rather than shelved separately as they would be under a Dewey number (which separates) poetry or fiction.


• The Library of Congress usually supplies a complete, unique LC call number for each book it catalogs. Using the number provided by the Library of Congress would save time in the cataloging process. Dewey does not provide a complete call number and time must be spent creating one.


• LC call numbers are shorter and fit better on library books. Dewey Decimal Classification call numbers often require lengthy numbers to the right of the decimal point. The full number is hidden from view when shelved because it wraps around the book’s spine.


• LC call numbers include the book’s publication year. This is extremely helpful when looking for the most current publications while browsing the collection.

Steps for conversion

1. Weed and inventory collections


2. Clean up missing/lost items in database


3. Send the database to Marcive for call number conversion and label making


4. Place new LC labels on books and reshelve


5. Import the database with converted call numbers back into Innovative

Time Line

• Begin cataloging new books in LC - May 2005


• Complete weeding and inventory - December 2005


• Send database to Marcive - mid-December 2005


• Begin conversion - May 2006


• Finish conversion - mid-August 2006


• Flip database - mid-August 2006

In Conclusion

• Converting to LC will save us money and time, and books will get on the shelves more quickly.


• LC will better serve the needs of our students and faculty


• LC is the national standard for academic libraries and converting will put us on par with our peer institutions.