Ever wonder how books are shelved?
In this library we use The Library of Congress Classification System to organize books on the shelves. The LC SYSTEM organizes material in libraries according to twenty-one branches of knowledge called classes. The system uses letters to represent the twenty-one broad branches of knowledge. The letters I, O, W, X AND Y are not used.
The twenty-one classes are:
A – GENERAL WORKS
B – PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGION
C – AUXILIARY SCIENCES OF HISTORY
D – HISTORY: GENERAL & OUTSIDE THE AMERICAS
E – HISTORY: UNITED STATES
F – HISTORY: UNITED STATES LOCAL & AMERICAS
G – GEOGRAPHY, ANTHROPOLOGY, RECREATION
H – SOCIAL SCIENCE
J – POLITICAL SCIENCE
K – LAW
L – EDUCATION
M – MUSIC & BOOKS ON MUSIC
N – FINE ARTS
P – LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
Q – SCIENCE
R – MEDICINE
S – AGRICULTURE
T – TECHNOLOGY
U – MILITARY SCIENCE
V – NAVAL SCIENCE
Z – BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIBRARY SCIENCE & INFORMATION RESOURCES
These twenty-one broad subject areas are further divided into more specific subject areas by adding one or two additional letters as well as some numbers. For a more detailed breakdown of any subject, go to the Library of Congress web page.
So, How Do I Find a Book on the Shelf?
Try this exercise, which was put together by the librarians at Kent State University, to see if you have figured out the Library of Congress system!
Finding Books on Your Topic
Once you have chosen a topic and done your background research you will be ready to conduct more comprehensive research using books.
Use the Library Catalog to find books. Books can provide a broad overview of a topic or in-depth information. You can search for books by author, title, subject, or keyword.
Listed below are some Library of Congress Subject Headings used in the catalog for books relating to Native American literature. Use these terms to Search by Subject. Remember, this list is by no means conclusive.
Native American Women Writers by 
Tribal Theory in Native American Literature by 
Contemporary American Ethnic Poets by Here are some books available in the library which may help you with your research:
Studies in American Indian Literature by 
Smoke Rising by 
The Cambridge Companion to Native American Literature by 
Native-American Literature by 
Native American Perspectives on Literature and History by 
Four American Indian Literary Masters by 
The Columbia Guide to American Indian Literatures of the United States Since 1945 by Tribal Secrets: Recovering American Indian Intellectual Traditions by 
The Sound of Rattles and Clappers: A Collection of New California Indian Writing Sun Tracks by 
The Voice of the Turtle by 
Native American Literature: a Very Short Introduction by 
Twenty Thousand Mornings by 
Sherman Alexie by 
Reading the Voice by 
Sing with the Heart of a Bear by 
Survival This Way : interviews with American Indian poets by