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 
Use will need to use the Library Catalog to find books available in the Cerritos College Library. You can search for books by author, title, subject, or keyword.
You can use some of the terms below to help you find books relating to the themes in Lopez's The Soloist:
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HINT: To find books written about an author search by Subject, to find a book written by an author search by Author. Always type the last name first, e.g. Hemingway, Ernest. |
Here are some of the library's online resources which can help you get information about Steve Lopez and the themes he writes about in The Soloist. Most online resources require login for off-campus use. Enter your Cerritos College login when prompted. For more login information see the Database Login page
The books below are located in the REFERENCE section, so you can only use them in the library. Photocopies are available for 10 cents a page.
Contemporary Authors- New Revision SeriesHomeless in America- How Could It Happen Here? by 
Homelessness by 
Mental Illness by Below are some books which are available for checkout.
A Gift of Hope by The Homeless by Homeless in America- How Could It Happen Here? by Mental Illness: Opposing Viewpoints by 
Schizophrenia by 
The Secret Power of Music by 
The Soloist by 
The Visible Poor by