This guide will provide information about discovering books in the area of History.
NOTE: Electronic books (ebooks) will only be found by searching the catalog or the Electronic books tool.
There are two ways to discover books on History and Political Science:
(1) Search the online book catalog
In our online catalog, keywords can be used to automatically search across titles, tables of contents, and Library of Congress subject headings. The subject headings help you find books related to a particular topic.
When you find a good book, click on the book title. This will take you to a detailed record which includes subject headings. Click on any subject heading and the catalog will automatically find books related to that subject heading.
(2) Browse books on the shelf
Books are arranged on the shelves using the Library of Congress classification system. The classification system groups together books related to a particular subject.
This enables books on a particular topic to be located side-by-side, so browse the shelves!
Classification for books on History, Political Science and Law
| Class | Subject Heading | |
| World History | ||
| D | History (General) | |
| DA | Great Britain | |
| DAW | Central Europe | |
| DB | Austria | |
| Czech Republic, Slovakia | ||
| Hungary | ||
| DC | France | |
| DD | Germany | |
| DE | Greco-Roman World | |
| DF | Greece | |
| DG | Italy | |
| DH | Low Countries | |
| Benelux Countries | ||
| DJ | Netherlands, Holland | |
| DJK | Eastern Europe (General) | |
| DK | Poland | |
| Russia | ||
| Soviet Union | ||
| Former Soviet Republics | ||
| DL | Northern Europe | |
| Scandanavia | ||
| DP | Spain, Portugal | |
| DQ | Switzerland | |
| DR | Balkan Peninsula | |
| DS | Asia | |
| DT | Africa | |
| DU | Ocenia (South Seas) | |
| DX | Romanies | |
| E | History of the Americas | |
| 11-143 | America | |
| 151-909 | United States | |
| F | History of the Americas | |
| 1-975 | United States local history | |
| 1001-1145.2 | Canada (including British America) | |
| Dutch America | ||
| 1170 | French America | |
| 1201-3799 | Latin America | |
| Spanish America | ||
| Political Science | ||
| J | General legislative and executive papers | |
| JA | Political science (General) | |
| JC | Political theory | |
| JF | Political institutions | |
| Public administration | ||
| JJ | Political institutions (North America) | |
| Public administration (North America) | ||
| JK | Political institutions (United States) | |
| Public administration (United States) | ||
| JL | Political institutions (Canada) | |
| Political institutions (Latin America) | ||
| Public administration (Canada) | ||
| Public administration (Latin America) | ||
| JN | Political institutions (Europe) | |
| Public administration (Europe) | ||
| JQ | Political institutions (Asia) | |
| Political institutions (Africa) | ||
| Political institutions (Australia) | ||
| Political institutions (Ocenia) | ||
| Public administration (Asia) | ||
| Public administration (Africa) | ||
| Public administration (Australia) | ||
| Public administration (Oceania) | ||
| JS | Local government | |
| Municipal government | ||
| JV | Colonies and colonization | |
| Emigration and immigration | ||
| International migration | ||
| JX | (obsolete) | International law |
| (see JZ and KZ) | ||
| JZ | International relations | |
| Law | ||
| K | Law (General) | |
| Comparative and uniform law | ||
| Jurisprudence | ||
| KB | Religious law (General) | |
| KBM | Jewish law | |
| KBP | Islamic law | |
| KBR | History of canon law | |
| KBU | Law of the Roman Catholic Church | |
| The Holy See | ||
| KD | United Kingdom | |
| KDK | Ireland | |
| KDZ | North America | |
| KE | Canada | |
| KF | United States | |
| KG | Latin America | |
| Mexico, Central America | ||
| Caribbean | ||
| West Indies | ||
| KH | South America | |