This guide will provide information about discovering books in the sciences.
Paper books will be found on the shelves by topic. Below are the LC classifications (call numbers) for subjects.
NOTE: Electronic books (ebooks) will only be found by searching the catalog or the Electronic books tool.
There are two ways to discover paper biology books.
(1) Search by keyword or Subject Heading
In our book catalogs, keywords will be searched in titles, sometimes in table-of-contents, and in official subject headings.
Hint: Once you find a good title, from the detailed record use the Subject Headings to find other titles in a similar area.
Hint: Many titles are found side-by-side on the shelves by call number (see below), so browse the shelves.
(2) Browse by Library of Congress (LC) call number.
Books are arranged on the shelves using a letter/number system, and these numbers align with official Subject Headings.
The LC numbers and associated headings for basic chemistry, mathematics, and physics are:
Subclass QD
QD1-999 Chemistry
QD1-65 General
Including alchemy
QD71-142 Analytical chemistry
QD146-197 Inorganic chemistry
QD241-441 Organic chemistry
QD415-436 Biochemistry
QD450-801 Physical and theoretical chemistry
QD625-655 Radiation chemistry
QD701-731 Photochemistry
QD901-999 Crystallography
Subclass QA
QA1-939 Mathematics
QA1-43 General
QA47-59 Tables
QA71-90 Instruments and machines
QA75-76.95 Calculating machines
QA75.5-76.95 Electronic computers. Computer science
QA76.75-76.765 Computer software
QA101-(145) Elementary mathematics. Arithmetic
QA150-272.5 Algebra
QA273-280 Probabilities. Mathematical statistics
QA299.6-433 Analysis
QA440-699 Geometry. Trigonometry. Topology
QA801-939 Analytic mechanics
Subclass QC
QC1-999 Physics
QC1-75 General
QC81-114 Weights and measures
QC120-168.85 Descriptive and experimental mechanics
QC170-197 Atomic physics. Constitution and properties of matter
Including molecular physics, relativity, quantum theory, and
solid state physics
QC221-246 Acoustics. Sound
QC251-338.5 Heat
QC310.15-319 Thermodynamics
QC350-467 Optics. Light
QC450-467 Spectroscopy
QC474-496.9 Radiation physics (General)
QC501-766 Electricity and magnetism
QC501-(721) Electricity
QC669-675.8 Electromagnetic theory
QC676-678.6 Radio waves (Theory)
QC701-715.4 Electric discharge
QC717.6-718.8 Plasma physics. Ionized gases
QC750-766 Magnetism
QC770-798 Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity
QC793-793.5 Elementary particle physics
QC794.95-798 Radioactivity and radioactive substances
QC801-809 Geophysics. Cosmic physics
QC811-849 Geomagnetism
QC851-999 Meteorology. Climatology
Including the earth's atmosphere
QC974.5-976 Meteorological optics
QC980-999 Climatology and weather
QC994.95-999 Weather forecasting