University Libraries Cataloging Services Cataloging Reference Collection Organized by topic, the links from this page list documentation, quick reference information and links to other sites commonly used in Cataloging. Navigation is facilitated by the buttons to the left, these buttons are described below. On each of the topic pages quick reference and locally relevant documentation are listed at the beginning of the page followed by other informational and developmental links.
All larger Libraries use some call number scheme to sort their items on the shelves.
The most common schema are Dewey Decimal Classification system and the Library of Congress Classification. Penn State Libraries primarily use the Library of Congress classification scheme although some collections at Penn State use other standardized numbers, for example, U.S. Government Documents or a locally devised free format call number, Electronic Journals and the Music Listening Room for example. In the Library of Congress call number the first one or two lines of most call numbers as they appear on an item in the collections is called the classification. This is based on the subject content of the item. The remainder of the call number is a called a cutter number.