PREFACE
The first edition of Class A, General Works, was published in 1911, the second in 1915, the third in 1947 (reprinted in 1953), and the fourth in 1973. A 1998 edition cumulated additions and changes that were made during the period 1973–1998, and was followed by the 2008 edition. An edition was published in 2012, then yearly beginning in 2015. This 2021 edition cumulates additions and changes made since the 2020 edition.
In the Library of Congress Classification schedules, classification numbers or spans of numbers that appear in parentheses are formerly valid numbers that are now obsolete. Numbers or spans that appear in angle brackets are optional numbers that have never been used at the Library of Congress but are provided for other libraries that wish to use them. In most cases, a parenthesized or angle-bracketed number is accompanied by a "see" reference directing the user to the actual number that the Library of Congress currently uses, or a note explaining Library of Congress practice.
Access to the online version of the full Library of Congress Classification is available on the World Wide Web by subscription to Classification Web. Details about ordering and pricing may be obtained from the Cataloging Distribution Service at:
New or revised numbers and captions are added to the L.C. Classification schedules as a result of development proposals made by the cataloging staff of the Library of Congress and cooperating institutions. Upon approval of these proposals by the editorial meeting of the Policy, Training & Cooperative Programs Division, new classification records are created or existing records are revised in the master classification database. Lists of newly approved or revised classification numbers and captions are posted on the World Wide Web at:
Libby Dechman, senior cataloging policy specialist in the Policy, Training & Cooperative Programs Division, is responsible for coordinating the overall intellectual and editorial content of class A. Kent Griffiths, assistant editor of classification schedules, is responsible for creating new classification records, maintaining the master database, and creating index terms for the captions.
Judith P. Cannan, Chief
Policy, Training & Cooperative Programs Division
May 2021
