About the Library of Congress Classification Scheme
The Library of Congress in Washington, DC, was established in 1800 to meet the information needs of the Congress of the United States.
It has grown significantly in size and importance since that date, and now also serves as the national library of the United States. It contains over 100 million items, including circa 27 million books and pamphlets.
The outline of the Library of Congress Classification Scheme (LC) was first drawn up in 1897 and since then has undergone considerable expansion and continuing revision. A large number of American libraries now use this scheme, as well as a growing number of university libraries throughout the world.
When Macquarie University was established in 1966, it was decided to adopt the LC Classification Scheme as a means of quickly organising the collection. Furthermore, students and staff would be provided with a scheme offering great flexibility and comprehensiveness.The continuing growth and success of the University Library is a testament to the foresight of the librarians who established the collection and those who followed them and maintained their vision.