The libraries use the Library of Congress Classification System to arrange the books on the shelves. The call number for a book will begin with a letter or letters representing one of the following broad subject areas:

• A--General works (e.g. encyclopedias)
• B--Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion
• C--Auxiliary sciences (e.g. biography, genealogy)
• D--History (except America)
• E - F--History of the Americas (Missouri history: F 461-475)
• G--Geography, Anthropology, Folklore, Dance, Sports
• H - HJ--Social Sciences (general), Economics and Business
• HM - HX--Sociology, Marriage and Family, Criminal Justice
• J--Political Science
• K--Law (U.S. law: KF; Missouri law: KFM 7800-8399)
• L--Education
• M--Music
• N--Fine Arts
• P--Philology and Literature
  • P - PA--Philology and Classical Literature
  • PB - PH-- Modern European Languages
  • PJ - PM--Languages and Literatures of Asia, Africa, Oceania, America; Mixed Languages; Artificial Languages
  • PN--Literature (general), Drama, Poetry, Film
  • PQ--French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
  • PR--English Literature
  • PS--American Literature
  • PT--German, Dutch, and Scandinavian
  • PZ--Fiction (general) and Juvenile Literature
• Q--Science
• R--Medicine (RC: Psychiatry; RT: Nursing)
• S--Agriculture
• T--Technology
• U--Military Science
• V--Naval Science
• Z--Bibliography and Library Science