Library of Congress Subject Headings

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Library of Congress Subject Headings

• Lecture 9
• Libr 248
• Daniel Stuhlman

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Marc review

• What is the 040 field used for?
• What part of a bibliographic record is the
  description?
• What MARC fields are included in the description?
  
• What fields are access points as discussed in
  chapter 21 of AACR2R?

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Marc review 2

• 5. What is a MARC indicator?
• 6. What are the commonly used indicators in the
  245 used for?
• 7. What is the difference between the 600, 630,
  650 subject headings.

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Resources

• 1. Library of Congress Subject headings (LCSH)
  available on Classification Web (ClassWeb)
  http//classweb.loc.gov/
• 2. Authority file used for constructing most of
  the 6xx fields
• provides authoritative form of topical headings,
  name headings, and title headings
• 3. Catalogers Desktop. Follow link
  http//www.loc.gov/cds/desktop/ for the beta test
  version.
• Library of Congress Subject Headings (Nicknamed
  Big Red book) Library of Congress Subject
  Headings, 26th edition (2003) The 27th edition
  will be available in June 2004.
• Especially worth reading
• General
• Subdivisions
• Free-Floating subdivisions
• Subdivisions controlled by pattern headings

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Classification Web Main Menu
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Signon page
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What are subject headings?

• Subject headings are verbal labels that indicate
  the topic of a book.
• Subject analysis is the part of cataloging that
  indicates to the catalog users something about
  the intellectual content, form of the item or
  both.
• Subject headings lead library patrons to specific
  titles within the library collection, while
  gathering works on the same topic.

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What are subject headings? II

• Subject headings work with classification.
• While an item may have only one classification
  number, it may have several subject headings
  analyzing the intellectual content from multiple
  aspects.
• Both group items on a similar topic, but they may
  take different approaches.

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Reasons for Subject Headings

• SH lead you to other books on the same, similar,
  broader, or narrower topics.
• SH are controlled vocabulary used to describe the
  content of library items.
• SH may or may not be words one would normally use
  to describe a topic.
• SH try to keep up with modern conventions and
  usage, but sometimes are slow to change.

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Subject Heading Traditions

• 1. If the bibliographic record has more than one
  subject heading in a record, the first one will
  be the one that has the closest correspondence to
  the classification number.
• 2. Usually records have one to three subject
  headings. Some books such as fiction do not
  routinely have subject headings. No more than 10
  subjects per record
• 3. Choose the most specific heading that will
  cover the topic
• ex. Cats verses kittens verses mammals
• 4. The first heading is the more important one or
  the first mentioned in the item.

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Collocation

• The fact that subject headings gather works on
  the same subject implies authority. Each subject
  should appear in the catalog under one heading.
  Therefore, one uniform term must be selected from
  several synonyms. This term must be applied
  consistently to all works on this topic.
• An example of one concept that may be expressed a
  few different ways
• Rugs, Turkish Turkish rugs
• Carpets, Turkish Carpets Turkish

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Subject Heading Systems

• General headings
• Sears
• Library of Congress Subject Headings
• Specialized headings
• Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
• Canadian Subject Headings (CSH)
• LC Subject Headings for Childrens Literature
• National Agricultural Library Subject Authority
• AAS Subject Headings (science headings)
• All arrange their topics alphabetically.

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Subject Heading Systems 2

• Searsless precise, contains fewer terms, and is
  preferred for smaller libraries, (such as
  elementary schools) usually used Dewey Decimal
  Classification
• LCSHexpands topic areas into many subdivisions,
  included numerous proper nouns as topics, usually
  used with LCC.

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Subject Heading Systems 3

• Specialized systems are used to supplement areas
  not adequately covered by LCSH. For example
  Canadian Subject Headings add 6000 headings
  specific to Canada that are compatible with LCSH.
• MeSH headings are used by the National Library of
  Medicine. They correlate to their medical
  classification. MeSH takes a different approach
  to topics than LCSH

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LCSH 1

• LCSH is a controlled vocabulary system that
  insures uniqueness and uniformity. A keyword
  index system has not control or uniqueness.
• There is no authorized code for the development
  of new headings, comparable to AACR2R for
  bibliographic records. There are many
  inconsistencies in the form of headings. There
  is no uniform hierarchy as in the MESH headings.
• For example the following are valid headings
  (last validated Feb. 29, 2004)
• Environmental chemistry Chemistry, Organic
• American poetry Art, American

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Not a Thesaurus

• Since it does not list all NT (narrower terms) or
  BT (broader terms) LCSH is not a true
  comprehensive thesaurus. Many headings do not
  list RTs (related terms) in a consistent manner.
• LCSH is based on literary warrant if a book is
  written on a subject, the heading will be
  established. LC is constantly adding to the
  list.

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Application

• For topical headings (field 650)
• Such as Petroleum, Broadband communication
  systems, Library education--California
• Catalogers may only use topical headings found in
  the authority file.
• If a heading doesnt exist for the book one is
  cataloging then use a more general heading or
  several related headings, whichever designates
  most closely the topic of the work.

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Application-- Names

• For names and title headings (fields 600, 610,
  611, 630, 651) personal name, corporate name,
  conference name, uniform title, geographic names
  respectively.
• Catalogers may use these types of headings even
  if they are not found in the authority files.
  These headings must be in AACR2R format.
• For example a book on Elizabeth Bowen. She is
  not in LCSH, however her name in AACR2R form may
  be used as a subject headings.

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Subdivisions

• (x form or topical subdivision y
  chronological z geographic, v form)
• How to determine which subdivisions you may use?
• 1. Some subdivisions are indicated in LCSH. but
  must be translated into MARC
• For example
• California Climate.
• CaliforniaDescription and travel.
• California Description and travel 1951-
• California -- Discovery and exploration --
  Spanish.
• Explorers -- California -- Biography.

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Pattern headings

• It is possible to use subdivisions based on
  pattern headings. Pattern headings are a space
  savings device. Look in LC subject heading
  manual. H1146, 1147-1200. Cattle is the pattern
  heading for all domestic animals. This means
  that under Cattle LCSH the subdivisions are fully
  developed. These subdivisions will not be
  repeated fully under headings for other domestic
  animals, such as sheep, but the cataloger may
  use the subdivisions listed under Cattle for
  Sheep.

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Free-floating subdivisions

• There are 4 types form persons corporate
  bodies place names.

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Summary

• Subject headings summarize the intellectual
  content and or form of the work. Choose
  intellectual content over form. Biography and
  fiction are examples of forms.
• Generally chapters do not receive subject
  headings. Instead choose a more general heading
  to cover the content. Assign subject headings for
  significant parts of a work when it makes up
  about 20 of the work.
• Do not assign a general heading and a specific
  heading. For example a book on algebra would
  not get a subject heading mathematics in
  addition to algebra
• When a needed topical heading does not exist use
  a more general heading or several specific
  headings.