Subject Headings Part 2

1. Subject Headings Part 2 Lecture 11 Info 660 Daniel Stuhlman

2. Subject headings Subject headings are labels that indicate the topic of a book. Purpose of subject headings Lead the library patron to specific titles within the library collection Gather works on the same topic

3. Library of Congress SH LCSH is a system that was originally designed as a controlled vocabulary for representing the subject and form of books and other library items in the LC collections. The purpose is to provide access points to bibliographic records. The system include both the actual headings and the references (such as broader, narrower terms)

4. Uniform Heading A basic tenet of subject cataloging Shows what a library has on a given subject Each subject is represented in the catalog under only one name. Since English is rich in synonyms, many concepts can have different names. The librarian must assign a subject no matter how the author approaches the subject.

5. Choice of Terms LC chooses English terms over the foreign term except when there is no English term. For example LC uses Coups d’etat (instead of revolution), Tsunamis (not big storm), Bonsai (not small ornamental tree), Lulav (not palm branch) In the choice between technical and scientific terms – choose the popular term when the common name is not ambiguous. (Cockroaches instead of Blattarae; Lizards instead of Lacertilia ; Spiders instead of Araneida)

6. Choice of Terms 2 Choose the current term over an obsolete one. If a new invention of concept is called by several names, the cataloger may be in a position to choose the best name for the subject. Choose the most specific topic possible. Ex. Choose Gauss-Bonnet theorem over Geometry ; Cats over Domestic pets.

7. Subject Heading Tools Tools for finding or constructing subject headings 1. ClassificationWeb 2. Authority file of the local library or Library of Congress provides authoritative form of topical headings, name headings, and title headings 3. Library of Congress Subject Headings – available on Cataloger’s Desktop or the printed red columns. Especially worth reading: General Subdivisions Free-Floating subdivisions Subdivisions controlled by pattern headings

8. Subject Heading Tools 2 4. MARC – fields 043, 600, 610, 611, 630, 650, 651 The 043 field is used for a geographic code and has nothing to do with the 260 $a, place of publication. 5. Chan, Lois Mai Library of Congress Subject Headings : principles and applications.

9. Relationship to classification Subjects are similar to classification in that it groups items on a similar topic Dissimilar because items may have multiple subject headings (SHs) If more than one SH is assigned, the the first one corresponds closest to the call number. The first is the most prominent in the item. If two are equally prominent, choose the first mentioned in the item. Assign no more than 10 SHs/record – usually one to three subject headings

10. Gathering The concept of gathering items under subject headings 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.

11. Controlled Vocabulary A controlled vocabulary system insures uniqueness and uniformity. This as opposed to a keyword subject system. There is no code authority or organization directing the development of new headings, unlike the bibliographic record which has AACR2R as a set of rules to follow. 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 Environmental chemistry and Chemistry, Organic American poetry and Art, American LCSH is not a true thesaurus, in that it does not list all the appropriate NTs and BTs under each heading; and many times it will list RTs in an inconsistent manner. New headings are based on literary warrant. A new subject will not be added until a book or item is written on a subject.

12. Application Topical heading (650): e.g., Rock music, Gardening, Economics Cataloger may only use the topical headings found in the authority file. If a heading doesn’t exist for the book, then use a more general headings or several related headings, whichever designates most closely the topic of the work.

13. Names and title headings Names and title headings (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, with the form found in AACR2R.

14. Subdivisions Subdivisions ($x = form or topical subdivision; $y = chronological; $z = geographic, $v = form) May be added to existing headings. Some subdivisions are indicated in LCSH. [but must be translated into MARC]

15. Pattern headings It is possible to add new headings based on subdivisions listed in a pattern headings or sample entry. 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 you may use the subdivisions listed under Cattle for Sheep as well.

16. Pattern headings samples • Pattern headings are : • Jesuits for religious orders • Bible for sacred works • United States for countries • Harvard University for educational institutions • Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 for literary authors • Cancer and tuberculosis for diseases

17. Free-floating subdivisions 1. Form ex. Bibliography; Dictionaries; Periodicals. 2. Persons that is headings under persons ex. Homes and haunts; Friends and associates; Views on [name of topic] 3. Geographic locations ex. Climate, Description and travel; History 4. Chronological subdivision ex. 16th century, 1950-