How to Propose Subject Headings for LCSH |
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Excerpts from SACO Workshop : How to Propose Subject Headings for LCSH. A training session by the Library of Congress at ALA, June 1999.
SACO participant: Searches both the subject authority and name authority files to make sure that the subject is not already covered by existing headings or references Checks FFS:-AM or SCM.-SH to verify that the topic is not covered by an existing heading-free-floating subdivision combination; checks H 405 for named entities Searches bibliographic files to see subject headings assigned to similar works Verifies the concept in reference sources (670, 675); Decides form of heading (IXX) Determines the cross reference structure by consulting sources and LCSH (4xx, 5xx) Completes a subject authority proposal form and sends it to LC (saco@loc.gov) SACO AUTHORITY RESEARCH TIPS 1. The purpose of doing authority research and listing the sources consulted in the 670 (Sources found) and 675 (Sources not found) fields of the subject authority record is to demonstrate the form(s) in which the terms that are proposed as the heading and UF references are found in existing literature, or to document the fact that no citation to the term can be found in likely sources other than the work being cataloged. 2. It is usually not acceptable to cite only the work cataloged as authority for a new concept. It is necessary to seek corroboration or verification of the term in other sources. Any individual work may or may not be accurate, may or may not be authoritative, or may or may not present or advocate a particular point of view. 3. Although the concept may be found only in the work being cataloged, other sources appropriate to the subject area in question should be cited to demonstrate that the concept was properly investigated. There may be some situations, for example, with an individual archeological site or computer language, where the only information may be in the work being cataloged. In those cases, it is helpful to cite explanatory information from the work. 4. Preference is given to reference sources like dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, and thesauri. Finding usage in titles in databases like the LC database or OCLC's World Cat may demonstrate that a particular term is in use but does not necessarily indicate that it is the best or predominate way of referring to a topic. Checking for usage in titles is a good means of finding variant terminology for UF references. 5. General dictionaries like Webster's Third and/or Random House should be checked for all general topics. Appropriate sources should be checked for special topics, like MESH and Dorland's medical dictionary for medical terms, AAT for art, N,4S,4 Thesaurus for astronautics, chemistry dictionaries for chemicals, etc. 6. How much authority work is sufficient will vary with the topic and what is found in reference sources. If conflicting information is found in the first two sources checked, further sources may need to be checked in search of a "tiebreaker." It is sometimes necessary to weigh the information found in various sources and to determine which source is more authoritative or current. If the information found in the work cataloged is confirmed in an authoritative source, that is probably all that is needed in most cases.
SACO does not require exhaustive research. The goal is subject authority research that is good enough to indicate a consensus of usage in relevant sources.
The LC name authority file or national authority file contains headings for personal names and corporate bodies that are capable of authorship and needed for descriptive access points bibliographic records as well as headings for uniform titles. It contains headings of the following MARC tags and types:
There are no headings tagged 150 in the name authority file. Subject usage. With certain stated and noted exceptions, entities established in the name authority file may be used as subject headings. Because of the Latest name policy for jurisdictions, one exception is that headings for earlier names of jurisdictions that have changed their names may not be used as subjects. Therefore, LC uses Saint Petersburg (Russia) not Leningrad (R. S.F. S.R.); Sri Lanka not Ceylon; Hong Kong (China) not Hong Kong. , Duplicate authority records. At one time, authority records for name headings were routinely included in LCSH if they were designated as pattern headings, for example, Harvard University; if they were needed for the reference structure of another subject heading; or if it was necessary to establish a non-free-floating subdivision for use with them, for example, Great Britain. Parliament--University representation. Authority records for most countries were included in LCSH in order to establish the chronological subdivisions that represent the significant date spans in their history, for example, Scotland--History-Mary Stuart, 1542-1567. LC no longer creates duplicate subject authority records for name headings. Notes: Computer files were subjects but are now treated as titles. They are only qualified when used as a subject or as a referent. Notes: events that are planned in advance and are recurring are in the names file. Notes: Combination of name heading and non-free-floating subdivision, must be established as a subject heading.
The subject authority file contains primarily headings with the MARC21 tag 150 for topical headings. This tag encompasses a wide array of concepts and phenomena as well as headings proper-named entities that are not capable of authorship and are needed for subject rather than descriptive access points. In cases of doubt, check H 405 ("Division of the world")
Notes: Subjects are things not capable of authorship. Notes: For names, "foot on the ground rule" - if they walked, they are a name; otherwise they are subject Notes: Fictitious character appearing in 3 or more works is a subject OTHER TYPES OF HEADINGS IN LCSH LCSH also contains headings with other MARC21 tags:
To achieve good practice in assigning and proposing headings, it is important to understand the principles involved in formulating subject headings. Charles Ammi Cutter's purposes:
Subject heading: Compulsive shopping Titles: Shopaholics: serious help for addicted shoppers Overcoming overspending : a winning plan for spenders ... Consuming passion : help for compulsive shoppers Born to spend: how to overcome compulsive spending Women who shop too much : overcoming the urge to splurge User principle. Terms are chosen on the basis of what is standard in current American English language usage. Preference is given to terminology and expressions that are in general use over technical terms or jargon when there is a choice. Specificity. The principle of specificity is followed. Terms that are coextensive with the subject rather than broader or more generic ten-ns are used unless a specific term is deemed too narrow. Consistency. Whenever feasible, attempts are made to maintain consistency in form and structure among similar headings through the use of recurring patterns. Change. The system is dynamic. Changes to headings are made continuously to maintain the currency and viability of the list. For any change, the benefit of making it is weighed against its impact on the authority and bibliographic databases and the resources needed to carry it out.
SYNDETIC STRUCTURE -- REFERENCES In order to be useful, an alphabetic subject heading list needs to have a generous entry vocabulary to link terms searchers might use with the authorized forms of the fist as well as a structure of explicit relationships to allow users to navigate through the system. These purposes are served by references that express equivalence, hierarchical, and associative relationships. History. Like the headings themselves, references were made in LCSH at different times according to different philosophies and principles. Early on, some specific to general references were made. For many years references were made on the basis that a person investigating one heading should be made aware of another heading. References were rarely revised as new headings were added. In addition, many headings appeared in LCSH without references. In 1984, new rules for making references were adopted and incorporated into the Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings, and then applied to new headings beginning in 1985. Notation. With the adoption of the new, more hierarchically rigorous rules for making references, the decision was made to use the standard symbols employed by thesauri for indicating relationships. When the file of subject headings was converted to the USNL4,RC format in early 1986, the old symbols were mechanically replaced by the new ones. Under a heading, the print program that produces LCSH substituted: USE for See UF for x (see from) BT for xx (see also from) NT for sa (see also) RT for terms that appeared both in the xx and sa listings under a heading. USE/UF REFERENCES Equivalence or USE/UF (Used for)references link terms that are non-preferred and not authorized to their preferred and authorized forms. The notation in LCSHis USE and UF Baby sitting Babysitting USE Babysitting UF Baby sitting UF references are covered in H 373 of the Subject Cataloging Manual. Subject Headings. UF references are carried in subject authority records in fields tagged 4XX. USE references are generated by program or system. The categories of UG references made are: 1. synonyms and near synonyms: Restaurants UF Cafes Dining establishments 2. variant spellings: Hematology UF Haematology 3. variant forms of expression: Nonbank financial institutions UF Nonbank banks Nonbanks 4. alternate arrangements of terms: Dog breeds 5. earlier forms of headings: Restaurants UF Restaurants, lunch rooms, etc. [Former heading] Earlier forms of headings: Since 1988, earlier forms of headings have been explicitly coded as nnen in the $w control subfield of 4XX fields. Coded earlier form of heading references were added to headings changed between 1976 and 1988 as a project. In LCSH, the earlier references are signalled by the notation: [Former heading]. Broader Term and Narrower Term References link headings and allow users to enter at any level and be led step by step to the next level of either more specific or more general topics. The following instruction sheets in the Subject Cataloging Manual. Subject Headings cover these references: H 370 Broader Terms, Narrower Terms, and Related Terms H 371 General See Also References H 375 [Topic]--[Place] Broader Term References Notation. BT stands for Broader Term and NT for its reciprocal, Narrower Term Subfield coding. In online records, broader terms are coded as "g" in the $w control subfield of 5XX fields. Records contain only broader term references. LC does not use code "h" for narrower term references. The reciprocal narrower term references that appear in displays in the printed, microfiche, and CD-ROM versions of LCSH are system or program generated. Three types of relationships are indicated by BT/NT references: Next level. A heading is now linked only to the heading immediately above it in a hierarchy. Bilevel references remain in headings with unevaluated references as remnants of past practice. Compound headings. Because the complex compound headings present in LCSH do not necessarily fit into these hierarchical categories, rules were also adopted for linking compound headings on the basis of the terms they contain. The resulting BT/NT relationships are often more arbitrary than would be allowed in a true thesaurus. Related term or RT references link headings that have 3 associative relationships and are coded as "n" in the "w" control subfield. They are made sparingly situations outlined in H 370. General see also references These may be found in 360 fields. Over 3,528 records have them. They are made:
General see references In October 1998, there were 643 general see references. These are reference records (008/09 value "b" or "c" rather than heading records (008/09 value "a"), but they have the term referred from in a 150 field followed by a 260 field. They are made:
Scope notes Over 5,073 headings have scope notes in 680 fields They may:
LC Classification numbers In October 1998, 77,261 records had at least one corresponding LC Classification number in an 053 field. Sources found and Sources not found
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