Types of subject headings
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| The rules on this page have been approved in concept by the SCRAP committee, but the exact wording is still being adjusted. Please use these rules. Please send any feedback to SCRAP. |
Indicators
The second indicator in fields 600-655 determines what type of heading a field is. Some types of headings should always be retained if appropriate in records in the CCS database, others should always be deleted from records in the CCS database.
| Indicator | Heading type | Retain or delete |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Library of Congress subject heading (LCSH) | Retain |
| 1 | Library of Congress Annotated Card program heading (LCAC) | Retain for children's material (Audn: a, b, c, or j); delete for everything else |
| 2 | National Library of Medicine heading (MeSH) | Delete |
| 3 | National Agricultural Library heading (NAL) | Delete |
| 4 | Source not specified | Delete |
| 5 | Canadian subject heading (NLC) | Delete |
| 6 | French Canadian subject heading (NLC) | Retain for French-language material; delete for everything else[1] |
| 7 | Source specified in ‡2 | Retain headings with source gsafd, lcgft, lcsh, or local. For Spanish-language material only, retain headings with source bidex, except those in field 655[1]. Delete bidex headings in field 655. Delete bidex headings on non-Spanish materials. Delete all other headings with second indicator 7.
|
| 8 | Sears subject heading | Delete |
Uncontrolled headings
Uncontrolled heading fields (field 653) should be converted to valid LCSH or deleted.
British subject headings
Do not assume that subject headings coded as LCSH in records from the British National Library (UKM) are valid headings or valid constructions; UKM uses its own subject cataloging rules that sometimes conflict with the Library of Congress' headings and rules.
Form/genre headings
- Change all unsubdivided and unqualified form/genre headings found in field 650 to field 655 for print material, videorecordings, and radio programs.
- Use LCGFT as the preferred thesaurus for form/genre headings in field 655.
- Do not subdivide, or qualify by nationality, a heading in field 655.
Foreign-language material
See Subject headings for foreign language materials for additional instructions specific to materials in a language other than English.