Types of subject headings
| 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 else1 |
| 7 | Source specified in ‡2 | Retain headings with source gsafd and local; retain headings with source bidex for Spanish-language material only1; delete other types and bidex headings on non-Spanish materials
|
| 8 | Sears subject heading | Delete |
- You may, but are not required to add French subject headings to French-language material, Spanish subject headings to Spanish-language material, Polish subject headings to Polish-language material, etc.
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 form/genre headings found in field 650 to field 655 for print material, videorecordings, and radio programs.
Foreign-language material
Use the appropriate LCAC headings for children's materials in a foreign language
Example
650 _1 Spanish language material.
Use the appropriate LCAC headings in a local subject heading (field 690) for adult materials in a foreign language
Example:
690 Spanish language material.