Essential Library of Congress Subject Headings

1. Introduction

• What is LCSH?
• The format of LCSH

2. History and principles of LCSH

• Early subject headings
• Cutter's Rules
• Subject cataloguing and the dictionary catalogue
• LCSH in the catalogue
• Major characteristics of LCSH
• The Library of Congress and literary warrant
• Bias in LCSH

3. Subject heading lists and the problems of language

• Systematic and alphabetic approaches to information
• Advantages of alphabetic systems
• Disadvantages of alphabetic systems
• Controlled indexing languages
• Standards for document description

4. Format and display of LCSH

• Filing and alphabetization
• Non-alphabetic characters
• Punctuation
• Typography
• Notes and references under headings

5. The choice and form of headings

• Where do LCSH headings come from?
• Cutter's Rules and the choice of preferred terms
• Vocabulary control in LCSH: selection of terms
• Vocabulary control in LCSH: form of terms
• More complex headings
• Punctuation of headings

6. Content analysis

• The problem of 'aboutness'; indexer consistency and subjectivity
• Where to look for content
• Constructing the document description
• Significant concepts
• Common categories of term
• Ordering the subject string

7. Assigning main headings

• Content analysis and LCSH
• Analytical cataloguing
• Finding appropriate headings
• Cross-references
• Selecting headings
• Organizing headings on a record

8. Structured headings

• The nature of structured headings
• The format of structured headings
• Categories of subdivisions

9. Topical subdivisions

• Presentation of topical subdivisions
• Forming the structured heading
• Pattern headings

10. Geographic subdivisions

• When to use geographic subdivisions
• The format of geographically subdivided headings
• Place authorities and the form of geographic names
• Forming the geographic subdivision
• Using more than one geographic subdivision
• Geographic subdivisions with topical subdivisions
• Main headings with geographic elements

11. Free-floating subdivisions

• The scope and range of free-floating subdivisions
• Combining free-floating and geographic subdivisions
• Persons
• Common subject subdivisions
• More complicated uses of free-floating subdivisions

12. More complex headings

• Combining the different types of subdivisions
• Geographic subdivisions combined with free-floating subdivisions
• Topical subdivisions combined with geographic subdivisions
• Topical subdivisions combined with free-floating subdivisions
• Combinations of topical, geographic, and free-floating subdivisions

13. Chronological headings and subdivisions

• Free-floating subdivisions for history
• Main headings with period aspects

14. Name headings

• What constitutes a name heading?
• Personal names
• Corporate names
• Geographic names
• Named historical events
• Named objects and entities

15. Literature and the arts

• Headings for literature
• Non-literary texts
• Headings for art
• Headings for performing arts and media
• Practical subject cataloguing in the arts

16. Headings for music

• General works about music: period and place
• Genre, topics and themes
• Musical forces and works about them
• Instrumental music
• Music for particular forms
• Vocal music
• Works about composers and musicians
• Specific works of music
• Recordings and printed music for individual works

17. Classification Web

• The composition of Classification Web
• Layout and format
• Getting started
• Searching and browsing
• Other features

18. LCSH in the online world

• The Library of Congress catalogue
• Accessing the LC catalogue: bibliographic records
• Other online versions of LCSH

19. Bibliography

• General books on LCSH
• Library of Congress publications
• Current information on LCSH
• History and principles of subject heading lists
• Bias in LCSH
• Classification Web
• Current developments in LCSH

20. Glossary