Subject headings

Number of headings:

2 Subject Headings for medium level.
6 Subject Headings for high level.
1 Subject Heading for more than 20% of the work.
Generally do not assign subject headings for literary works unless they are on a specific topic.

Order of headings:

For original cataloguing, use the guidelines on Order of Subject Headings in the LC Subject Cataloguing Manual (H80).
For copy cataloguing, do not change the original order of the headings.

Existing 6XXs:

For copy cataloguing, it is not necessary to update existing $x to $v.


If a record only contains juvenile LCSH, MeSH or other local headings, add LCSH heading/s as appropriate.

690 / 691 Local subject access fields

For maps and music, institution specific subject headings (691 and 690 respectively) are used for Australian items.

This copied from "National Library of Australia Cataloguing Guidelines"

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Subject headings
The Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings is the standard reference for application of the Library of Congress subject headings system. The only divergence from this is the Australian extension to LCSH.
Number of subject headings
In general, the number of subject headings is determined by the requirements of the work and the level of cataloguing being applied to it.

One or two subject headings only should be assigned to material receiving medium level cataloguing.

High-level catalogue records should be assigned a maximum of six subject headings. More than six subject headings would rarely be required.
Assigning headings
The general aim when assigning subject headings is to summarise the contents of the work. Headings should be assigned to a part of a work only when the part is significant, comprises more than 20% of the work and is not covered by the first heading assigned.
 Single topics
For works on a single topic, assign the most specific single heading that represents the content of the work. If a single, precise heading cannot be assigned, assign either a broader heading or assign two or three narrower headings.
 Two or three topics
If a work covers two or three topics and no single heading precisely represent the contents, assign separate headings for each of the topics. Do not assign a broad or generic heading unless it precisely represents the two or three topics involved.
 Four or more topics
If a work covers four or more topics equally, assign a broad or generic heading that encompasses all the topics, even if the heading also covers topics not included in the work. If a single broad or generic heading cannot be assigned, assign several broad headings.
Additional aspects of a work
Use adjectival qualifiers in headings, subdivisions and additional subject headings to bring out important aspects of the work, such as limitation to a specific place or time, focus on specific named entities, and presentation in a particular form.
Additional headings may also be required because of the complex nature of some topics or special provisions for particular topics. See the Subject cataloguing manual and scope notes in specific subject headings for guidance.

Reference works
Library of Congress. Cataloging Policy and Support Office. Subject cataloging manual : subject headings. 5th ed. Washington, D.C. : Cataloging Distribution Service, Library of Congress, 1996.

Australian extension to LCSH. Available from Internet: http://www.nla.gov.au/kinetica/australianextension.html

Chan, Lois Mai. Library of Congress subject headings : principles and application. 4th ed. Westport, Conn. : Libraries Unlimited, 2005.