Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The need for classification
- 3 First principles of classification
- 4 The variety of classification: systems and structures
- 5 The classification scheme: internal structure
- 6 Types of classification scheme
- 7 Order in the classification scheme
- 8 Content analysis 1: document description
- 9 Content analysis 2: practical constraints
- 10 Controlled indexing languages
- 11 Word-based approaches to retrieval
- 12 Library of Congress Subject Headings 1: basic headings
- 13 Library of Congress Subject Headings 2: structured headings
- 14 Classification scheme application
- 15 Library of Congress Classification 1: basic classmark construction
- 16 Library of Congress Classification 2: use of tables
- 17 Dewey Decimal Classification 1: general properties and basic numbers
- 18 Dewey Decimal Classification 2: number building
- 19 Universal Decimal Classification 1: general properties and basic number building
- 20 Universal Decimal Classification 2: auxiliary tables
- 21 Faceted classification
- 22 Managing classification
- 23 Classification in digital space
- Glossary
- Bibliography and further reading
- Index
12 - Library of Congress Subject Headings 1: basic headings
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 June 2018
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The need for classification
- 3 First principles of classification
- 4 The variety of classification: systems and structures
- 5 The classification scheme: internal structure
- 6 Types of classification scheme
- 7 Order in the classification scheme
- 8 Content analysis 1: document description
- 9 Content analysis 2: practical constraints
- 10 Controlled indexing languages
- 11 Word-based approaches to retrieval
- 12 Library of Congress Subject Headings 1: basic headings
- 13 Library of Congress Subject Headings 2: structured headings
- 14 Classification scheme application
- 15 Library of Congress Classification 1: basic classmark construction
- 16 Library of Congress Classification 2: use of tables
- 17 Dewey Decimal Classification 1: general properties and basic numbers
- 18 Dewey Decimal Classification 2: number building
- 19 Universal Decimal Classification 1: general properties and basic number building
- 20 Universal Decimal Classification 2: auxiliary tables
- 21 Faceted classification
- 22 Managing classification
- 23 Classification in digital space
- Glossary
- Bibliography and further reading
- Index
Summary
In the last chapter on alphabetical subject access we looked at some of the general considerations of alphabetical subject work and the problems (and their solutions) that arise when we use words as the basis of retrieval. While it's perfectly possible to develop an in-house subject indexing system based on the concept analyses for individual documents, the intellectual effort involved and the high cost of maintenance required mean that most libraries opt to use a published standard. In the vast majority of cases that standard will be the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). During the last twenty years of the 20th century many academic libraries in the UK began to use LCSH, even if they were not using the Library of Congress Classification, and it is used, in English in 24 national libraries, and in 12 others in translation. This is in addition to its long-established use in the United States and Canada. The only other set of English language general subject headings in common use is Sears’ List of subject headings for a small library, which, as the name suggests, is much less extensive than LCSH. While many countries have their own national standards for subject headings (such as Nuovo Soggettario in Italy), others use adaptations or modifcations of LCSH, such as the Canadian Répertoire de vedettes-matière.
What is LCSH?
LCSH is an alphabetical list of the headings that are used in the subject catalogues of the Library of Congress, together with ‘thesaural’ crossreferences that enable classifiers to find other appropriate headings. A typical section of LCSH looks something like this:
Umbrellas (May Subd Geog)
UF Bumbershoots
Umbrellas and parasols [Former Heading]
BT Weather protection — Equipment and supplies
NT Parasols
Umbrellas– –Tariff
USE Tariff on umbrellas
Umbrellas and parasols
USE Parasols
Umbrellas
NT Umbrella industry
Umbrellas and parasols in art
USE Parasols in art
Umbrellas in art
Umbrellas in art (Not Subd Geog)
UF Umbrellas and parasols in art [Former Heading]
When we come to the section on practical application of LCSH we'll look in detail at the layout, and at what the different cross-references and typographical variations mean, so you don't need to worry about these at this stage.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Essential Classification , pp. 111 - 130Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2015