Subject and genre headings

Follow these guidelines for subject and genre headings (6XX fields) in the CCS database. See also Children's subject headings and Non-English Language Materials for those types of resources.

Subject headings (600, 610, 611, 630, 650, 651)

• Every record must have at least one subject heading, or at least one 655 heading if no 600-651 headings apply.
• Every record for a single work of fiction must have at least one subject heading, and applicable 655 headings.
• Use subdivision ‡vSpecimens only for realia (e.g. Telescopes‡vSpecimens).

The following thesauri are acceptable. Delete all other subject headings for resources in English:

• Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
• Library of Congress Children’s Subject Headings (CSH; formerly LCAC)
• Local subject headings (690, 691)
• Homosaurus Subject Headings (‡2homoit)

Optionally, any of the following may be added for resources in languages other than English:

• Bilindex (Spanish, ‡2bidex)
• QLSP (Spanish, ‡2qlsp)
• Autoridades de la Biblioteca Nacional de España (Spanish Subject Headings, ‡2embne)
• Deskryptory Biblioteki Narodowej (National Library of Poland descriptors, ‡2dbn)

Genre/Form headings (655)

• Always add any applicable genre/form headings, in a 655 field.
• Be as specific as possible (e.g. Textured books, instead of the more general Toy and movable books)
• Do not subdivide, or qualify by nationality, any heading in a 655 field.

The following thesauri are acceptable. Delete all other genre/form headings:

• Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (‡2lcgft)
• OLAC Video Game Genre Vocabulary (‡2olacvggt)
• Homosaurus Subject Headings (‡2homoit)
• Local genre headings (655)

INCORRECT:
655 _0 Operas‡vExcerpts.
655 _0 Science fiction‡xWomen authors.
655 _0 Science fiction, American.
655 _0 Christmas stories.
655 _7 Feature films‡zFrance.
655 _0 Motion pictures, French.
655 _0 Urdu fiction.
655 _7 Suspense fiction.‡2gsafd
655 _7 Mystery fiction.‡2gsafd
650 _1 Fantasy.
655 _1 Fantasy.