LCSH and Other Thesauri
April 6, 2005
1
Overview
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Geographic subdivisions in LCSH
Wrap-up exercise on LCSH
Other thesauri:
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Sears
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) [next week]
Art and Architecture Thesaurus [next week]
2
Form of the geographic name
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Use the form of the geographic name
as established in the authority file
When the name of a place has changed
over the course of its existence, LC
policy is to use the latest name
Tea trade $z Sri Lanka
not
Tea trade $z Ceylon
3
One subfield $z or two?:
direct and indirect subdivision
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Direct: the geographic subdivision is
assigned in a single subfield $z, without
interposing the name of a larger place.
General rule: for places at the country
level or above, subdivide directly:
Biological diversity $z Nepal
Economic stabilization $z Middle East
4
One subfield $z or two?:
direct and indirect subdivision (2)
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Indirect: the name of a larger place is given
in one subfield $z, followed by the name of a
more specific local place in a separate
subfield $z.
General rule: for places within a country,
subdivide indirectly, with the name of the
country in the first subfield $z:
Housing $z India $z New Delhi
5
Exceptional countries
The first-order political divisions of:
 Canada (provinces)
 Great Britain (constituent countries)
 United States (states)
…follow the topical element directly:
Education, Bilingual $z Ontario
Dance music $z Scotland
Energy conservation $z California
6
Exceptional countries (2)
When subdividing these entities further
by a local place (e.g., city or county),
the name of the first-order political
division is interposed:
Arts $z British Columbia $z Vancouver
Shipping $z England $z Thames River
Plants $z California $z Los Angeles
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Inverted headings for regions
Inverted headings for specific regions of
countries (or first-order political
divisions above), such as:
Scotland, Central
China, Southeast
are assigned directly after topics:
Bicycle touring $z Scotland, Central
Temples $z China, Southeast
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Regions larger than countries
Jurisdictions or regions larger than a single
country (or first-order political divisions
above) are assigned directly after topics.
These may include historical kingdoms, regions
of the U.S., and geographic features:
Criminal law $z Holy Roman Empire
Hurricane protection $z South Atlantic States
Animal behavior $z Rocky Mountains
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Exceptional cities
Two cities, Jerusalem and Washington (D.C.),
are assigned directly after topics:
Manuscripts, Hebrew $z Jerusalem
Architecture $z Washington (D.C.)
New York (N.Y.) was formerly assigned directly,
but is now treated the same as other cities:
Baseball $z New York (State) $z New York
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Islands
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Islands present a number of complex issues
in subject cataloging! See H 807 for details.
Names of islands or island groups generally
follow standard geographic subdivision
procedures:
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Indirectly through country that has jurisdiction
Or directly, if island is autonomous
Exceptions apply, relating to distance from a
controlling jurisdiction, to islands in a group,
to islands of the Caribbean, etc. See H 807!
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Antarctica
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Entities on the continent of Antarctica
or within the Antarctic regions are
divided through Antarctica:
Emperor penguin $z Antarctica $z
Antarctic Peninsula
Oceanography $z Antarctica $z Weddell
Sea
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Levels of geographic
subdivision
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No more than two levels of geographic
subdivision may be used in a heading:
Education $z New York (State) $z Buffalo
not:
Education $z New York (State) $z Erie
County $z Buffalo
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Levels of geographic subdivision
(2)
Do not divide topics geographically below the
level of a city or town.
Assign additional headings to bring out city
sections, parks, streets, etc.
Title: Going Hollywood : an insider’s look at power
and pretense in the movie business
Motion picture industry $z California $z Los
Angeles
Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)
not Motion picture industry $z California $z Los Angeles $z
Hollywood
not Motion picture industry $z California $z Hollywood (Los
Angeles)
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Subdivisions further subdivided by
place: H 860, H 870
When a subject heading includes a topical
subdivision, where is the geographic
subdivision placed?
Preferred, when possible:
[Main heading] $x [Topic] $z [Place] $y [Time] $v
[Form]
Sometimes necessary:
[Main heading] $z [Place] $x [Topic] $y [Time] $v
[Form]
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Subdivisions further subdivided
by place (2)
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Determine whether the topical subdivision
may be subdivided geographically:
$x Labeling (May Subd Geog)
Use under types of products.
Farm produce $x Labeling $z United States
The subdivision $x Citizen participation may NOT
be subdivided by place:
Crime prevention $z Ohio $x Citizen participation
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More than one topical
subdivision
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SCM H 860: When combining a main
heading with a place name and more
than one topical subdivision, place any
needed geographic subdivisions
following the last subdivision that is
authorized for further subdivision by
place.
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Example: multiple topical
subdivisions
Heading:
Roads $x Design and construction $x
Environmental aspects
Where would the geographic subdivision
$z Illinois be placed?
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Multiple topical subdivisions
(2)
Authorized for geographic subdivision?
Main heading: Roads
YES
Free-floating subdivision:
Design and construction
Environmental aspects
NO
YES
Roads $x Design and construction $x
Environmental aspects $z Illinois
but: Roads $z Illinois $x Design and
construction
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Authority records: field 781
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781 field conveys the same information in the
form in which it will appear as a subdivision in
bibliographic records
The field can be found in nearly all subject
authority records for geographic headings
that may be used as geographic subdivisions
The field is also being added to name
authority records for geographic headings
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Examples: 781 field
151
$a Belgrade (Serbia)
781 _0 $z Serbia and Montenegro $z
Belgrade (Serbia)
151
$a Johnson Creek (Whatcom
County, Wash.)
781 _0 $z Washington (State) $z Johnson
Creek (Whatcom County)
21
Golden Arches East
society in East Asia
consumers behaviors
cultural anthropology research
global influence of culture
societal/social change
McDonald's
cultural differences
ethnography
American culture
22
Golden Arches East
Consumer behavior--East Asia.
Ethnology--East Asia.
United States—Civilization.
Culture and globalization—East Asia.
McDonald’s Corporation.
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LC’s subject headings for Golden
arches east
McDonald's Corporation.
Fast food restaurants--Social aspects--East
Asia.
East Asia--Social life and customs.
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The Professor and the
Madman
Oxford English dictionary
James Murray
W. C. Minor
Volunteer contributions
Literary history
2nd half of 19th century
Lexicography (LCSH: Lexicography)
United Kingdom
Insanity (LCSH: Insanity [but legal aspects only])
American Civil War (LCSH: United States--History--Civil
War, 1861-1865)
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LC’s subject headings for The
Professor and the Madman
Oxford English dictionary.
New English dictionary on historical principles.
English language—Lexicography—History—19th
century.
Murray, James Augustus Henry, Sir, 1837-1915.
Lexicographers—Great Britain—Biography.
Minor, William Chester.
Psychiatric hospital patients—Great Britain— Biography.
United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—
Veterans—Biography.
English language—Etymology.
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Other Thesauri and Subject
Heading Lists
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Sears
MeSH
Art and Architecture Thesaurus
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Sears List of Subject Headings
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Created by Minnie Earl Sears (1923):
List of Subject Headings for Small
Libraries
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Based on subject headings in 9 small
libraries
2004 – 18th edition, H.W. Wilson Co.
Used by many small public and school
libraries in the U.S.
28
Sears List (cont.)
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Created as a simpler alternative to
LCSH
Headings tend to be shorter than LCSH
Has syndetic structure
One volume – significantly fewer
subject headings
Includes instructions, with examples,
for creating further headings as needed
29
Sears List (cont.)
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If the name of a specific subject is not
found in the List, the name of the larger
group to which it belongs should be
consulted, e.g.,
Trees
Names of all trees are not included in
this List but are to be added as needed, in
the singular form, e.g., Oak; etc.
30
Sears List (cont.)
Sears uses popular or common names,
rather than a scientific or technical
ones, where there is a choice, e.g.,
Birds not Ornithology
Fishes not Ichthyology
31
Sears List subdivisions
Sears typically does not employ as many
subdivisions as LCSH. Usually one
subdivision is used; rarely more than
two subdivisions.
32
Sears Examples
Bible 220
The subject subdivision under Bible may
be used also for any part of the Bible... e.g.
Bible. O.T. -- Biography.
x Holy Scriptures; Scriptures, Holy.
xx Hebrew literature;
History, Ancient;
Jewish literature;
Sacred books
Bible -- Antiquities 220.9
see also Christian antiquities
33
Bible entry in LCSH
Bible [R S D]
Works that discuss the Bible in a particular language are entered
under the heading Bible with the name of the language as
subheading, e.g. Bible. English.
SA headings of the type [topic] in the Bible, e.g. Animals in
the Bible
Bible--Abridgments [R S D]
[BS405-408] [B L S D]
UF Abridgments of the Bible
NT Bible--Thumb Bibles [R]
Bible--Abstracting and indexing (May Subd Geog) [R S D]
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Sears Examples (cont.)
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LCSH:
Cookery.
Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc.
Pictorial works
USE subdivision Pictorial works under names of countries, cities,
etc., individual persons, families, corporate bodies, and under
classes of persons, ethnic groups, and topical headings
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Sears:
Cooking.
Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Pictorial works
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