Choosing and Assigning Subject Headings (course notes)

The call number is one of the subject access point the cataloguer must create doing cataloguing procedures. All to the subject access point are derived through the assignment of subject heading to the material form that standardized list.


Subject access points are derived from two sources: call number and assigned subject headings. A variety of subject heading may be appropriate.

Subject Heading Work: assigning subject headings from a standard list and creating cross-references

Classification: assigning class numbers from a standard list and completing the call number through the addition of book numbers and any other designation appropriate to the item and the collection.

Characteristics of a Useful Subject Heading
1. The chosen heading must be user-focused
2. The heading should possess unity ad uniformity
3. The heading reflects current usage
4. The heading is direct and specific

User Focused Headings:
-A subject heading which is user-focused is one that expresses a thing, action or concept in the language most familiar to the majority of users of the library’s catalogue.
-Avoids technical scholarly, or scientific language
-Avoid foreign language terms where reasonable substitutes exist.

It is essential that teacher librarians instruct students to seek info and resources in a logical manner so they can become information literate students.


Points to Remember:

Authority control that expresses unity and uniformity occurs when the same term is applied consistently to the same topic using controlled language

Must document any variations of searches will fall short.

Americanized spelling employed even in Canadian libraries.
Consistent authority control provides easy access to staff and students and maintained with less effort by TL.

TLs search for suitable heading in standardized list, and choose those which agree best with content of work then verify by comparing the selected heading with those listed in the catalogue to ensure uniformity.

Recent theories suggest that providing subject access to fiction dealing with specific topics is a worthwhile endeavour because fiction meets a user’s needs in way non-fiction doesn’t. One may choose any number of headings as long as the heading provides direct and specific access to material. (Mammals too broad, need more)

Supply the number of subject headings required to index the work in hand appropriately.
Use enough subject headings to describe major topics within the item.
Do not use more subject descriptors than your school library will need.

Literature classified by form (often meaning genre),

DDC notation found in the CIP of a book may not be the best notation for a school library. Check district practices.

Accuracy is important. Formulate all descriptive material and create all subject or name access points with great attention to accuracy. Spelling mistakes, formatting errors and poorly chosen descriptive statements do library users a disservice by making learning resources difficult or impossible to locate.