In order to better support linked-data initiatives, the Library of Congress’ Policy and Standards Division will cancel “multiple” subdivisions from Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) beginning in December 2018.
A multiple subdivision is a special type of subdivision that automatically gives free-floating status to analogous subdivisions used under the same heading. In the example Computers—Religious aspects—Buddhism, [Christianity, etc.], the multiple subdivision is —Buddhism, [Christianity, etc.].
Staff in the Policy and Standards Division will cancel the multiple subdivisions from LCSH and create individual authority records for each valid, complete, heading string that was created based on a multiple subdivision. PSD wishes to be as comprehensive as possible when making authority records based on heading strings used in bibliographic records; OCLC Research will assist in this effort by providing to PSD lists of the headings used in bibliographic records in OCLC.
The authority records generated by this project will be added to LCSH in batches beginning no earlier than December 1, 2018. The records will be distributed through the MARC Distribution Service Subject-Authorities product. Subject-Authorities subscribers should expect that some weekly distributions may total over 1,000 records.
For more information on the project, including definitions and background, the project plan, and interim instructions for catalogers, see the initial announcement below.
Initial announcement (Nov. 7, 2018) [PDF : 165 KB]
Cancellation of authority records to begin (Apr. 30, 2019) [PDF : 115 KB]
Spreadsheet of multiple subdivisions to be cancelled [Excel : 99 KB]
