About LCGFT - Introduction to LCGFT - LCGFT File - LCGFT Manual -
About the Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms PDF Files
This page provides print-ready PDF files for the the Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials (LCGFT), as well as the Genre/Form Terms Manual, which provides guidelines and instructions for making proposals and for applying genre/form terms. LCGFT is available as part of LC's web-based subscription product, Classification Web Plus .
Catalogers without access to the LCGFT proposal system can use the proposal form (PDF, 103KB). The completed proposal form should be emailed to [email protected].
Library associations have also developed guidance for assigning LCGFT to specialized resources:
- Best Practices for Using LCGFT for Music Resources prepared by the Vocabularies Subcommittee, Cataloging and Metadata Committee, Music Library Association
- Library of Congress Genre-Form Thesaurus(LCGFT) for Moving Images: Best Practices created by the OLAC Cataloging Policy Committee Moving Image LC Genre/Form Headings Best Practices Task Force
Please note: At this time, applying LCSH form subdivisions and LCGFT in the same record is permissible but not required.
Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials
- Genre/Form Terms (PDF, 115 p., 6.96 MB) Updated March 2025
Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms Manual
Introduction
Assigning LCGFT
- J 105 MARC Coding of LC Genre/Form Terms Assigned in Bibliographic and Authority Records (PDF, 329 KB)
- J 107 MARC Authority Records for LC Genre/Form Terms (PDF, 310 KB)
- J 110 Assigning Genre/Form Terms (PDF, 253 KB) REVISED February 2025
- J 113 Order of Genre/Form Terms (PDF, 130 KB) REVISED March 2025
Creating or changing proposals
- J 120 When to Establish a New Genre/Form Term (PDF, 204 KB)
- J 130 Changing a Term or Deleting a Genre/Form Authority Record (PDF, 716 KB)
- J 132 Deleted Term Information (PDF, 113 KB) REVISED March 2025
- J 135 Changing References in Genre/Form Authority Records (PDF, 569 KB)
- J 140 Preparation of Genre/Form Term Proposals (PDF, 543 KB)
- J 160 Authority Research and Citations for Genre/Form Term Proposals (PDF, 281 KB)
- J 170 History Notes (PDF, 130 KB)REVISED March 2025
LCGFT records
- J 180 Form of Authorized Genre/Form Term (PDF, 591 KB)
- J 183 Parenthetical Qualifiers in Genre/Form Terms (PDF, 585 KB)
- J 186 Broader Term References (PDF, 829 KB)
- J 188 Related Term References (PDF, 731 KB)
- J 190 “Used for” References (PDF, 680 KB)
- J 195 Scope Notes (PDF, 669 KB)
Special topics
- J 210 Artistic and Visual Works (PDF, 604 KB)
- J 215 Cartographic Materials (PDF, 179 KB) REVISED February 2025
- J 230 Legislation and Legislative Histories (PDF, 602 KB)
- J 235 Literature (PDF, 124 KB) REVISED March 2025
- J 240 Moving Images (PDF, 231 KB) REVISED March 2025
- J 242 Music (PDF, 160 KB) NEW March 2025
- J 245 Sound Recordings (PDF, 177 KB) NEW February 2025
- J 270 Radio Programs and Podcasts (PDF, 127 KB) REVISED Februrary 2025
Appendices
- Appendix A Abbreviations (PDF, 113 KB) REVISED March 2025
- Appendix B Capitalization (PDF, 537 KB)
- Appendix C Diacritics and Special Characters (PDF, 594 KB)
- Appendix D Punctuation (PDF, 378 KB)
