FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology)

OCLC FAST General Information

OCLC Research has produced a document with a list of Frequently Asked Questions(last updated November 2019). This FAQ contains almost 20 Questions and Answers on many topics related to OCLC’s Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST), covering such general summaries of FAST, whether FAST can be assigned alongside other subject vocabularies, FAST’s usability in a Linked Data environment, and a portal through which communication is forwarded to the OCLC Research Team.

FAST Quick Start Guide (April 2022)

Webinar: 21st Century Indexing: Learn how FAST can help libraries (October 14, 2020)

To keep updated on changes and questions relative to FAST, the following listserv is available: FACETVOC-L listserv.

FAST Usage Information

SearchFAST: a link to the SearchFAST application is here .

To view the SearchFAST Guide from OCLC Research, click here .

FAST Converter: a link to the FAST Converter application is here .

This application converts LCSH headings to FAST headings.

AssignFAST: a link to the AssignFAST application is here .

This application finds FAST headings based on autosuggest technology and can be integrated into a Web cataloging interface.

FAST Linked Data: a link to technical information behind FAST as Linked Data is here (caveat: OCLC’s information on its FAST Linked Data page is marked as experimental).

FAST Changes: page for the latest FAST updates .

FAST information for developers and for more complex implementation

Downloading FAST: a link to the full set of downloadable FAST vocabulary facets in the various formats is here .

This webpage contains all the current downloadable formats of the FAST vocabulary, either as a whole or the various sections of it such as ‘Personal Names’ or FormGenre.’ What is downloaded would depend upon the local needs, scope of the collection to which the dataset is being attached, etc.

Caveat: According to the FAST FAQ, the FAST vocabulary is updated regularly, but not immediately.

To track when the last changes were made to the FAST file, go to FAST Changes .

FAST API: Currently labeled as ‘experimental’ on the OCLC FAST project page, usage of FAST via API is designed to be used by developers, meaning it is configured to be accessed as Linked Data via programmatic means. For information on the FAST API and the API Explorer, click here .

FAST Demos:

SearchFAST demo

FAST Converter demo

AssignFAST demo

FAST in a Linked Data Environment demo

Download FAST demo

FAST API demo