This online training on Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is freely available as a service to the library community. The modules are no longer being updated but the fundamental principles of LCSH in the training are unchanged.
The instructors are Janis L. Young, MA, MSLS, formerly a policy specialist in the Policy and Standards Division of the Library of Congress, and Daniel N. Joudrey, MLIS, Ph. D., an associate professor at the School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts.
Training units are divided into two or more modules, each of which consists of a lecture and one or more exercises or quizzes.
Access to LCSH and the Subject Headings Manual (SHM) is essential to complete the exercises. LCSH is available through Classification Web Plus or free at Library of Congress Subject Heading PDF Files , and the SHM can be found in Classification Web Plus or free at List of the Subject Headings Manual PDF Files.
Information about subscribing to Classification Web Plus can be found on the LC Cataloging Distribution Service website.
Technology requirements for this training include an Internet connection and the ability to play audio and video files. The playing times listed for each module are approximate and refer to the lecture. Additional time should be allowed to complete the exercises.
Questions or comments about the training may be directed to [email protected].
Introduction to the Course [3 minutes] (PDF, 523 KB)
Unit 1. Foundations
- Module 1.1 Why Do We Organize Information? [13 minutes] (PDF, 826 KB)
- Module 1.2 Why Do We Use Controlled Vocabulary? [19 minutes] (PDF, 1.0 MB)
- Module 1.3 What is Subject Analysis? [8 minutes] (PDF, 996 KB)
- Module 1.4 How Do We Determine Aboutness? [26 minutes] (PDF, 1.26 KB)
- Module 1.5 Introduction to LCSH [8 minutes] (PDF, 715 KB)
Unit 2. Structure of LCSH
- Module 2.1 Structural Overview of LCSH [18 minutes] (PDF, 2.37 KB)
- Module 2.2 Headings [16 minutes] (PDF, 1.86 KB)
- Module 2.3 Qualifiers [11 minutes] (PDF, 1.56 KB)
- Module 2.4 Scope Notes [7 minutes] (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- Module 2.5 Broader Term and Narrower Term References [13 minutes] (PDF, 2.9 MB)
- Module 2.6 Related Term References [8 minutes] (PDF, 1.25 MB)
- Module 2.7 “Used For” References [14 minutes] (PDF, 2.87 MB)
- Module 2.8 General See and General See Also References [10 minutes] (PDF, 1.48 MB)
Unit 3. Subject Headings Manual
- Module 3.1 Introduction to the Subject Headings Manual [14 minutes] (PDF, 1.14 MB)
- Module 3.2 The Anatomy of an Instruction Sheet [16 minutes] (PDF, 1.21 MB)
- Module 3.3 Reading and Interpreting Instruction Sheets [24 minutes] (PDF, 1.92 MB)
Unit 4. Main Headings: The Details
- Module 4.1 Categories of Headings [23 minutes] (PDF, 2.5 MB)
- Module 4.2 Chronological Headings [15 minutes] (PDF, 1.6 MB)
- Module 4.3 Form Headings [21 minutes] (PDF, 2.29 MB)
Descriptive Access Points as Subjects
- Module 4.4 Introduction to Descriptive Access Points as Subjects [13 minutes] (PDF, 1.34 MB)
- Module 4.5 Personal Names as Subjects [14 minutes] (PDF, 1.38 MB)
- Module 4.6 Non-Human Entities as Subjects [8 minutes] (PDF, 958 KB)
- Module 4.7 Corporate Names as Subjects [16 minutes] (PDF, 1.82 KB)
- Module 4.8 Title and Name/Title Access Points as Subjects [22 minutes] (PDF, 2.16 MB)
Geographic Headings
- Module 4.9 Introduction to Geographic Headings [18 minutes] (PDF, 2.54 MB)
- Module 4.10 Linear Name Changes and Mergers of Jurisdictions [18 minutes] (PDF, 1.55 MB)
- Module 4.11 Jurisdictional Splits [12 minutes] (PDF, 1.42 MB)
- Module 4.12 Geographic Regions [16 minutes] (PDF, 2.41 MB)
Unit 5. Assigning Headings: The Principles
- Module 5.1 Principles of Heading Assignment, Part 1 [15 minutes] (PDF, 2.29 MB)
- Module 5.2 Principles of Heading Assignment, Part 2 [12 minutes] (PDF, 2.22 MB)
- Module 5.3 Order of Subject Headings [8 minutes] (PDF, 842 KB)
- Module 5.4 Extended Examples [22 minutes] (PDF, 2.42 MB)
Unit 6. Subdivisions
- Module 6.1 Overview of Subdivisions [16 minutes] (PDF, 824 KB)
- Module 6.2 Free-Floating Subdivisions: Introduction [11 minutes] (PDF, 1.68 MB)
- Module 6.3 Free-Floating Subdivisions: Using the SHM [20 minutes] (PDF, 3.15 MB)
- Module 6.4 Pattern Subdivisions [13 minutes] (PDF, 1.44 MB)
- Module 6.5 Free-Floating Subdivisions: H 1095 [8 minutes] (PDF, 1.0 MB)
- Module 6.6 Finding Topical and Form Subdivisions [27 minutes] (PDF, 3.98 MB)
- Module 6.7 Assigning Two or More Free-Floating and Pattern Subdivisions [22 minutes] (PDF, 3.15 MB)
Geographic Subdivisions
- Module 6.8 Which Headings May Be Subdivided Geographically? [10 minutes] (PDF, 1.33 MB)
- Module 6.9 Geographic Subdivision or Geographic Heading? [13 minutes] (PDF, 2.01 MB)
- Module 6.10 Which Subdivisions May Be Subdivided Geographically? [13 minutes] (PDF, 1.48 MB)
- Module 6.11 General Rules for Formulating Geographic Subdivisions [12 minutes] (PDF, 1.27 MB)
- Module 6.12 Formulating Geographic Subdivisions for the Exceptional Countries [12 minutes] (PDF, 1.02 MB)
- Module 6.13 Geographic Subdivision Information in MARC 21 Authority Records; Geographic Entities in Cities [7 minutes] (PDF, 1.08 MB)
Chronological Subdivisions
- Module 6.14 Format of Chronological Subdivisions [18 minutes] (PDF, 1.51 MB)
- Module 6.15 Assigning the Subdivision –History [18 minutes] (PDF, 2.09 MB)
- Module 6.16 Assignment of Chronological Subdivisions [29 minutes] (PDF, 2.88 MB)
- Module 6.17 Form Subdivisions [15 minutes] (PDF, 2.25 MB)
- Module 6.18 Multiple Subdivisions [21 minutes] (PDF, 2.44 MB)
Unit 7. Putting It Together
- Module 7.1 Is the Heading Properly Constructed? Part 1 [18 minutes] (PDF, 1.08 MB)
- Module 7.2 Is the Heading Properly Constructed? Part 2 [11 minutes] (PDF, 979 MB)
- Module 7.3 Evaluating Headings Assigned to Resources 1: Training Student Assistants [9 minutes] (PDF, 569 KB)
- Module 7.4 Evaluating Headings Assigned to Resources 2: The Economic Effect of Maori Whaling [16 minutes] (PDF, 1.05 MB)
- Module 7.5 Creating Full Heading Strings Part 1 [23 minutes] (PDF, 1.34 MB)
- Module 7.6 Creating Full Heading Strings Part 2 [19 minutes] (PDF, 1.00 MB)
- Module 7.7 Extended Example 1: America’s Stamp on Sports [25 minutes] (PDF, 1.24 MB)
- Module 7.8 Extended Example 2: Course Catalog [21 minutes] (PDF, 1.20 MB)
Unit 8. MARC Format
- Module 8.1 Subject Access Fields [23 minutes] (PDF, 868 KB)
- Module 8.2 MARC Authority Format [25 minutes] (PDF, 1.19 MB)
- Module 8.3 Geographic Area Codes [20 minutes] (PDF, 1.04 MB)
- Module 8.4 LCSH-Related Codes in the Fixed Field: Books Format [17 minutes] (PDF, 866 KB)
- Module 8.5 LCSH-Related Codes in the Fixed Field: Continuing Resources Format [5 minutes] (PDF, 431 KB)
| Last Update: Oct. 12, 2022 |
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