Subject Cataloging & Classification

C. A. Cutter’s “Objects of the Catalog”

• Three fundamental service goals:

  • Enable a user to locate an item when any one of the following is known:

  • $\text{author}$

  • $\text{title}$

  • $\text{subject}$

  • Show the complete holdings of the library by

  • $\text{author}$

  • $\text{subject}$

  • $\text{form / kind of literature}$

  • Assist in choosing the best item by indicating

  • $\text{edition}$ (bibliographic differences)

  • $\text{character}$ (literary or topical suitability)

Searching by Subject in Information Retrieval

• Library catalog records normally contain three key access points: $\text{author}$, $\text{title}$, $\text{subject}$.

• Two search approaches:

  • $\text{Keyword / free-text}$: any word anywhere in the record; fast, but suffers from synonym / homograph issues.

  • $\text{Controlled vocabulary}$: predefined authorized terms; supports consistency, hierarchy, & relationships.

Controlled Vocabulary

• Definition: “A list or database in which all terms representing a concept are brought together” (ANSI/NISO $\text{Z39.19}$).

• Five purposes:

  • $\text{Translation}$ of user language → system language.

  • $\text{Consistency}$ of description.

  • Explicit $\text{relationships}$ (BT, NT, RT, USE, UF).

  • \text{Label \/ browse} capability.

  • Improved $\text{retrieval}$ precision/recall.

• Four structural types:

  • List

  • Synonym ring (e.g.

  • Handsome, Good-looking, Fine-looking, Fine, Attractive)

  • Taxonomy (hierarchical / poly-hierarchical network)

  • Thesaurus (taxonomy + relationship codes)

Historical Evolution of Subject Access

• $\text{Classed Catalog}$ → hierarchical topical string e.g. Plants—Trees—Evergreens…

• $\text{Dictionary Catalog}$ → single alphabetical list of specific headings.

• $\text{Online Catalogs}$ → combine dictionary structure with Boolean & faceted search.

Cutter’s Principles of Subject Cataloging

• User & usage orientation.

• Headings must be $\text{uniform}$ & $\text{unique}$.

• Provide $\text{specific, direct entry}$ whenever possible.

• Employ $\text{current terminology}$.

• Systematic cross-references:

  • $\text{See}$ (USE)

  • $\text{See Also}$ (RT)

  • $\text{Blanket / General references}$ (guide phrases pointing users to other lists).

  • Example (Sears): Furniture 645; 749 SA furniture of particular countries…

General Method of Subject Analysis

1. Examine the work in detail (title page, table of contents, text, accompanying material).

2. Identify main vs. subsidiary subjects.

3. Represent content through a chosen scheme (e.g., LCSH, Sears).

General Guidelines for Assigning Subject Headings

• Levels: assign headings for the whole work or for individual chapters if cataloging policy allows.

• Prefer $\text{Specific (Co-extensive) Entry}$: e.g. 2020 work on COVID-19 given heading $\text{COVID-19 (Disease)}$ not broader $\text{Coronavirus infections}$.

• Number of headings determined by content, heading structure, and local policy.

• Handling multitopical works: give separate headings in the analytic order of emphasis (e.g., Algebra — Trigonometry).

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)

• Origin: begun $1898$; 1st full list $1909–1914$; official name $1975$; $44^{th}$ ed. $2022$.

• Formats: 6-vol. print set, free PDFs, Classification Web, LC Authorities.

• Five main heading types:

  • Topical

  • Form

  • Geographic

  • Name (Personal, Corporate, Uniform titles)

  • Pattern headings (prototypes for consistent subdivision)

Topical Headings – Forms

• Single nouns: abstract concepts in singular (Biology), countables in plural (Playgrounds).

• Phrase headings:

  • Conjunctive (Bow and arrow), Adjectival (Buddhist art), Inverted (Chemistry, Organic), Prepositional (Violence in popular culture).

Form Headings

• Concern the format/genre, not subject: Dictionaries, Sound recordings, Fiction.

Geographic Headings & Free-Floating Geographic Constructions

• Authorized place names (e.g., Chicago (Ill.)).

• Pre-coded patterns: [Name] Metropolitan Area, [Name] Region, etc.

Name Headings

• Personal (inverted, dates), Corporate (established names), Uniform titles (e.g., Beowulf).

Subdivisions

• Topical, Geographic, Chronological, Form, plus Free-Floating lists (H $1095$ etc.).

• Order when (May SubdGeog):

  • $[\text{Topical}]—[\text{Geographic}]—[\text{Chronological}]—[\text{Form}]$.

  • If main heading is itself geographic: $[\text{Topical}]—[\text{Chronological}]—[\text{Form}]$.

Symbols in LCSH

• $\text{UF}$ (Used For), $\text{USE}$, $\text{BT}$, $\text{NT}$, $\text{RT}$, $\text{SA}$, $\text{May SubdGeog}$, etc.

Assigning Headings for Special Materials

• Individual biography → heading is the person’s name.

• Collective biography → heading Biography or subject $—Biography$ subdivision.

• Bilingual dictionaries → two language headings in appropriate order (English-Filipino / Filipino-English).

Sears List of Subject Headings (Sears)

• Created $1923$ for small/medium libraries; $23^{rd}$ ed. $2022$.

• Heading types mirror LCSH but simpler; includes Compound, Adjectival, Prepositional.

• Sears symbols similar (UF, SA, BT…).

• Continuous maintenance; examples of cancelled/replacements:

  • Hypertext → Hyperlinks.

  • Firearms (cancelled) → Guns.

Encoding Subject Headings in MARC 21 (Bibliographic)

• Subject access fields $6XX$ series.

  • $600$ Personal, $610$ Corporate, $650$ Topical, $651$ Geographic, $653$ Uncontrolled index.

• Indicators specify name form or thesaurus; key subfields:

  • $\$a$ heading term/name

  • $\$v$ form subdiv.

  • $\$x$ topical subdiv.

  • $\$y$ chronological subdiv.

  • $\$z$ geographic subdiv.

  • $\$2$ source code when indicators show “7”.

• Example: 650 #0 $aArt, Philippine$y20th century.

Classification — Core Concepts

• Library classification: ordered arrangement of materials by subject to facilitate location, browsing, & reshelving.

• Purposes (Mortimer): collocation, shelf access, reshelving ease, catalog order.

• Classification types:

  • $\text{Enumerative}$ (pre-lists everything)

  • \text{Synthetic\/Faceted} (build numbers from components)

  • $\text{Hierarchical}$ (broad → specific tree)

• Components of a scheme: $\text{Schedules}$, $\text{Tables}$, $\text{Index}$, $\text{Manual}$.

• Notation kinds: Pure (single symbol set), Mixed, Hierarchical, Expressive.

• Choice rules: usefulness, topic primacy, most specific number, never classify from index alone.

Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)

Historical & Format Facts

• Invented $1873$; first ed. $1876$.

• Full & abridged versions; WebDewey the current dynamic form; latest full ed. $2023$.

Structure

• Ten main classes $000–900$ (Computer science … History & geography).

• Each breaks into $10$ divisions → $10$ sections (decimal tree).

• Notational hierarchy indicated by longer numbers = greater specificity.

• Volume makeup (2023): Vol $1$ Intro+Tables $1–6$; Vols $2–3$ schedules; Vol $4$ Relative Index.

Standard Subdivisions – Table 1 (attach after $–09$ etc.)

• Examples:

  • Dictionary of child psychology: $155.403$ (= $155.4 + -03$).

  • Serial on electronic toys manufacturing: $688.72805$ (= $688.728 + -05$).

Geographic Areas – Table 2

• Codes $-1$ to $-9$ map world regions/countries.

• Example: Geology of Quebec: $557.14$ (= $55 + -714$).

Tables 3–6 Highlights

• Table 3 (Literature) splits into $3A$ (single author), $3B$ (multiple), $3C$ (extra facets).

• Table 4 (Languages) handles alphabets, dictionaries, dialects.

• Table 5 (Ethnic & National groups) extends anthropology & social topics.

• Table 6 (Languages) adds language codes to Table 4 for bilingual dictionaries; rule of entry language or later-in-range language.

Multi-Topic Rules

• $\text{Rule of Application}$: class with acted-upon subject or fuller treatment.

• $\text{First-of-Two}$: if equal, choose first in schedule.

• $\text{Rule of Three}$: if three+ subdivisions of same broader class appear, class at first broader.

• $\text{Rule of Zero}$: avoid numbers starting with $0$ when an alternative $1–9$ exists.

Cutter / Item Numbers & Call Numbers

• Cutter tables convert first letters of author or title into alphanumeric strings (e.g., D519 for Dewey).

• Expansion digits $5$ or $6$ allow interpolation.

• Work mark (first title letter) differentiates works by same author & class no.

• Full call number pattern: $[Class] \, [Cutter] \, [Year] \, [Vol] \, [Copy]$ → e.g., $512\ H557\ 2014\ v.1\ c.1$.

• Encoded in MARC $082$ with indicators $0/1$ and subfields $\$a$, $\$b$, $\$2$ etc.

Library of Congress Classification (LCC)

Overview

• Development started $1897$; first schedule published $1901$ (Class E-F); $21$ main classes $A–Z$ (except $I, O, X, Y$).

• Enumerative but offers limited synthesis via tables.

Notation Anatomy

• One-two initial capital letters (class/subclass) + whole numbers $1–9999$ + decimal (for specificity) + one or two Cutter numbers + date + possible letters (z, a, b…).

  • Example: QA 76.73 .C153 R36 2015.

LC Cutter Table Principles

• Numeric values for second & sometimes third characters ensure alphabetical order.

• Special sequences after initial vowels, $S$, $Qu$, etc.

• Key rules: keep prefixes/articles in names; treat punctuation per rules; “Mac” ≠ “Mc”.

Date Suffix Rules

• Unknown exact year → add $z$ (e.g., $2004z$).

• Photocopy/facsimile → add $a$.

• Later editions same year → $b, c, d$…

Tables

• General: Biography, Translation, Geographic, Region/Country.

  • Biography Table ⇒ double Cutters (e.g., GV 884 .P38 A3 2005 for Patrimonio autobiography).

  • Translation Table adds numeric code after author Cutter (e.g., $13$ for English).

  • Region/Country Table supplies Cutters like P6 for Philippines.

  • Class-specific tables (e.g., S Table S2 for forestry geography).

MARC Encoding

• Field $050$ used; indicator $0$ vs $1$ for in-LC / not-in-LC; second indicator $0$ LC-assigned, $4$ other agency.

  • Example: 050 #0 $aHF5549.5.R44$bM35 2018.

Ethical, Philosophical & Practical Implications

• Controlled vocabularies entail power over naming; bias must be monitored (e.g., LCSH replacement of Illegal aliens with Unauthorized immigrants).

• Classification decisions affect information visibility and user success; catalogers bear responsibility for inclusivity & currency.

• Frequent updates (DDC, LCSH, Sears) reflect evolving language, technology, and social values.

Real-World Connections & Practice Tips

• Always consult the latest online tools (WebDewey, Classification Web) for real-time revisions.

• Compare LCSH/Sears choice based on library size and user community.

• For digital repositories, subject headings feed faceted navigation, while classification numbers may drive folder or URL structures.

• MARC field coding accuracy ensures interoperability with discovery layers (e.g., $\$2sears$ for Sears headings).

• Use General vs. Form vs. Geographic subdivisions consistently to align with search expectations.

• Keep local authority files synchronized with national files to reduce duplicate effort and enhance shareability.

Selected Numerical / Statistical References

• $44^{th}$ edition of LCSH (latest $2022$).

• $23^{rd}$ edition of Sears (latest $2022$).

• $2023$ full edition of DDC; abridged $15^{th}$ edition $2012$.

• DDC Main Classes: $000$ … $900$ (10 total).

• LCC Main Classes: $21$ letters.

• Key MARC subject fields: $600, 610, 650, 651, 653$.

References (abridged key list)

• ANSI/NISO $\text{Z39.19 – 2010}$.

• Chan, L. M. & Salaba, A. Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction $4^{th}$ ed., $2016$.

• Joudrey, D. N. & Taylor, A. G. The Organization of Information $4^{th}$ ed., $2017$.

• DDC $23^{rd}$ ed. $2003$; WebDewey $2023$.

• LC MARC Standards (Library of Congress, $2022$).

• Dittmann, H. & Hardy, J. Learn LCC $2^{nd}$ ed., $2007$.