Introduction
The subject authority file on the Libraries Australia database is based on Library of Congress Subject Headings, but is not identical to LCSH. It contains additional headings and references approved by the Libraries Australia Subject Headings Review Panel.
All subject headings must be checked in the most current edition of LCSH and the list of approved subject headings available at Australian Extension to LCSH.
Free-floating subdivisions are to be checked in the most current edition of LCSH, or the LC Subject Cataloguing Manual. Most free-floating subdivisions have restrictions on their application, and must be used in accordance with certain guidelines which can be found in the scope notes given under each subdivision in LCSH, and also in the LC Subject Cataloguing Manual.
When creating authority records in Libraries Australia, the following references should be added from LCSH:
UF (input as 4XX)
RT (input as 5XX)
BT (input as 5XX)
Scope notes (input as 6XX)
The references NT and USE are not be added as these are created automatically by the system when a BT, RT or UF reference is added to the reciprocal heading
Libraries Australia encourages both Libraries Australia customers and other Australian libraries to submit proposals for subject headings for concepts that are not adequately covered by LCSH, and for additional Australian terminology references to existing headings, according to the guidelines and procedures outlined on the pages when you follow the Proposing a new LCSH links.
Online forms for proposing new subject headings, and changes to existing headings can be found on our Contact Us page under ‘Specific Forms’.
Once approved, proposals are transmitted to the Library of Congress, with a request to incorporate the heading or reference into LCSH
The Macquarie Dictionary has been accepted as the standard authority for the spelling of proposed subject headings and references.
Tagging of subject headings
Subject headings in Libraries Australia may be tagged as personal, corporate, family, conference or meeting name, topical, geographic, or uniform title. The1XX number refers to the tag used in the authority record while the 6XX number is the corresponding tag used in the bibliographic record:
(100, 600) Family or personal name subject heading
(110, 610) Corporate name subject heading
(111, 611) Conference or meeting name subject heading
(130, 630) Uniform title subject heading
(150, 650) Topical subject heading
(151, 651) Geographic subject heading
See also Library of Congress Subject Cataloguing Manual: Subject Headings, h305, CSB 78, p2
Subject headings that designate groups of countries or regions of the world are tagged 151. This applies to headings that represent geographically contiguous groups of countries, such as Scandinavia, Benelux countries, Slavic countries, or groups of countries that share a common political, ethnic or other trait, regardless of whether they are geographically contiguous, such as Developing countries, European Union countries, Arab countries, Communist countries, or regions that are geographically contiguous or share a common trait, Polar regions and Tropics (but not Arid regions).
An alphabetic list of ambiguous entities is maintained by the Library of Congress – http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/saco/alpha405.html
Headings not requiring SHRP approval
Commercial products
The following guidelines have been prepared for the establishment and verification of headings for all types of commercial products required as subject headings, in particular for motor vehicles, but also for aircraft, tanks, cameras, etc.
Subject headings formulated according to these guidelines do not need to be submitted to the Subject Headings Review Panel for approval.
a. Establish a heading in the following style
make model generic term
For example:
Ford Laser automobile
Canon AT1 camera
• Do not include names which refer to body style, e.g. estate, hatchback, station wagon, zagato, hardtop.
• Do not include designations indicating level of equipment, e.g. de luxe, standard, special.
• The model name may simply be a set of alpha and/or numerical characters, e.g. HQ; 200B; V8.
• If the generic term is contained in the model name, the generic term is dropped, e.g. Ford Econovan.
• If the make occurs as the second element of the model name, the heading should be established as model generic term only.
b. See references
Add see references from all alternative names, and different spellings of the model name. When the model name is distinctive, reference may also be made from the model generic term to the established form, e.g.
| 150 | Ford Laser automobile |
| 450 | Laser automobile |
c. See also references
Always make a see also reference from the generic term, e.g.
| 150 | Ford Laser automobile |
| 550 | Automobiles |
Always make a see also reference from the make without the model name, e.g.
| 150 | Ford Laser automobile |
| 550 | Ford automobile |
Make see also references between headings for the same model produced by different firms.
Headings qualified by linguistic, national or regional terms for which a pattern is clearly established in LCSH.
The following types of headings can be established directly on Libraries Australia:
Headings qualified by linguistic, national, or regional terms for which a pattern is clearly established in LCSH.
For these types of headings, follow the instructions in Section H320 of the Library of Congress subject cataloguing manual for the reference structure, for example:
| 150 | Women poets, Australian |
| 450 | Australian women poets |
| 150 | Travellers’ writings, Australian |
| 450 | Australian travelers’ writings |
| 150 | Astrology, Khmer |
| 450 | Khmer astrology |
| 450 | Astrology, Cambodian |
Subdivision practice for Australia
Indirect local subdivision
When subdividing topics by Australian geographic places, subdivide directly through the relevant state or territory. Do not follow the Library of Congress practice of subdividing topics through Australia.
Libraries Australia practice is to include Australia in the countries which are subdivided by first order political division.
The following is a list of the countries that are subdivided by first order political division.
| Country | Divisions |
|---|---|
| Australia | States or territories |
| Canada | Provinces |
| Great Britain | Constituent counties |
| United States | States |
Include Australia with the other three countries listed wherever these exceptions are applied in the LC Subject Cataloguing Manual.
Period subdivisions for Australia, Australian states, territories and capital cities.
Free floating subdivisions used under place–special application
When subdivisions from the subset of free floating subdivisions:
–Church history
–Civilization
–Economic conditions
–Economic policy
–Foreign relations
–History
–History, Military
–Politics and government
–Social conditions
–Social life and customs
are used under Australia and Australian states, territories and Australian capital cities the following period subdivisions can be applied. These period subdivisions differ from LC as they have been constructed to suit Australian circumstances and history.
Australia
Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales
- To 1788
- 1788-1851
- 1788-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1901-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
Northern Territory
- To 1824
- 1824-1851
- 1824-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1902-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
Western Australia
- To 1829
- 1829-1851
- 1829-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1901-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
Queensland
- To 1824
- 1824-1851
- 1824-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1901-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
South Australia
- To 1836
- 1836-1851
- 1836-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1901-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
Tasmania
- To 1803
- 1803-1851
- 1803-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1901-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
Victoria
- To 1834
- 1834-1851
- 1834-1900
- 1851-1891
- 1851-1901
- 1891-1901
- 20th century
- 1901-1914
- 1901-1922
- 1901-1945
- 1914-1918
- 1918-1922
- 1922-1929
- 1922-1945
- 1929-1939
- 1939-1945
- 1945-
- 1945-1965
- 1965-
- 1965-1972
- 1972-1975
- 1976-1990
- 1990-2001
- 2001-
NOTE: These period subdivisions cannot be applied to regions of Australia, e.g. Australia, Central
Period subdivisions used under ‘–Description and travel’,
The use of period subdivisions under ‘–Description and travel’ was cancelled in 1994. For further information see Subject Cataloguing Manual H1530 or Cataloguing Service Bulletin No. 63 Winter 1994
