Subject headings is a catch-all term most frequently used to describe the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). Subject headings are a controlled vocabulary (or thesaurus) of records. They create a uniform term to encompass a certain subject or subject matter to make searching for information simpler.
An example of what LCSH looks like in our own library catalogue.
The Library of Congress Subject Headings, or LCSH, are like an umbrella that cover all possible terms for a subject or term under one subject heading. This makes searching for resources by subject in physical libraries or online catalogues seamless. Understanding how subject headings work and how they apply is one of the steps to becoming a superstar researcher.
For example, let's think about the word sofa. You might also call it a chesterfield, couch, divan, davenport, etc. etc. To avoid having all those terms in the catalogue describing the same things but being separated, all of them are grouped under the subject heading 'sofa'. Now if you're researching 20th century sofa designs, you don't need to look under all those synonyms to find the information -- it's all included under the subject heading 'sofa'.
Subject headings can be single words (like sofa), phrases (like Goth culture), or strings (like Illinois -- History -- War of 1812).
Why use LCSH instead of keywords?
| LCSH | Keywords |
|---|---|
| searches by topic; all results will be about that specific topic | searches by word; words can be anywhere in the resource |
| a little harder to find, good for in-depth research | fast and easy, good for casual searches like quick reference |
| more specific | less specific |
There are also other types of subject headings. For example, the medical field uses Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), and some Canadian libraries use Canadian Subject Headings (CSH). Some of the databases we use most often here at Crescent, like JSTOR and Canada in Context, do not use subject headings at all. When you research using databases, you should always check to see what subject heading system they use before you begin browsing to ensure that you are searching efficiently.
If you have questions about other types of subject headings, please speak to Ms. Antchak.
Since subject headings can be as simple as one word or as complicated as a string of five phrases, it's not expected that you will be able to memorize every single one you should know. Most databases will have some form of 'thesaurus' that will allow you to enter in keywords to find their subject headings, or they will suggest the term as you type it into the search bar. The Library of Congress also provides PDFs of subject headings by letter, but these can be difficult to use and may not cover every colloquial or synonym.
Some of the important terms to know in relation to subject headings:
An example of a LCSH subject heading in the genre/form files.
USE -- informs you that another term is the subject heading and to use it instead
UF (Used For) -- informs you of what keywords/terms the subject heading covers
BT (Broader Term) -- a 'parent' term (ex. 'Hand' is a BT of 'Fingers')
NT (Narrower Term) -- a 'child' term (ex. 'Fingers' is a NT of 'Hand')
Library of Congress (LCSH)
Canadian Subject Headings (CSH)
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)