Library of Congress Subject Headings
Non fiction materials included in the HSU Library Catalog (and most other library catalogs) are indexed using one or more Library of Congress Subject Headings. From 270,000 LC Subject Headings an average of 2-3 subjects are assigned to each indexed item. If more than 20% of a work is devoted to a subject, it will generally receive an appropriate LC Subject Heading. The advantage of searching with LC Subject Headings is that materials with a similar theme are brought together under one valid subject rather than you having to come up with relevant synonyms. LC Subject Headings include over 490,000 cross references pointing to valid subjects.
Options for Identifying LC Subject Headings
Library of Congress Subject Headings (Print Version)Use the red-colored volumes located on the first floor of the Library near the Reference Desk. These volumes list official subjects and show the following relationships among them:
Once you have identified the LC Subject Heading you want to search, enter it in the text search box using the Subject search option.
Library of Congress Subject Headings (Electronic Version)Use Browsing LCSH (Universitätsbibliothek Braunschweig) to 1) browse by LC subject heading, name heading, title heading, or LC class number; or 2) search by keyword or phrase. Valid headings display information on all related headings except for "narrower terms."
Library Catalog Subject Search
Take your best guess and enter subject words in the Basic Search search box using the Subject search option. On the resulting Heading List display, follow any
links to the Reference Information page. This page will include one or more of the following:
Library Catalog Keyword Search
- See references to official subject headings
- See Also references to other closely related subjects
- See Also Under references to other groups of related subjects
- Narrower Terms for more specific subjects under which to search
- Notes containing additional search suggestions and heading definitions
Use the keyword search option under Basic Search or Advanced Search to find one or more items that come close to what you are looking for. Keyword includes LC Subject Headings plus other "subject" words, e.g., title words. Review the items you retrieve for relevant materials. The Subject(s) section under each item lists the LC Subject Headings under which the item is cataloged. Search these directly by clicking on the link or redo your search adding them as additional subjects.
Tips for Selecting LC Subject Headings
- Be Specific (narrow)--pay attention to the hierarchy associated with any related group of LC Subject Headings. Materials are generally indexed under the most specific subjects that can be assigned, e.g., materials on "freshwater ecology" will be given that narrower subject rather than the much broader subject "ecology". Selecting too broad of a subject may cause you to miss relevant materials.
- Use subdivisions as appropriate to focus your search--four categories of subdivisons can be used under most subjects. These subdivisions are described in the introduction to the five volume print set of Library of Congress Subject Headings.
- Topical--there are 28 basic subdivision patterns, e.g., women--employment. See the Table of Pattern Headings for the subjects that list the subdivisions that can be assigned to that subject pattern, e.g., for animals, you need to look under fishes or cattle to see the valid subheadings for all animal related subjects.
- Form--indicates the format in which material is organized, e.g., soils analysis--handbooks, manuals, etc. See Form Subdivisions (Princeton University) for an extensive list.
- Chronological--used to limit to a defined time period, e.g., art--chinese--to 221 B.C.
- Geographic--used to indicate a geographic emphasis, e.g., geology--california--humboldt county.