Advanced Catalog Searching at Hunter Library: Subject headings

What are subject headings?

Subject headings are indexed terms that describe the overall essence of what a resource is about. Catalogers and metadata professionals use subject terms to classify resources and to group resources about similar topics together. This process entails analyzing resources and applying terms from a controlled vocabulary, as opposed to using tags that use natural language (or everyday language) and keywords, which are relatively inconsistent in their use and application. Applying subjects as indexes to catalog records enables us to group similar topics together and makes resources more accessible for library users.

The controlled vocabulary most commonly used by libraries in the United States and around the world is the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) list of subject authorities. LCSH is a robust vocabulary that provides unique and consistent terminology that we need to describe and classify even the most specific and obscure topics. However, the LCSH can be slow to change, and many of the vocabulary terms included in the LCSH are outdated, inaccurate, or offensive. While we advocate for changes to be made to the authorized controlled vocabulary, our library runs local replacements for unethical or problematic LCSHs. To learn more, browse our local LCSH replacements.