6xx - Subject Heading Fields
- Andrea Payant
The 6xx fields provide information to the patron regarding the subject matter contained in the item being described. These fields are important for subject searches performed by the computer. Because of this, these fields must be formatted in very specific and regulated ways. For this reason they should also be controlled in OCLC whenever possible.
The 6xx fields include:
600 Personal Name as a Subject
610 Corporate Name as a Subject
611 Conference Name as a Subject
630 Uniform Title as a Subject
650 Topical Subject Heading
651 Geographic Subject Heading
655 Genre /Form (of item being described such as biography, essays, etc.)
Each of these fields has specific rules that dictate the permissible codes for indicators, subfields, and how information should be entered and formatted. However, a general overview of the subfields is helpful.
ǂa = name
ǂd = dates associated with name – birth, death, etc.
ǂv = form
ǂx = general subdivision
ǂy = chronological subdivision (common in 650 field, not for dates associated with names)
ǂz = geographic subdivision
Control the subject headings. Key Shift + F11 or go to the menu bar and select “Edit” and then choose “Control Headings” and click “All” or “Individual.” If you have any questions about controlled the added entry statements, ask a cataloger.
Delete all 6xx fields with a second indicator other than “0” (with the exception of 655s). If one of these subject headings seems to be useful or pertinent, go to Classification Web and find an LC subject heading to replace it. All non–literature books should have at least 1 subject heading assigned. Also, watch that the subject headings make sense for the book.
Examples:
600
600 1 0 Day, Dorothy, ǂd 1897–1980.
600 0 0 H. D. ǂq (Hilda Doolittle), ǂd 1886–1961.
600 0 0 Rockefeller family ǂx Archives ǂv Indexes.
600 1 0 Harriman, Edward Henry, ǂd 1848–1909 ǂx Homes and Haunts ǂz New York. (State) ǂz Orange County.
610
610 2 0 Enron Corp. ǂx Corrupt practices.
610 2 0 Union Pacific Railway Company ǂv Periodicals.
610 1 0 United States. ǂb Forest Service ǂx Appropriations and expenditures.
650
650 _ 0 Women political prisoners ǂz Burma ǂv Biography.
650 _ 0 Indians of North America ǂz Utah ǂx Government relations ǂy 1934 –
650 _ 0 Chee, Jim (Fictitious Character)
651
651 _ 0 Canyonlands National Park (Utah) ǂx Description and travel.
651 _ 0 Iraq ǂx Foreign relations ǂz United States ǂy 1979–1991.
651 _ 0 United States ǂx Politics and government ǂy 1861–1865 ǂv Caricatures and cartoons.
655 Genre/Form
This field is used to indicate the genre or form of the item being described. It cannot be verified in OCLC. This field is used mostly in literature and art. Leave the 655s in the record if it is useful and makes sense. If the 655 is a duplicate of a 650 field AND the 655 describes the genre or form of the item, then delete the 650. See MARC Help for more information about this field.
Examples:
655 _ 0 Film noir.
655 _ 0 Graphic novels.
655 _ 7 Detective and mystery stories. ǂ2 gsafd