Library of Congress >> MARC >> Bibliographic >> 6XX >> 650

650 - Subject Added Entry-Topical Term (R)


MARC 21 Bibliographic - Full
October 2007

First Indicator
Level of subject
# - No information provided
0 - No level specified
1 - Primary
2 - Secondary

Second Indicator
Thesaurus
0 - Library of Congress Subject Headings
1 - LC subject headings for children's literature
2 - Medical Subject Headings
3 - National Agricultural Library subject authority file
4 - Source not specified
5 - Canadian Subject Headings
6 - Répertoire de vedettes-matière
7 - Source specified in subfield $2


Subfield Codes
Main term portion
$a - Topical term or geographic name entry element (NR)
$b - Topical term following geographic name entry element (NR)
$c - Location of event (NR)
$d - Active dates (NR)
$e - Relator term (R)
$4 - Relator code (R)

Subject subdivision portion
$v - Form subdivision (R)
$x - General subdivision (R)
$y - Chronological subdivision (R)
$z - Geographic subdivision (R)
Control subfields
$0 - Authority record control number (R)
$2 - Source of heading or term (NR)
$3 - Materials specified (NR)
$6 - Linkage (NR)
$8 - Field link and sequence number (R)

FIELD DEFINITION AND SCOPE

Subject added entry in which the entry element is a topical term.

Topical subject added entries may consist of general subject terms including names of events or objects. Subject added entries are assigned to a bibliographic record to provide access according to generally accepted thesaurus-building rules (e.g., Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)). Field 650 may be used by any institution assigning subject headings based on the lists and authority files identified in the second indicator position or in subfield $2 (Source of heading or term).

A title (e.g., Bible and atheism), a geographic name (e.g., Iran in the Koran), or the name of a corporate body (e.g., Catholic Church and humanism) used in a phrase subject heading are also recorded in field 650.


GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING CONTENT DESIGNATORS

INDICATORS

First Indicator - Level of subject
Used to distinguish primary and secondary descriptors.
# - No information provided
0 - No level specified
Level of the subject term could be determined but is not specified.
650 00$aFlour industry$vPeriodicals.
1 - Primary
Main focus or subject content of the material.
650 17$aCareer Exploration.$2ericd
650 #7$aCareer Exploration.$2ericd
650 17$aCooks.$2ericd
2 - Secondary
Less important aspect of the content of the material.
650 27$aFood Service.$2ericd
650 27$aJunior High Schools.$2ericd
650 27$aSimulation.$2ericd
[Primary and secondary subject content identified.]
Second Indicator - Thesaurus
Subject heading system or thesaurus used in constructing the subject heading.
0 - Library of Congress Subject Headings
Subject added entry conforms to and is appropriate for use in the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and the Name authority files that are maintained by the Library of Congress.Conforms to LCSH is defined as:
  • headings (or headings and subdivisions) found in the LC authority files (including name authorities), or in the latest edition of LCSH, including the latest microfiche, printed version, CD-ROM, and supplements;
  • headings constructed following AACR2;
  • headings found in the LC authority files, the latest edition of LCSH, or constructed following AACR2 to which is added a free-floating or regular subdivision according to the rules stated in the Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings, particularly subdivisions listed in the pattern lists, and geographic subdivisions formulated and applied according to the rules in the manual;
1 - LC subject headings for children's literature
Subject added entry conforms to the "AC Subject Headings" section of the Library of Congress Subject Headings and is appropriate for use in the LC Annotated Card Program.
2 - Medical Subject Headings
Subject added entry conforms to and is appropriate for use in the National Library of Medicine authority files.
3 - National Agricultural Library subject authority file
Subject added entry conforms to and is appropriate for use in the National Agricultural Library subject authority file.
4 - Source not specified
Subject added entry conforms to a controlled list that cannot be identified by second indicator values 0-3, 5-6 or by a code in subfield $2.Field 653 (Index Term-Uncontrolled) is used to record terms that are not derived from controlled subject heading lists.
5 - Canadian Subject Headings
Subject added entry conforms to and is appropriate for use in the Canadian Subject Headings that is maintained by the Library and Archives Canada.
6 - Répertoire de vedettes-matière
Subject added entry conforms to the Répertoire de vedettes-matière that is maintained by the Bibliothèque de l'Université Laval.
7 - Source specified in subfield $2
Subject added entry conforms to a set of subject heading system/thesaurus building rules. The identifying code is given in subfield $2.

SUBFIELD CODES

$a - Topical term or geographic name entry element
Topical subject or a geographic name used as an entry element for a topical term. Parenthetical qualifying information associated with the term is not separately subfield coded.
650 #0$aAmish.
650 #0$aKalmyk cattle.
650 #0$aAstronauts.
650 #0$aEgypt in the Bible.
650 #0$aBASIC (Computer program language)
650 #0$aBull Run, 2d Battle, 1862.
650 #0$aConcertos (String orchestra)
650 #0$aVocal music$zFrance$y18th century.
650 #0$aDentistry$vJuvenile films.
650 #5$aCanadian wit and humor (English)
$b - Topical term following geographic name entry element
Topical term that is entered under a geographic name contained in subfield $a. This construction is not used in AACR2 formulated records.
650 #0$aCaracas.$bBolivar Statue.
$c - Location of event
$d - Active dates
Time period during which an event occurred.
$e - Relator term
Specifies the relationship between the topical heading and the described materials, e.g., depicted.
650 #0$aSeabiscuit (Race horse),$edepicted.
[Photograph of Seabiscuit, the race horse.]
650 #0$aUnicorns,$edepicted.
[Bayeux Tapestry, showing a unicorn.]
$v - Form subdivision
Form subdivision that designates a specific kind or genre of material as defined by the thesaurus being used. Subfield $v is appropriate only when a form subject subdivision is added to a main term.
650 #0$aScuba diving$vPeriodicals.
650 #0$aVomiting$xTreatment$vHandbooks, manuals, etc.
$x - General subdivision
Subject subdivision that is not more appropriately contained in subfields $v (Form subdivision), $y (Chronological subdivision), or $z (Geographic subdivision). Subfield $x is appropriate only when a general topical subdivision is added to a main term.
650 #0$aRacetracks (Horse-racing)$zUnited States$xHistory.
650 #0$aNumismatics$xCollectors and collecting.
$y - Chronological subdivision
Subject subdivision that represents a period of time. Subfield $y is appropriate only when a chronological subject subdivision is added to a main term.
650 #0$aMusic$y500-1400.
$z - Geographic subdivision
Geographic subject subdivision. Subfield $z is appropriate in field 650 only when a geographic subject subdivision is added to a main term.
650 #0$aWorld War, 1939-1945$xCampaigns$zTunisia.
650 #0$aReal property$zMississippi$zTippah County$vMaps.
$0 - Authority record control number
See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.
$2 - Source of heading or term
MARC code that identifies the source list from which the subject added entry was assigned. It is used only when the second indicator position contains value 7 (Source specified in subfield $2). Code from: MARC Code Lists for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions.
650 #7$aEducational buildings$zWashington (D.C.)$y1890-1910.$2lctgm
650 17$aAcoustic measurement.$2test
$3 - Materials specified
Part of the described materials to which the field applies.
$4 - Relator code
MARC code that specifies the relationship between a topical heading and the described materials. Code from: MARC Code Lists for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions.
$6 - Linkage
See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.
$8 - Field link and sequence number
See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.

INPUT CONVENTIONS

Ambiguous Headings - See Appendix E.
Punctuation - Field 650 ends with a mark of punctuation or a closing parenthesis. If the final subfields are subfield $2 or $3, the mark of punctuation precedes those subfields.
650 17$aCareer Exploration.$2ericd
650 #0$aBallads, English$zHudson River Valley (N.Y. and N.J.)

Main term portion followed by a subject subdivision does not end with a mark of punctuation unless the main term portion ends with an abbreviation, initial/letter, or open date.
650 #0$aRain and rainfall$zWashington (State)$zSeattle$vMaps.
Spacing - No spaces are used in initialisms, acronyms, or abbreviations.
650 #0$aMARC formats.
650 #0$aC.O.D. shipments.
Display Constant
- [dash associated with the content of subfield $v, $x, $y, or $z]
Dash ( - ) that precedes a subject subdivision in an extended subject heading is not carried in the machine-readable record. It may be system generated as a display constant associated with the content of subfield $v, $x, $y, and $z.
Content designated field :
650 #0$aNuclear energy$xHistory.
Display example: 
Nuclear energy-History.
Initial Article - Initial articles (e.g., The) occurring at the beginning of topical subject added entry fields are usually omitted in most languages (except when the intent is to file on the article).

Any diacritics and/or special characters occurring at the beginning of fields are retained. Note that such characters are usually ignored for purposes of sorting and filing.

CONTENT DESIGNATOR HISTORY

$b - Topical term following geographic name as entry element [OBSOLETE, 1981]
Subfield was restored for use in retrospective record conversion in 1987.

$4 - Relator code [NEW, 2005]
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