Genre Headings

Genre: Use of Form/Genre Headings in the 655 Field

(This is an abbreviated overview. For further info see: http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd655.html or https://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeLCGFT/freelcgft.html for instructions, and the list of Library of Congress genre/form terms at https://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeLCGFT/GENRE.pdf)

From the MARC 21 Bibliographic instructions for the 655 field:

Terms indicating the genre, form, and/or physical characteristics of the materials being described. A genre term designates the style or technique of the intellectual content of textual materials or, for graphic materials, aspects such as vantage point, intended purpose, characteristics of the creator, publication status, or method of representation. A form term designates historically and functionally specific kinds of materials distinguished by their physical character, the subject of their intellectual content, or the order of information within them. Physical characteristic terms designate historically and functionally specific kinds of materials as distinguished by an examination of their physical character, subject of their intellectual content, or the order of information with them.

655 Indicators and Subfields: The first indicator is normally blank.   The second indicator is for the source of the term:

  • 0 – Library of Congress Subject Headings: The subject added entry conforms to and is appropriate for use in the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and the Name authority files.
  • 1 – LC subject headings for children’s literature: The subject added entry conforms to the “AC Subject Headings” section of the LCSH and is appropriate for use in the LC Annotated Card Program.
  • 2 – Medical Subject Headings: The subject added entry conforms to the NLM (National Library of Medicine) authority files.
  • 7 – Source specified in subfield $2. These include LCGFT and GSAFD vocabularies. This is the preferred form for indicating genre/form terms, if at all possible (see below).

Examples

  • 655 _7 Romance fiction.|2lcgft
  • 655 _7 Love stories.|2gsafd
  • 655 _7 Adventure films.|2gsafd
  • 655 _7 Historical fiction.|2lcgft
  • 655 _0 Young adult fiction.        (LC heading used as genre term)
  • 655 _0 Board books.                 (LC heading used as form term)

Standard published lists must be used to determine the genre and form terms. Form and genre headings should be taken from the Library of Congress’ Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials (https://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeLCGFT/GENRE.pdf). ALA’s Guidelines on Subject Access to Individual Works of Fiction, Drama, etc.(gsafd) may still be used, but should not be preferred, as this vocabulary is not being updated. Please include LCGFT headings when cataloging, even when GSAFD terms appear in the bib record. LC subject headings may also be used as genre or form terms if an equivalent term does not appear in the either of the previous vocabularies. For example: for board books, the LC heading “655 _0 Board books” may be used, as there is no equivalent term in LCGFT or GSAFD.

Genres PowerPoint (.pptx) – Minerva Roundtable Meeting April 5, 2018

(updated June, 2018)