Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
List of subject headings for all subjects, generally for larger research libraries. Developed and maintained by Library of Congress, Policy and Standards Division. LCSH has been actively maintained since 1898 to catalog materials held at the Library of Congress.
Print-ready PDF editions issued annually. Available for free download
Available online in Classification Web
Available online through the Subject Authority Headings search on the LC Authorities website
Available online through the LC Subject headings search on the LC Linked Data Servicewebsite
Library of Congress Subject Headings Master Database
Available by FTP: Washington: Cataloging Distribution Service, Library of Congress. Weekly.
Children’s Subject Headings (CSH) List
List of subject headings for children’s literature. Developed and maintained by the Library of Congress’s Children’s and Young Adults’ Cataloging Program (CYAC), was known as Annotated Card Program (ACP). Machine-readable subject heading authority records are included in and distributed with the Library of Congress Subject Headings Master Database.
Available online Children’s Subject Headings (CSH) List
Available online in Classification Web
Available online through the Subject Authority Headings search on the LC Authorities website (look for "LC Annotated Children's Catalog subject headings" entries)
Available online through the LC Children's Subject headings search on the LC Linked Data Service website
Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms List
Available online in Classification Web.
Available online through the LC Genre/Form Terms search on the LC Linked Data Service website
Free-floating Subdivisions: An Alphabetical Index
Alphabetical index to free-floating subject subdivisions used with Library of Congress Subject Headings. Developed and maintained by Library of Congress, Policy and Standards Division.
No longer available in print; included in Cataloger’s Desktop and Classification Web
Available online as a free incomplete list of Free-Floating subdivisions (H1095)
Getty Vocabularies
Structured terminology for art, architecture, decorative arts, archival materials, visual surrogates, conservation, and bibliographic materials. Under the editorial oversight of the Getty Vocabulary Program.
Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)
Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (TGN)
Union List of Artist Names (ULAN)
Cultural Objects Name Authority (CONA)
Available online for limited research and cataloging use, through licensing options and fee-free Linked Open Data for extended use.
Sears List of Subject Headings, 21st ed. (2014)
List of subject headings for all subjects, generally for smaller public and school libraries.
Available in print: New York: H. W. Wilson Co.
Available online: EBSCOhost.
Subject Headings Manual (SHM) (2008)
Instructions for establishment and usage of Library of Congress subject headings and subject subdivisions. Developed and maintained by Library of Congress, Policy and Standards Division.
Available online Subject Headings Manual (SHM)
Also available in Cataloger’s Desktop
