This document summarizes a BISG webcast that took place on December 9, 2009. It provides an overview of BISAC subject headings, including how they are developed and maintained by the BISG committee to standardize subject metadata for the book industry supply chain. Guidance is given on choosing appropriate subject headings by focusing on the primary content of books rather than other attributes like format or audience.

1. This BISG WEBCAST took place
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. ET
To register for future BISG Webcasts, please visit:
http://www.bisg.org/event-cat-6-webcasts.php
This BISG Webcast was sponsored by
BISG WEBCAST
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2. “Working to create a more
informed,
informed empowered and efficient
book industry supply chain
for both physical and digital products ”
products.
www.bisg.org
b
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3. ANGELA BOLE
Deputy Executive Director, Book Industry Study Group, Inc.
Director Group Inc
Angela Bole is Deputy Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG).
Based in New York City, BISG is an industry trade association working to create a more
informed, empowered and efficient book industry supply chain for both digital and
physical products.
CONNIE HARBISON
Director of Authority Control, Database Management, Baker & Taylor
Connie has worked in the publishing industry for over 20 years. She’s been involved in
the BISAC Executive Committee since 2004, when she took on the role of BISAC Subject
2004
Codes Committee Chair. She also serves as BISAC Secretary and is a member of the
BISAC Metadata Committee. Connie lives in New Jersey with her husband, three children
and two dogs.
Ummm...not really...
RENEE REGISTER
Senior Product Manager, OCLC
Renee and her staff are responsible for partnering with publishers, vendors and other
content providers in the creation and distribution of title metadata to libraries, the
publisher supply chain and end users. Prior to joining OCLC in 2005, she spent ten
years with Ingram Book Group, wholesaler and data provider to retailers and libraries,
first as Manager of Cataloging Services and then as Director of Classification and
Bibliographic Control for the organization’s MARC and non-MARC metadata.
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4. RENEE REGISTER
Senior Product Manager
Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service
and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering
access to the world s information and reducing information costs.
world's
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5.  OCLC Metadata Services for Publishers
Automatically adds BISAC Subject Headings to
publisher data by mapping from Dewey Decimal
Classification
http://publishers.oclc.org
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6.  OCLC researchers and Dewey editors are
collaborating on a project to add DDC
numbers to authority records for BISAC
subject headings
 BISAC subject headings, including usage
notes, are coded according t th MARC 21
t d d di to the
format for authority data
 Dewey numbers f
b from DDC 22, the l
h latest
edition of Dewey, are applied to the records
by the Dewey team
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7.  Selected fields from a BISAC authority record:
◦ 083 04 158.1 ‡2 22 ‡5 OCoLC-D
◦ 150 SELF-HELP ‡x General
◦ 680 ‡i Use subjects in this section for works on
personal growth, or works aimed at helping people
deal with personal problems, including mental
illnesses and dependencies. For works written to help
dependencies
people deal with issues involving child rearing or
relationships, use subjects in the ‡a FAMILY &
RELATIONSHIPS ‡i section For scholarly works
section. works,
serious lay studies, or works aimed at psychology
professionals, use subjects in the ‡a PSYCHOLOGY ‡i
section.
section
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8. Background and benefits…
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9.  An industry-approved list of terms used to
describe the content of a book
 52 main subject areas
j
◦ e.g. Computers, Family & Relationships,
Juvenile Fiction and Juvenile Nonfiction, Nature
 Over 3,600 distinct terms
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10.  Developed to standardize electronic transfer
of subject information
 First version issued in the 1990s
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11.  Developed to standardize electronic transfer
of subject information
 First version issued in the 1990s
1.0 (~1995) 2.7 (June 2003)
2.0 (Nov 1997) 2.8 (March 2004)
2.1 (May 1999) 2.9 (May 2005)
2.2 (Jan 2000) 2006 (Sept 2006)
2.3 (May 2000) 2007 (Sept 2007)
2.4 (Jan 2001) 2008 (Nov 2008)
2.5 (July 2001) 2009 (Nov 2009)
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12.  To transmit subject information between
trading partners using a consistent syntax
 To provide a common language for sales
g g
reporting
 As search terms in bibliographic databases
 As access points in online search
 As bricks-and-mortar shelving guides
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13.  Major businesses within the book industry,
including:
◦ Major retailers, especially those who sell online
 B&N A
B&N, Amazon
◦ Data aggregators
 Baker & Taylor, Bowker, Ingram
y , , g
◦ Increasing numbers of publishers
◦ Wholesalers
◦ Nielsen BookScan
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14. Who sets the standard?...
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15.  Maintained by the BISG’s BISAC Subject Codes
Committee
 Committee consists of volunteers from BISG
member organizations
◦ Members include publishers, retailers, wholesalers
and d t aggregators
d data t
 Changes are annually reviewed and approved
b th f ll BISG M b hi
by the full Membership
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16.  All requests received from the industry are
discussed and considered by Committee
 Creation of a Heading is based on 3 factors:
g
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17.  All requests received from the industry are
discussed and considered by Committee
 Creation of a Heading is based on 3 factors:
g
◦ Does the suggested Heading describe the content of
the book and not the audience, format or language?
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18.  All requests received from the industry are
discussed and considered by Committee
 Creation of a Heading is based on 3 factors:
g
◦ Does the suggested Heading describe the content of
the book and not the audience, format or language?
◦ Are there at least 100 unique titles (from different
publishers) in the supply chain that would have this
Heading?
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19.  All requests received from the industry are
discussed and considered by Committee
 Creation of a Heading is based on 3 factors:
g
◦ Does the suggested Heading describe the content of
the book and not the audience, format or language?
◦ Are there at least 100 unique titles (from different
publishers) in the supply chain that would have this
Heading?
◦ Would adding the requested Heading require
extensive expansion of the list (we try to keep the
number of Headings at around 3,000)?
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20.  Minor revisions to each main subject area are
made on an ongoing basis based on need and
incoming requests
 Major revisions to each main subject area are
made on a cyclical basis
 New versions of the list are released on an
annual basis
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21.  9-character alphanumeric Code in the form
AAA###### and a Literal of the form SECTION
NAME / Subheading (with further subheadings
possible)
 Examples:
◦ MAT002040 MATHEMATICS/Algebra/Intermediate
l b d
◦ PET004010 PETS/Dogs/Breeds
◦ TRV028000 TRAVEL/Cruises
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22. PET004010 PETS/Dogs/Breeds
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23. PET004010 PETS/Dogs/Breeds
 Codes
C d (PET004010) are i t d d f electronic
intended for l t i
data interchange (EDI)
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24. PET004010 PETS/Dogs/Breeds
 Codes
C d (PET004010) are i t d d f electronic
intended for l t i
data interchange (EDI)
 Literals (PETS/Dogs/Breed) are intended f
for
print/display purposes
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25. PET004010 PETS/Dogs/Breeds
 Codes
C d (PET004010) are i t d d f electronic
intended for l t i
data interchange (EDI)
 Literals (PETS/Dogs/Breed) are intended f
for
print/display purposes
 The first three characters of a code represent
the main subject area
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26. BISG WEBCAST
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27. STEP 1:
Determine the main subject area
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28. STEP 1:
Determine the main subject area
STEP 2:
Pick the term within the main subject area that
most closely fits the book’s content
All done! It couldn’t be easier!
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29. Understanding the differences
between Subject Headings
Headings,
Merchandising Themes and Regional
Themes.
Themes
29

30.  A list of terms representing frequently
requested merchandising themes and topics
 Can be used in addition to subject codes to
j
denote:
◦ An audience to which a work may be of particular
appeall
◦ A time of year or event for which a work may be
especially appropriate
◦ A frequently requested topic
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31. Although related, Subject Headings
and Merchandising Themes should
not be placed in the same field.
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32.  Can be used for fiction or nonfiction to
denote the regional setting or the regional
focus of the title
 Until early 2006, geographic regions were
built into the BISAC Merchandising Themes
◦ The Committee saw need to further expand the
h d f h d h
regions within the Merchandising Themes
◦ Because there were so many regions to add the
add,
Committee decided to break them out of
Merchandising Themes and develop a new list of
just
j t regions
i
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33. Helpful hints…
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34.  If the title has numerous facets, it is
recommended that the process be repeated
for other relevant main subject areas
 If possible, do a keyword search against the
entire list in order to identify all main subject
areas th t may be appropriate
that b i t
 If you cannot find a Heading for the
narrowest subject, try to b
b broaden the subject
d h b
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35.  When assigning multiple Headings, be logical…
◦ A title cannot have both a juvenile and an adult
Heading
◦ A title cannot have both a fiction and a nonfiction
Heading (this includes juvenile: JUV and JNF headings
should not be mixed)
 Refer to usage notes found at the beginning of
each main subject area
 Cross-references may point you to a similar or
related main subject area
j
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36.  All main subject areas have GENERAL as a
second level term. This can be applied…
◦ for books covering the topic at the broadest level
◦ f books of a very narrow scope that cannot be
for b k f h b
better described by one of the other terms within
the relevant section
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37.  All main subject areas have GENERAL as a
second level term. This can be applied…
◦ for books covering the topic at the broadest level
◦ f books of a very narrow scope that cannot be
for b k f h b
better described by one of the other terms within
the relevant section
Never use GENERAL if you’ve
already identified a more
specific Heading.
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38.  NON000000 Non-Classifiable is reserved for
items that have no subject content (such as
blank books)
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39.  NON000000 Non-Classifiable is reserved for
items that have no subject content (such as
blank books)
It might be frustrating, but
never default to “Non-
f
Classifiable” (NON) if you can’t
find an appropriate Subject
Heading for your book – Keep
g
looking!
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40.  The category you choose should reflect the
primary content of the book
◦ It should not describe the format
◦ It should not d
h ld t describe th audience
ib the di
◦ It should not describe the language
◦ Other fields already exist in ONIX for these
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41.  The category you choose should reflect the
primary content of the book
◦ It should not describe the format
◦ It should not d
h ld t describe th audience
ib the di
◦ It should not describe the language
◦ Other fields already exist in ONIX for these
The BISAC Subject Heading
describes
desc bes what t e boo is about
at the book s about.
(Though all rules have exceptions….)
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42. The exceptions to the rules…
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43.  If the audience is grades K-12
◦ use “Juvenile Fiction” (JUV) or “Juvenile Nonfiction”
(JNF) Headings
◦ the specific grade and age can be supplied in the
Audience Range Composite of the ONIX record
 If the format is a graphic novel
◦ use the “Graphic Novel” (CGN) Headings
◦ or, if appropriate, the Juvenile Graphic Novel
Headings
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44.  Major changes to:
◦ SCIENCE
◦ MATH
◦ BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
S SS CO O CS
 A closer look at the “100 book rule”
 The beginnings of:
◦ universal BIC-to-BISAC mapping
pp g
◦ scope note for individual headings
◦ best practices
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45. BISG WEBCAST
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46. And now for some fun…
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47. Half Broke Horses:
A True-Life Novel
T Lif N l
by Jeannette Walls
After her shattering memoir,
The Glass Castle, Walls
novelizes th life of her
li the lif f h
indefatigable grandmother,
who rode her pony 500 miles
to her first job.
~From LJ
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48. 1.) BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs
2.) FICTION / Biographical
3.) BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women
4.) 1
4 ) "1" and "3”
3
5.) All of the above
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49. FICTION / Biographical
 It’s
It’ a work of fi ti
k f fiction, not nonfiction
t fi ti
◦ It’s a novel based on the life of a real person
◦ A nonfiction Heading should never be mixed with a fiction
Heading
 Of course, every rule has an exception…
◦ Y
You can mix the main subject area “Li
i h i bj “Literary C ll i
Collections”
”
(LCO) with the main subject area “Fiction” (FIC)
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50. The Bonobos:
Ecology, B h i
E l Behavior, and
d
Conservation
by Takeshi Furuichi and Jo Thompson
Once one of the least studied
of the great apes, this new text
f h h
covers the latest research into
these fascinating creatures.
g
~From the publisher
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51. 1.)
1 ) SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Zoology / General
2.) SCIENCE / Life Sciences / General
3.) SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Zoology / Primatology
4.)
4 ) "1" and "2"
d
5.) All of the above
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52. SCIENCE/ Life Sciences/ Zoology/ Primatology
 All Heading options were part of the same main
g p p
subject area, but only the most specific Heading is
necessary to describe a title
Never use GENERAL if you’ve already
identified a more specific Heading…unless
it comes from a different main subject area
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53. The Dangerous Days of
Daniel X
by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
(Grade 5 and Up)
Billed as a story ‘for readers
from ten to a hundred and
f t t h d d d
ten,’…the 5th entry in this
series blends Harry Potter and
Men in Black with results likely
to please only die-head
Patterson fans
fans.
~From Publishers Weekly
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54. 1.)
1 ) FICTION / Science Fiction / General
2.) JUVENILE FICTION / Science Fiction
3.) FICTION / Action Adventure
4.)
4 ) "1" and "2"
d
5.) "1" and "3"
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55. JUVENILE FICTION / Science Fiction
 Although it’s marketed for all ages, it’s a YA novel
 A juvenile main subject area (JUV or JNF) should
never be mixed with an adult main subject area
◦ I th world of S bj t H di
In the ld f Subject Headings, a b k i either written
book is ith itt
for adults or it’s written for juveniles
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56. JUVENILE FICTION / Science Fiction
 The exception to the rule…
◦ Some graphic novels written for juveniles are coded as “Comics &
Comics
Graphic Novels” (CGN) rather than “Juvenile Fiction” (JUV) or
“Juvenile Nonfiction” (JNF) if they contain very mature content
But you still wouldn’t mix a juvenile Heading with an adult Heading!
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57. In the Graveyard of
Empires: America’s War in
Afghanistan
by Seth G Jones
G.
Jones traces the steady
resurgence of the Taliban and
its allies, facilitated by US
neglect and a weak government
in Kabul, after a deceptively
easy overthrow of the Taliban
government in 2001.2001
BISG WEBCAST ~From Booklist
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58. 1.)
1) HISTORY / United States / 21st Century
2.) HISTORY / Military / Afghan War (2001 - )
3.) POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Freedom & Security / Terrorism
4.)
4) HISTORY / United States / General
5.) "1" and "2" and "3"
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59. HISTORY / United States / 21st Century
HISTORY / Military / Afghan War (2001 - )
POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Freedom &
Security / Terrorism
 You don’t have to confine yourself to one Heading
to describe your title
◦ All the suggested Headings above described the book’s subject
book s
matter without overlap
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60. HISTORY / United States / 21st Century
HISTORY / Military / Afghan War (2001 - )
POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Freedom &
Security / Terrorism
 That said, never use GENERAL if you’ve already
identified a more specific Heading…unless it comes
from a different main subject area
HISTORY / United States / General
HISTORY / U i d S
United States / 21 C
21st Century
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61. The Joy Luck Club
by Amy Tan
This widely acclaimed
bestseller spans two countries
and two generations, following
a group of Chinese women who
meet to play mah jong, invest
money and tell the secret
stories of their lives. They call
their gathering the Joy Luck
Club.
~From the publisher
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62. 1.)
1 ) FICTION / Literary
2.) FICTON / Sagas
3.) FICTION / Cultural Heritage
4.)
4) All of the above
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63. FICTION / Literary
FICTION / Sagas
FICTION / Cultural Heritage
 “Fiction” (FIC) Headings can (and should) be mixed
to better describe a book
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64. FICTION / Literary
FICTION / Sagas
FICTION / Cultural Heritage
 “Fiction” (FIC) Headings can (and should) be mixed
to better describe a book
Use discretion when using “FICTION /
FICTION
Literary” – it’s NOT interchangeable with
“FICTION / General”
“FICTION / Literary” should always be used with
more specific FIC Headings whenever possible
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65. El Simbolo Perdido
by Dan Brown
(
(Translated to Spanish)
p )
Da Vinci Code symbologist,
Robert Langdon, returns in Dan
Brown s
Brown's highly anticipated new
thriller, “The Lost Symbol”.
~From the publisher
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66. 1.)
1) FICTION / Thrillers
2.) FICTION / General
3.) FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY / Spanish
4.)
4) LITERARY COLLECTIONS / C ibb
Caribbean & L ti A
Latin American
i
5.) "1" and "3"
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67. FICTION / Thrillers
 It s stand alone
It’s a stand-alone work of fiction, not a “Literary
Literary
Collection”
 Specifically, it’s a “thriller”
FICTION / General
FICTION / Thrillers
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68. FICTION / Thrillers
 Also, books should be classified based on their
subject content without regard to the language in
which they’re written
o “F
“Foreign L
i Language St d ” (FOR) i used f works about
Study” is d for k b t
languages
o There already exists a language composite in the ONIX
record to specif the lang age of the work
specify language ork
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69. We’ll now take questions...
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70. Connie Harbison
Connie.Harbison@baker‐taylor.com
http://www.btol.com/
http://www btol com/
Ummm....not really....
Renee Register
g
register@oclc.org
www.oclc.org
Angela Bole
angela@bisg.org
www.bisg.org
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