Sears List of Subject Headings

This subject-heading list, initially published a century ago under the title List of Subject Headings for Small Libraries and later named for its first editor, Minnie Earl Sears, is a collection of subject headings useful for smaller libraries. Now in its 23rd edition, the printed content is also available as an online database that can be accessed at no charge for one year with the purchase of the physical book. Beginning with a short history of the publication’s initial editions and continuing with a chapter on the principles of subject cataloging, the work delivers a short tutorial on general principles of assigning subject headings and applying the headings found in the list. A collection of canceled and replaced headings is included, allowing catalogers to more easily update their older records. Since the relative brevity of the list precludes completeness, instructions for establishing additional terms are included. The bulk of the work consists of more than 8,000 alphabetically arranged subject terms with suggested Dewey call numbers, scope notes, cross-references, and broader, narrower, and related terms.