Sears list of subject heading

1. UNIVERSITY OF MYSORE
MANASAGANGOTRI
Paper : “Information Retrieval”
Seminar on : “SLSH”
Submitted to,
SUNIL Sir
DOS in Library and Information Science
Manasagangotri, Mysore
Presented by
Kumar,B
3rd Semester

2. CONTENTS
 Introduction
 What is SLSH
 Features of SLSH
 Principles of SLSH
 Structure of SLSH

3. Since the first edition in 1923, the Sears List has
served the unique needs of small and medium-
sized libraries, suggesting headings appropriate
for use in their catalogs and providing patterns and
instructions for adding new headings as they are
required. The successive editors of the List have
faced need to accommodate change while
maintaining a sound continuity. The new and
revised headings in each edition reflect
developments in the material catalogued, in the
use of the English languages, and in cataloguing
theory and practice.

4. CONTROLLED VOCABULARY
A controlled vocabulary is a standardized set
of words or phrases used in search tools
such as databases and catalogues to aid in
document retrieval. In these tools, you
often see a controlled vocabulary in the
form of 'subject headings' or 'descriptors'.
These subject headings are applied to each
resource to describe the topic areas of the
document.

6.  Sears List of Subject Headings
Sears List of Subject Headings, 21st
Edition (2014)
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-61925-190-8
946 pages per volume
Pub. Date: April 2014
Price: $165.00

7. What is the Sears List of Subject Headings?
The Sears List of Subject Headings (popularly
called the Sears List) is a known tool for
assigning standardized subject headings to
all types of documents in a general small
libraries having up to 20,000 titles in all
subjects. In Pakistani and Indian conditions
it is suitable for public, college and small
university libraries. Research, special and
large libraries may not find it adequate or
detailed enough for subject cataloguing
their collections.

8. The Sears List of Subject Headings is a
thesaurus-like database delivering a core list of
headings, together with patterns and examples
to guide the cataloger in creating further
headings as needed. Since the first edition in
1923, the Sears List has served the unique needs
of small and medium sized libraries, suggesting
headings appropriate for use in their catalogs
and providing patterns and instructions for
adding new headings as they are required. The
successive editors of the List have faced the need
to accommodate change while maintaining a
sound continuity. The new and revised headings
in each edition reflect developments in the
material catalogued, in the use of the English
language, and in cataloging theory and practice.
The aim is always to make library collections as
easily available as possible to library users.

9. Features of SLSH
The major feature of the SLSH (21st
ed.) is the inclusion of more two hundred and fifty
new subject headings. New headings in this edition
reflect the changing needs of library users, which
includes addressing the growing literature in the
areas of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM). A number of new headings
relating to education have been established, such
as Massive online open courses and Research-
Methodology. New headings for sports have been
established, such as Aikido, Paralympic games, and
World Cup (Soccer). In these and other areas many
provisions have been added for creating more new
headings as needed.

10. The 21st edition of the Sears List is also the
first to be published with the assistance of
the Sears Advisory Board, which was
convened with the goal of improving the
accuracy, breadth, and inclusiveness of the
Sears List. This collaborative group is
comprised of public and school librarians,
many of whom are actively working in their
fields and have served on cataloging
committees for the American Library
Association, including the cataloging of
Children’s Materials Committee.

11. Principles of the Sears List
From the very beginning as a matter of
policy, the Sears List has always been based
on the principles of the Library of Congress
Subject Headings (LCSH) with certain
modifications needed for simplification.
The principles of the Sears List are:
• Direct and specific entry
• Common usage
• Uniformity and consistency

12. Specific entry:- It means a subject should be
entered under its most specific heading, not
under the class to which it belongs. For example,
Rose should be entered under “Rose”, not under
“flowers”. Penguin is entered “Penguins”, not
under “Birds” or even “Water birds”. Similarly,
Guide dogs are entered under “Guide dogs” not
“dogs”. But specificity is a matter of relativity
depending upon the strength of collection, levels
of the users, and on the policy of the library.
Direct entry:- It means that the specific
heading chosen should be entered directly as the
lead point, instead of a subdivision. For example,
Penguins is entered as such instead of Water
birds-- Penguins. Similarly use “Barbie doll”
instead of Dolls—Barbie doll, Roses instead of
Flowers-Roses dolls.

13. Common usage:- The terms chosen as
preferred headings are from common usage. If a
word has more than one spellings, then the most
popular one is chosen for this purpose. (It may be
noted that the Sears uses American spellings drawn
Webster and Random House dictionaries. But the
Indian libraries should use British spellings). It uses
common and popular terms instead of scientific or
technical terms or jargon. That is the Sears uses
terms current among lay users. For example, it uses
“Dinners” instead of “Banquets”; “Birds” instead of
“Ornithology”; and “Renaissance” instead of
Renascence.
Uniformity:- This is the very reason for compiling
such tools. It means that a heading once chosen
should be consistently and uniformly applied in its
scope, meaning and spellings until a decision is taken
to the contrary. It, however, does not mean that old
terms cannot be changed or deleted, or new terms
cannot be added. The Sears continuously does it.

14. Structure of the Sears List
Sears List is an alphabetical [arranged word
by word according to ALA Filing Rules
(1980)] general list of standard names of
subjects is English language for use in small
and medium size libraries. It provides
subject headings for the entire range of
knowledge.

15. Library of Congress Subject Headings
(LCSH)
 Originally designed as a controlled
vocabulary for representing the subject and
form of books and serials in the LC
collection
 Literary warrant
 Approximately 259,000 headings
 Approximately 36% of headings are
followed by LC Class numbers

16. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Sears List of Subject Headings (21st edition)
 http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/pjlis/Previ
ous%20Issue/pjlis-9-satija.pdf
 http://support.epnet.com/knowledge_base
/detail.php?id=5877
 http://www.slideshare.net/efindley/sears-
subject-headings-presentation
 http://www.hwwilsoninprint.com/sears.php