Theory and Practice of Subject Headings

The Sears List

The Sears List of Subject Headings, an outstanding name amongst subject headings lists, is used all over the world in small and medium sized libraries. It has constantly been revised and kept up to date, both in its methods and contents by incorporating new subjects and updating organizational machinery. Being handy, simple, inexpensive and always current, the Sears List is a convenient choice for teaching subject headings work in library schools.
The present work is an endeavor to fill this gap in the literature. It is a companion book which, although based on the 20th edition of the Sears List, should be useful to the libraries using some previous edition. It attempts to explain the theoretical foundations, history and application of the Sears List. It explicates the various hidden potentials of the system to construct subject headings needed for local situations. The objective of this small, practical introduction is to be simple, clear and illustrative. The present book assumes no prior knowledge either of the Sears List or of subject headings work in general. It is a manual for beginners to understand the importance of vocabulary control, the process of subject analysis, the structure and organization of the Sears List, and the methods to locate, specify and construct subject headings and provide cross references for the public catalogue. Subject headings in the complex areas of languages, literatures, biographical and geographical works are given a chapter each.
It is endeavoured to give examples that are geared to India and other areas of the world where the Sears List is used. It is hoped that cataloguers and student learners using this book will feel the joy and stimulation the subject headings work provides.