650 Subject Added Entry

650 Subject Added Entry - Topical Term (R) (Variable Data Field)

Field definition and scope:

Field 650 contains a topical subject used as a subject added entry. Topical subject added entries may consist of general subject terms including names of events or objects. Subject added entries are assigned to a bibliographic record to provide access according to generally accepted thesaurus-building rules [e.g., Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)]. Field 650 may be used by any institution assigning subject headings based on the lists and authority files identified in the second indicator position or in subfield $2 (Source of heading or term) .

A title (e.g., Bible and atheism), a geographic name (e.g., Iran in the Koran), or the name of a corporate body (e.g., Catholic Church in motion pictures) used in a phrase subject heading are also recorded in field 650.

The content designators (indicators and subfield codes) identify the subelements occurring in topical subject and subdivisions and node labels.

The National level record requirement for this field is Mandatory if applicable.

Field 650 is repeatable .

Guidelines for applying content designators:

For indicator and subfield code definitions and examples, National-level (NLR) and Minimal-level (MLR) record requirements , and designator repeatability , see table below:

Position	Description	NLR	MLR	Repeatability
Field 650	Subject Added Entry - Topical Term	A	O	R
Indicator:
First	Level of subject	M
#	No information provided	A
0	No level specified	A
1	Primary	A
2	Secondary	A

Second	Subject heading system/thesaurus	M
0	Library of Congress Subject Headings	A
1	LC subject headings for children's literature	A
2	Medical Subject Headings	A
3	National Agricultural Library subject authority file	A
4	Source not specified	A
5	Canadian Subject Headings	A
6	Répertoire de vedettes-matière	A
7	Source specified in subfield $2	A

Subfield code:
	Main term portion
$a	Topical term or geographic name as entry element	M	O	NR
$b	Topical term following geographic name as entry element	A	O	NR
$c	Location of event	A	O	NR
$d	Active dates	A	O	NR
$e	Relator term	A	O	NR

	Subject subdivision portion
$v	Form subdivision	A	O	R
$x	General subdivision	A	O	R
$y	Chronological subdivision	A	O	R
$z	Geographic subdivision	A	O	R

	Control subfields
$2	Source of heading or term	A	O	NR
$3	Materials specified	O	O	NR
$6	Linkage	A	O	NR
$8	Field link and sequence number	O	O	R

Input conventions:

Ambiguous headings (what is considered a "topical term")

Content designator history:

Subfield $b - Topical term following geographic name as entry element [restored]: Subfield $b was made obsolete in 1981. The subfield was restored for use in retrospective record conversion in 1987.

Related MARC fields or documents:

880 Alternate Graphic Representation

MARC Code List for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions

See also:

6XX Subject Access Fields

Variable Data Fields