655 Index Term - Genre/Form

Field 655 contains terms indicating the genre, form, and/or physical characteristics of a work. Genre terms for textual materials designate specific kinds of materials distinguished by the style or technique of their intellectual contents; for example, biographies, catechisms, essays, hymns, or reviews. Form and physical characteristic terms designate historically and functionally specific kinds of materials as distinguished by an examination of their physical character, subject of their intellectual content, or the order of information within them; for example, daybooks, diaries, directories, journals, memoranda, questionnaires, syllabi, or time sheets. In the context of graphic materials, genre headings denote categories of material distinguished by vantage point, intended purpose, characteristics of the creator, publication status, or method of representation.

The genre and form terms used in this field are taken from standard lists. Both indicator 7 and subfield $2 must be used in this field. Subfield $2 contains a coded value designating the list used to select the term. A list of codes to be used in subfield $2 appears in Source Codes for Vocabularies, Rules, and Schemes (Genre/Form Code and Term Source Codes).

655 #7 Keepsakes. $2 rbgenr

655 #0 Women's periodicals, European $y 20th century.

Editing instructions

1. The subfield preceding subfield $2 in field 655 ends with a mark of punctuation or a closing parenthesis.

655 #7 Diaries $z Belgium. $2 <thesaurus code>

2. A term followed by a subject subdivision does not end with a mark of punctuation unless the preceding term ends with an abbreviation, initial/letter, open date, or other data that end in a mark of punctuation.

655 #7 Prayer books $z Rhode Island $y 18th century. $2 <thesaurus code>

3. No spaces are used in initialisms, acronyms, or abbreviations. A data element that contains an open-ended date ends with one space when it is followed by a subject subdivision.

4. The imprint date (i.e., the date found in 260 $c) may be used in subfield $y of field 655. In subfield $y, the date data are recorded following LCRI 21.30M. Brackets are not used even though they may be present in 260 $c.

260 ## <place of publication> : $b <publisher> , $c [1885]-

655 #7 Addresses $z Massachusetts $z Boston $y 1885- . $2 rbgenr

First indicator - Type of heading

The first indicator position specifies the type of genre/form heading in the field.

# Basic.

Use value # to indicate that the genre/form data is recorded in a single occurrence of subfield $a.

0 Faceted.

Use value 0 to indicate that each genre/form term is recorded in a separate subfield $a or $b. A subfield $c (Facet/hierarchy designation) precedes each term in subfields $a and $b; it denotes the facet/hierarchy of each term in a particular thesaurus.

Second indicator - Thesaurus

The second indicator position specifies the thesaurus used in constructing the genre/form heading.

0 Library of Congress Subject Headings.

Value 0 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) that is maintained by the Library of Congress. Use of value 0 requires that the heading is appropriate for use in LCSH.

1 LC subject headings for children's literature.

Value 1 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to the "AC Subject Headings" section of Library of Congress Subject Headings that is maintained by the Library of Congress. Use of value 1 requires that the field is appropriate for the LC Annotated Card Program.

2 Medical Subject Headings.

Value 2 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to the National Library of Medicine authority files. Use of value 2 requires that the field is appropriate for use in the NLM authority files.

3 National Agricultural Library subject authority file.

Value 3 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to the National Agricultural Library subject authority file. Use of value 3 requires that the field is appropriate for National Agricultural Library genre/form heading purposes.

4 Source not specified.

Value 4 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to a controlled list but the source cannot be specified by one of the thesauri covered by second indicator values 0-3, 5-6 or by a code for a specific thesaurus in subfield $2. Field 653 (Index Term - Uncontrolled) is used to record terms that are not derived from controlled thesauri.

5 Canadian Subject Headings.

Value 5 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to Canadian Subject Headings that is maintained by Library and Archives Canada.

6 Répertoire des vedettes-matière.

Value 6 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to the Répertoire de vedettes-matière that is maintained by the Bibliothèque de l'Université de Laval.

7 Source specified in subfield $2.

Value 7 indicates that the formulation of the index term conforms to a set of thesaurus building rules other than that specified by one of the other defined values and for which identifying codes are given in subfield $2. The codes to be used are given in Source Codes for Vocabularies, Rules, and Schemes (Genre/Form Code and Term Source Codes).

Subfields

$a Genre/form data or focus term.

Input in subfield $a all genre, form, or physical characteristics data when the first indicator is #. For faceted headings (first indicator is value 0), it consists of the focus term. A focus term is the concrete thing forming the basis of the expression.

655 #7 Bird's-eye views. $2 gmgpc

655 #7 Cartoons. $2 gmgpc

655 #7 Gampi fibers (Papers) $z Japan. $2 rbpap

Heading: Laminated marblewood bust

655 07 $c k $b Laminated $c m $b marblewood $c v $a bust. $2 aat

$b Non-focus term.

Use subfield $b for a term other than that considered the focus in a faceted heading (first indicator is value 0).

Heading: Black Hmong cotton courtship balls

655 07 $c d $a Black $c f $b Hmong $c m $b cotton $c k $b courtship $c t $a balls. $2 aat

$c Facet/hierarchy designation.

Use subfield $c to record a designation identifying the facet/hierarchy for each term found in subfields $a and $b in faceted headings (first indicator is value 0). The designations differ, depending on the thesaurus used (as specified by the code found in subfield $2). The designations and their associated facets/hierarchies can be found in the thesaurus identified by subfield $2. Subfield $c always precedes the data to which it is associated.

See the examples under the descriptions of subfields $a and $b.

$v Form subdivision.

Use subfield $v to record a form subdivision that designates a specific kind or genre of material as defined by the thesaurus being used. Subfield $v is appropriate only when a form subject subdivision is added to a genre/form term.

$x General subdivision.

Use subfield $x to record a subject subdivision that is not more appropriately contained in subfield $v (Form subdivision), subfield $y (Chronological subdivision) or subfield $z (Geographic subdivision). Subfield $x is appropriate only when a topical subdivision is added to a term with a first indicator of # (Basic).

655 #7 Dictionaries $x French $y 18th century. $2 rbgenr

655 #7 Photoprints $x Color $z Panama Canal Zone $y 1990-1950. $2 gmgpc

$y Chronological subdivision.

Use subfield $y to record a subject subdivision that represents a period of time. Subfield $y is appropriate only when a chronological subject subdivision is added to a term.

655 #7 Competition drawings $y 1984. $2 gmgpc

$z Geographic subdivision.

Use subfield $z to record a geographic subject subdivision. Subfield $z is appropriate only when a geographic subject subdivision is added to a term.

655 #7 Hymnals $z Massachusetts. $2 rbgenr

655 #7 Signing patterns (Printing) $z Germany $y 18th century. $2 rbpri

$2 Source of term.

Use subfield $2 to record the MARC code that identifies the source list from which the index term was assigned. The source of the MARC code is Source Codes for Vocabularies, Rules, and Schemes (Genre/Form Code and Term Source Codes) that is maintained by the Library of Congress.

655 #7 Emblem books $z Germany $y 17th century. $2 rbgenr

$3 Materials specified.

Use subfield $3 to record information which indicates the part of the described materials to which the field applies.

655 #7 $3 Municipal Fire Station records $a Fire incident reports $z Atlanta, Georgia $y 1978. $2 <thesaurus code>

$5 Institution to which field applies.

Use subfield $5 to record the MARC code of the institution or organization that holds the copy to which the subject added entry applies. Use this for subject added entries that do not apply to the universal description of the item. The source of the MARC code is MARC Code List for Organizations that is maintained by the Library of Congress.

$6 Linkage.

Use subfield $6 to record data that link pairs of fields that are alternate graphic representations of each other. The subfield contains the tag number of an associated field and an occurrence number. A complete description of subfield $6 and guidelines for applying it are provided in the 880 Alternate Graphic Representation section.

Related fields, etc.

Subject Headings - General Information

655 Index Term - Genre/Form (MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data)