155 Heading - Genre/Form Term

Field definition and scope:

Field 155 contains a genre/form term used as a heading in an established heading record, an established heading and subdivision record, a traced or an untraced reference record, or a reference and subdivision record. In an established heading record, field 155 contains the established form of a genre/form term. In records for references, this field contains an unestablished form of a genre/form term. The term may consist of more than one word.

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

Field 155 is NOT repeatable.

Guidelines for applying content designators:

The content designators identify the subelements occurring in genre/form term headings constructed according to generally accepted thesaurus-building conventions (e.g., Art & Architecture Thesaurus).

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 terms designate historically and functionally specific kinds of materials as distinguished by an examination of their physical character, characteristics 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.

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

Position	Description	NLR	Repeatability
Field 155	Heading - Genre/Form Term	A	NR
Indicator:
First	Undefined; contains a blank	M
Second	Undefined; contains a blank	M

Subfield code:
$a	Genre/form term	M	NR
$v	Form subdivision	A	R
$x	General subdivision	A	R
$y	Chronological subdivision	A	R
$z	Geographic subdivision	A	R
$6	Linkage	A	NR
$8	Field link and sequence number	O	R

See: Examples for this field.

Input conventions:

Punctuation

Spacing

Display constant

Content designator history:

Prior to the definition of the X55 fields, X50 (Topical Terms) fields were used for genre/form term headings.

LC Guidelines:

155 Heading - Genre/Form Term