How Form Subdivisions Appear in Headings
Subfield ‡v can appear in any 6XX subject string:
600 00 Madonna, ‡d 1958- ‡v Pictorial works.
610 20 Yale University ‡x Alumni ‡v Directories.
650 0 Word processing ‡v Software.
651 0 New Haven (Conn.) ‡v Maps.
Multiple form subdivisions may appear in a string:
651 0 Hamden (Conn.) ‡v Biography ‡v Anecdotes.
Form subdivisions are usually (but not always) the last subfield:
630 00 Bible ‡v Dictionaries. BUT
630 00 Bible ‡v Dictionaries ‡x French.
The same subdivision may appear as ‡v or ‡x:
650 0 Science ‡x Periodicals ‡v Bibliography ‡v Periodicals.
Assigning Form Subdivisions:
STEP 1: Is-ness or About-ness? Or, is it real or is it subfield ‡x?
Apply your cataloging metaphysical expertise!
Am I cataloging a periodical "is-ness" or an item about a periodical "about-ness"?
Title: Journal of architecture (London, England)
650 0 Architecture ‡v Periodicals.
Title: Avery index to architectural periodicals [issued annually]
650 0 Architecture ‡x Periodicals ‡v Indexes ‡v Periodicals.
STEP 2: Use the LC Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings (SCM:SH) to verify your cataloger's intuition.
Generally, your intuition will be right. Per SCM:SH Free Floating Subdivisions, "--Periodicals" may be coded ‡v or ‡x as appropriate.
But sometimes LC instructions may seem counterintuitive.
Consider: 630 00 Bible ‡v Dictionaries ‡x French
Why isn't "--French" a form subdivision? Because LC says so.
Though your metaphysical expertise is strong, you can't fight City Hall.
Always keep in mind that LC is the authority; intuition alone is not sufficient. To learn more about interpreting LC guidelines, go to the next section.
Using the Subject Cataloging Manual
The authoritative source for verifying form subdivisions is the Cataloger's Desktop version of Subject Cataloging Manual : Subject Headings (SCM:SH). The relevant sections are general free-floating subdivisions (H1095-H1145.5) and subdivisions controlled by pattern headings (H1147-H1188).
Remember that even "free-floating" subdivisions may have restrictions in use. For example, the subdivision --Personal narratives is only valid under names of events and wars.
In SCM:SH, subdivisions are coded either ‡v or ‡x. Any subdivision coded ‡v may also be used as a topical subdivision (‡x) if appropriate, unless LC explicitly forbids its use as ‡x (e.g., the subdivision --Software).
However, any subdivision coded ‡x in SCM:SH can never be used as a form subdivision (‡v)! To learn more about subdivisions that cannot be used as "form," go to the next section.