Form Subdivisions

Introduction

Form subdivisions are used to indicate that a certain type of material is involved. These include headings which indicate the orientation of the work, such as --Bibliography; --Biography, or --Congresses. But they may also include the media used for the work, such as --Software, --Atlases or --Telephone directories.

The USMARC format has been updated to specify the use of the subfield code |v for these types of subdivisions; however the Library of Congress has not yet implemented this change. Once LC has made the switch, Queen's will follow. Until then, the subfield code |x will continue to be used.

Authority records may be constructed for subject heading + form subject subdivision combinations. An example appears below:

Example

 DL FMT A RT z DT 04/04/98 R/DT 04/04/98 STAT ln E/L n
 SRC   LANG ??? ROM ? MOD   UNIQUE n GOVT ? S/SYS a D/I ? SUBD ? NUM n S/TYP n
 NAME b SUBJ c SER b KIND a H/ESTAB a T/EVAL n IP a RULES n

 010:  : |a sh 85139910
 040:  : |a DLC |c DLC
 151: 0: |a United States |x Bibliography
 681/1:  : |i Notes under |a Bibliography; Bibliography, National

Much more commonly, they are authorized because they appear on the list of Free-Floating Subdivisions.

The most complete information about free-floating form subdivisions is available from the Subject cataloging manual : subject headings. Within the lists provided in this reference source, form subdivisions are indicated by the presence of a diamond symbol in the margin.

The document Freefloating Form Subdivisions also provides a listing.

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