Skip to Main Content

MIT Libraries logo

MIT logo Search Account

Finding Primary Sources - Library of Congress Subject Headings: Home

LCSH sub-headings that are useful for catalog searches for primary sources

Useful Subheadings to Identify Primary Source Material

Adapted from Yale University Libraries

Subdivision What Does It Identify? Used Under What Kind of Heading? Example(s)
Archival Resources Brief descriptions of types of documents/historical records, about a particular place or topic, available at an institution or institutions Countries, etc.
Topics
Canada--History--Archival resources
Archives Collections of documents or historical records including notes, correspondence, minutes, photographs, legal papers Names of people
Corporate bodies
Educational institutions
Types of corporate bodies/educational institutions
Classes of persons
Ethnic Groups
Fermi, Enrico, 1901-1954--Archives
Autographs Collections or discussions of the person's autograph or handwriting Names of people
Classes of persons
Composers--Autographs
Biography
Caricatures and cartoons Collections or discussions of caricatures or pictorial humor Names of people
Corporate bodies
Classes of persons
Ethnic groups
Names of wars
Topical headings
New York (State)--Politics and government--Caricatures and cartoons
Catalogs Works listing objects located in organizations, institutions or particular places Names of artists
Corporate bodies
Types of organizations
Fitzwilliam Museum--Catalogs
Comic books, strips, etc. Names of people
Topical headings
Spiegelman, Art--Comic books, strips, etc.
Correspondence Letters from and/or to the person or people; can be subdivided by -Catalogs Names of people
Classes of persons
Ethnic groups
Nuns--Ireland--Correspondence
Description - [dates] Add -Views for pictorial works Cities
Description and travel- [date] Places Quebec (Province)--Description and travel
Diaries Collections or discussions of the person's diaries and for individual diaries Names of persons
Classes of people
Working class women--Massachusetts--Boston--Diaries
Early Works to 1800
Facsimiles Types of printed materials
Specific documents
Manuscripts, Belarusian (Old)--Facsimiles
History--Sources Collections or discussion of contemporary writings such as legal documents, letters, diaries, family papers,etc. assembled at a later time to serve as source material for research Countries
Names of people
Classes of persons
Ethnic groups
Topical headings not inherently historical
Civil rights--United States--History--Sources
Interviews Works consisting of transcripts of what was said during the course of the interview or conversations with a person on one or more occasions Names of people
Classes of people
Authors, Spanish--20th century--Interviews
Library Resources Works describing the resources and special collections available Countries
Names of people
Corporate bodies
Classes of persons
Ethnic groups
Topical headings
Health education--Library resources
Manuscripts Manuscripts - Catalogs
Manuscripts - Facsimiles
Manuscripts - Indexes
Manuscripts - Microform catalogs
Literary authors
Literary works that enter under title
Sacred works
Groups of authors
Names of literatures
Topical headings
Music--Manuscripts--Netherlands--Utrecht
Maps Individual maps or collections of maps Countries, etc.
Corporate bodies
Topical headings
Japan--Civilization--Maps
Notebooks, sketchbooks Collections or discussions of the person's notebooks or sketchbooks Names of people Tsang, Fu Ji, 1958--Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc.
Personal narratives Personal reminiscences or accounts by participants Names of events
Names of wars
Bataan, Battle of, Philippines, 1942--Personal narratives
Pamphlets
Pictorial Works Names of people
Named entities
Classes of persons
Ethnic groups
Individual wars
Topical headings
Dachshunds--Pictorial works
Portraits Collections or discussion of portraits of persons living after 1400; use -Art for those living before Names of people Rabbis--Portraits
Posters Collections or discussion of posters depicting the person, group, etc. Names of people
Corporate bodies
Classes of persons
Ethnic groups
Individual wars
Topical headings
Local transit--United States--Posters
Self Portraits Reproductions or discussion of self-portraits by the person Names of people Goya, Francisco, 1746-1828--Self-portraits
Speeches
Statues Works discussing or containing reproductions of statues of the person Names of people Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865--Statues