Report of the Joint GNCRT/SAC Working Group on Subject Headings Guidance for Comics and Comic Characters

Abstract

In December 2021, the American Library Association’s Subject Analysis Committee (SAC) voted to form a joint working group with the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table’s Metadata and Cataloging Committee (GNCRT). This working group is charged with approaching the Library of Congress to request revisions to their Subject Headings Manual instruction H 1430, including allowing “special provisions” for subject assignment and proposals for fictional comics, in line with the “special provisions” in Subject Headings Manual instruction H 1790 for other types of fictional works.

Description

To rectify the problems resulting from the current formulation of Subject Headings Manual instruction H 1430, the joint SAC/GNCRT Working Group recommends revising it to more closely match H 1790, particularly by allowing “special provisions” for the assignment and proposal of subject headings for fictional comics and graphic novels (including manga).

Keywords

subject headings, metadata, cataloging, comics, graphic novels, subject analysis

Citation

DOI