Ambiguous entities

Owned by Sal Hamerman
Apr 22, 2020
2 min read

Updated 08/2018

Dividing the world

Most headings fall into a clearly defined category: name (e.g., personal names, jurisdictions), or subject (e.g., topical subjects, geographic features). However, some named entities do not fit clearly into one of these categories. In an attempt to reduce confusion over such headings LC has issued guidelines that are excerpted in this procedure.

Types of headings are listed below according to their status as Names or Subjects. Note that tagging varies on a somewhat arbitrary basis. Whether a heading is treated as a Name or Subject below, will determine which rules and conventions to apply in establishing the heading - and whether to submit the heading to NACO for the name authority file, or to SACO for the subject authority file (green form).

This listing applies only to the specific "problem" cases. It does not include many of the usual corporate/geographic names we encounter: research centers, associations, conferences, cities, etc.

Note: For the most up-to-date list as well as notes on specific types of headings, please consult the Subject Heading Manual H 405 in Cataloger's Desktop.

HeadingMARC tagFile
Abbeys110 Names
Academies110 Names
Airplanes, Named110 Names
Airports110 Names
Almshouses110 Names
Animals, Named100 Names
Apartment houses 110 Subjects
Aquariums, Public110 Names
Aqueducts151 Subjects
Arboretums110 Names
Arches 150 Subjects
Arenas 110 Subjects
Armories110 Names
Arsenals110 Names
Art works, Individual100, 110, 130 Names
Artificial satellites110 Names
Artists' groups150 Subjects
Asian conglomerate corporations 110 Subjects
Astronomical features (asteroids, comets, galaxies, planets, etc.) 151 Subjects
Asylums (Charitable institutions)110 Names
Athletic contests111 Names
Auditoriums 110 Subjects
Awards 150 Subjects
Banks110 Names
Bars110 Names
Bathhouses 110 Subjects
Baths, Ancient 110 Subjects
Biblical characters100 Names
Biological stations110 Names
Boards of trade (Chambers of commerce)110 Names
Botanical gardens110 Names
Bridges 151 Subjects
Broadcasting stations110 Names
Building details150 Subjects
Buildings occupied by corporate bodies110 Subjects
Buildings, Private 110 Subjects
Bus terminals 110 Subjects
Business parks110 Names
Camps 151 Subjects
Canals 151 Subjects
Capitols110 Subjects
Castles 110 Subjects
Cathedrals110 Names
Celestial bodies 151 Subjects
Cemeteries110 Names
Cemetery sites, Archaeological151 Subjects
Chambers of commerce110 Names
Chapels110 Names
Churches (In use or ruins)110 Names
Circuses110 Names
Cities, Extinct (Pre-1500) 151 Subjects
City halls 110 Subjects
City sections151 Names
Civic centers 110 Subjects
Clans 100 Subjects
Club houses 110 Subjects
Coliseums 110 Subjects
Collections, Public or Private 110 Subjects
Collective farms 151 Subjects
Collective settlements151 Names
Colleges110 Names
Comarcas151 Names
Comic strips130Names
Communes151 Names
Community centers 110 Subjects
Competitions111 Names
Composers' groups 150 Subjects
Computer languages 150 Subjects
Computer networks 150 Subjects
Computer programs and software130Names
Computer systems 150 Subjects
Concentration camps110 Names
Concert halls110 Names
Conservation districts151 Names
Contests111 Names
Convention centers 110 Subjects
Convents110 Names
Correctional institutions110 Names
Country clubs110 Names
Courthouses 110 Subjects
Crematories110 Names
Customhouses 110 Subjects
Dance halls110 Names
Denominations, Religious (Individual)110 Names
Details, Building 150 Subjects
Dispensaries110 Names
Docks 151 Subjects
Doors 150 Subjects
Dwellings 110 Subjects
Ecclesiastical entities that are also names of places, for example, Catholic Church. Diocese of Basel (Switzerland); Constantinople (Ecumenical patriarchate)110 Names
Ecological stations110 Names
Educational institutions110 Names
Electronic discussion groups130 Names
Embassies100 Names
Estates 151 Subjects
Events150 Subjects
Events111 Names
Exhibition buildings 110 Subjects
Exhibitions111 Names
Expeditions, Military150 Subjects
Expeditions, Military111 Names
Expeditions, Scientific111 Names
Experiment stations110 Names
Expositions111 Names
Factories110 Names
Fairgrounds151 Subjects
Fairs111 Names
Families100 Subjects
Farms151 Subjects
Feasts150 Subjects
Ferry buildings110 Subjects
Festivals and celebrations111 Names
Fictitious characters (Groups) 150 Subjects
Fictitious characters (Individual) 100 Names
Fire stations 110 Subjects
Fish hatcheries 110 Names
Folk festivals and celebrations 111 Names
Forest districts 151 Names
Forests (Administrative agencies)110 Names
Forests (Geographic entities) 151 Subjects
Fortresses (Structures) 151 Subjects
Fountains 150 Subjects
Funds110 Names
Funeral homes, mortuaries 110 Names
Galleries110 Names
Games (Events)111 Names
Gangs110 Names
Gardens 151 Subjects
Gates 150 Subjects
Gods (Groups) 150 Subjects
Gods (Individual) 100 Names
Golf courses 151 Subjects
Grain elevators 110 Subjects
Gymnasiums110 Subjects
Halfway houses 110 Names
Hazardous waste sites 151 Subjects
Helplines, hotlines 110 Names
Herbariums110 Names
Highways 151 Subjects
Historic sites (including historic districts not in cities) 151 Subjects
Hospitals110 Names
Hotels110 Names
Housing projects 110 Names
Immigration stations 110 Subjects
Individual works of art100, 110, 130 Names
Industrial districts110 Names
Islands, Nonjurisdictional 151 Subjects
Jurisdictions, Ancient (other than cities) 151 Names
Jurisdictions, Medieval and modern (including former jurisdictions)151 Names
Laboratories110 Names
Land grants151 Subjects
Legendary characters (Groups) 150 Subjects
Legendary characters (Individual) 100 Names
Libraries 110 Names
Library districts 110 Names
Lighthouses 110 Subjects
Locks (Hydraulic engineering) 151 Subjects
Locomotives 150 Subjects
Manors 110 Subjects
Mansions 110 Subjects
Market buildings 110 Subjects
Markets 110 Names
Military installations (active; also all after 1899) 151 Names
Military installations (inactive pre-1900 installations) 151 Subjects
Mine buildings 110 Subjects
Mines 151 Subjects
Mining districts 151 Names
Mints 110 Subjects
Monasteries 110 Names
Monuments (Structures, statues, etc.) 150 Subjects
Morgues 110 Names
Mosques 110 Names
Motels 110 Names
Motion pictures 130 Names
Museums 110 Names
Music halls 110 Subjects
Mythological figures (Groups) 150 Subjects
Mythological figures (Individual) 100 Names
Named collections110 Names
Night clubs110 Names
Nursing homes110 Names
Observatories 110 Names
Office buildings 110 Subjects
Old age homes 110 Names
Opera companies 110 Names
Opera houses 110 Subjects
Orphanages 110 Names
Palaces110 Subjects
Parades111 Names
Park districts 151 Names
Parks (Administrative agencies)110 Names
Parks (Geographic entities)151 Subjects
Pavilions110 Subjects
Pipelines151 Subjects
Planetariums110 Names
Planned communities151 Names
Plans (Programs)110 Names
Playgrounds151 Subjects
Plazas (Open spaces, squares, etc.)151 Subjects
Police stations110 Subjects
Pools, Public110 Subjects
Poorhouses 110 Names
Port authorities 110 Names
Ports (Physical facilities)151 Subjects
Post offices110 Subjects
Posthouses110 Subjects
Power plants110 Subjects
Presidential mansions110 Subjects
Prisons110 Names
Projects, plans, etc. 110 Names
Public celebrations, pageants, anniversaries 111 Names
Public comfort stations110 Subjects
Publisher's imprints 110 Names
Pueblos151 Names
Races (Contests) 111 Names
Racetracks110 Subjects
Radio programs 130 Names
Railroads 110 Names
Railway stations110 Subjects
Ranches151 Subjects
Ranger stations110 Subjects
Recreation areas151 Subjects
Recreation districts151 Names
Refugee camps 110 Names
Religious denominations 110 Names
Remote-controlled vehicles150 Subjects
Research parks 110 Names
Research stations 110 Names
Reservations, Indian151 Subjects
Reserves (Administrative agencies)110 Names
Reserves (Parks, forests, etc.)151 Subjects
Resorts110 Subjects
Restaurants 110 Names
Roads151 Subjects
Rooms150 Subjects
Sanatoriums110 Names
Sanitary landfills151 Subjects
Sanitation districts 151 Names
Satellites (i.e., moons)151 Subjects
Satellites, Artificial 110 Names
School districts110 Names
Schools110 Names
Schools of artists150 Subjects
Service stations110 Names
Ships 110 Names
Shipyards 110 Names
Shopping centers 110 Names
Shows (Exhibitions) 111 Names
Shrines (not churches)150 Subjects
Software, Computer130 Names
Sound recording labels 110 Names
Space vehicles 110 Names
Spas110 Subjects
Sporting events 111 Names
Sports arenas110 Subjects
Sports facilities 110 Subjects
Stadiums 110 Subjects
Stagecoach stations110 Subjects
Stock exchanges 110 Names
Stores, Retail 110 Names
Streets 151 Subjects
Structures (Non-geographic, for example, towers) 150 Subjects
Studies (Research projects) 110 Names
Synagogues 110 Names
Telescopes110 Names
Television programs130 Names
Temples (In ruins) 110 Subjects
Temples (in use; excludes temples in ruins)110 Names
Terminal buildings 110 Subjects
Theater buildings110 Subjects
Theater companies110 Names
Theme parks 151 Subjects
Tombs 150 Subjects
Tournaments111 Names
Towers 150 Subjects
Trails 151 Subjects
Tribes (as legal entities only; U.S. only)151 Names
Tribes (Ethnic groups) 150 Subjects
Truck stops110 Names
Tunnels 151 Subjects
Undertakers 110 Names
Universities 110 Names
Utility districts 151 Names
Villas 110 Subjects
Walls 150, 151 Subjects
Water districts 151 Names
Waterways 151 Subjects
Web sites 130 Names
Wells 151 Subjects
Works of art, Individual 100, 110, 130 Names
Zoological gardens 110 Names

Resources:

SHM H 405 (updated February 2018): H0405.pdf

DCM Z1 Apendix 1 (updated October 2017): Descriptive Cataloging Manual Z1 apendix 1 .pdf