Sears List of Subject Headings, 24th Edition (2026)

The standard thesaurus of subject terminology for small and medium-sized libraries since 1923.

Since the first edition in 1923, the Sears List has served the unique needs of small and medium-sized libraries offering them an easy-to-use list of subject headings when they catalog their materials, along with helpful instructions for adding new headings as they are required. The goal of this new edition is to help librarians organize their collection in a way that makes it simple for patrons to find what they're looking for.

The Principles of the Sears List, which follows A History of the Sears List, is intended both as a statement of the theoretical foundations of the Sears List and as a concise introduction to subject cataloging in general. The List of Commonly Used Subdivisions, which follows the Principles, lists, for the purpose of easy reference, every subdivision for which there is a provision in the List, no matter how specialized. For every subdivision there is also an entry in the alphabetical List with full instructions for the use of that particular subdivision. There are also many examples of the use of subdivisions, emphasizing that the use of subdivisions is an essential method of expanding and adapting the List to a library’s particular needs.

The Sears List of Subject Headings is also available as a database and as MARC records for direct integration with a library’s ILS.

This essential resource features:

1. Easy-to-use thesaurus-like format , with an emphasis on subject terms that makes sense to catalogers and library patrons;
2. Helpful guidance on which subject terms to use for thousands of categories of information;
3. Helpful notes outlining Used For, See Also, Broader Terms, Narrower Terms, and Related Terms;
4. New and revised headings including Scope Notes to clarify the specialized use of a term or to distinguish between terms that might be confused; and
5. Accompanying list of canceled headings and when applicable, their replacements
6. Resource Description and Access (RDA) compliant headings, providing comprehensive instructions and guidelines for formatting bibliographic data.

The world of libraries in the twenty-first century is already quite different from what it was only recently. More information is available in machine-readable form, and ready access to the internet has changed the way many users seek and find information.

This new 24th edition keeps pace by adding dozens of new subject headings to its core list and replacing subjects that now have a different preferred term -- all organized using language that makes the most sense to catalogers and the patrons in their library.

NEW TO THIS EDITION

Always keeping in mind the goal of meeting the changing needs of library users, this new edition includes dozens of new subject headings corresponding to current literature and cataloger expectations, and many terms that have been replaced with newer terminology.This includes addressing the growing literature in the areas of:

• Diversity
• Technologial Advances
• Racial Equality
• Pop Culture
• Societal Changes
• Literature Genre

Scope Notes
As in previous editions, all the new and revised headings in this edition have been provided with scope notes where such notes are required. Scope notes are intended to clarify the specialized use of a term or to distinguish between terms that might be confused.

Classification
The classification numbers in this edition of Sears are taken from the Abridged WebDewey, the continuously updated online version of the Abridged Dewey Decimal Classification. The numbers are intended only to direct the cataloger to a place in the DDC schedules where material on that subject is often found.

It is only by being flexible and expandable that Sears List has been able over the years to fill the needs of a wide variety of libraries around the world.

The Principles of Sears List is included in this volume, outlining the theoretical foundations of the Sears List and providing a concise introduction to subject cataloging in general. This introduction is recommended reading about the fundamentals of subject cataloging.