Change to Subject Headings in Distributed NLM CATLINE and SERLINE Products

In June 2015, NLM proposed discontinuing distribution of its bibliographic records with artificially reconstructed subject strings in CATLINE and SERLINE products. For additional information see, Discontinuing Distribution of Cataloging Bibliographic Records with Artificially Reconstructed Subject Strings—Comment by August 31, 2015.

This proposal was sent to the Regional Medical Libraries, MEDLIB, and MEDCAT discussion lists, as well as to subscribers of the NLM MARC21 files. Responses to the proposal were unanimously in favor of discontinuing the distribution of subject strings and having the records in the distributed files match the records as they appear in LocatorPlus and the NLM Catalog.

Therefore, NLM is pleased to announce that beginning with the December 2015 distribution of new records in CATFILE and SERFILE, NLM subject terms will be distributed with topical subjects recorded in 650 $a or 650 $a $x; geographic subjects recorded in 651 $a or 651 $a $x; and publication type/genre terms record in 655 $a.

In January 2016, the entire CATFILE and SERFILE databases will be released with these updates made to all the records. Libraries that want their data to be consistent with the NLM files are encouraged to download the full update.

NLM wishes to thank all of those who commented on the proposal. Your input was very helpful in confirming the direction the community is moving towards in subject analysis.