19 Subject

The main topic of a resource.

Questions to Consider When Determining Subject

• What is the main topic of the resource?
• What are the genre + format of the resource and do they indicate anything about the subject of the resource?
• What is the most important thing for my users to know about the content before reading a description?
• Are there determined subject categories within the item’s holding institution and how does that inform the format of the subject I put into the metadata?

Subject Examples

• A series of portraits of tennis pros might have the subject “tennis players”
• “F. Scott Fitzgerald” would be the subject for a biography of the author
• In a community archive, your institution may use family names or local events, places, or traditions, in the subject field