Retrieving Canadian Subject Headings

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) provides updates and additions to Canadian Subject Headings (CSH), which are in English only.

Using LAC's SFTP accounts

You may get CSH from our secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) server in both MARC 21 and MARC XML. Contact Bac.servicesauxbibliotheques-libraryservices.lac@canada.ca to request an account.

Timeframes

  • Full CSH files are available on the 3rd day of each month
  • Updates (new, updates, and deletes) are available on the 2nd and 19th day of each month
  • Files remain on the server for 90 days

Using the OCLC Cataloguing and Metadata Subscription

If your library has the OCLC Cataloguing and Metadata Subscription, you may search and retrieve CSH in the Canadiana authority file. In Record Manager, select "Canadiana" as the data type, then select "subject index." You may also export CSH.

Using CatExpress

If your library has a CatExpress subscription, it is not possible to limit your search to the CSH file only. However, you will see CSH headings in individual bibliographic records. To confirm whether a subject heading is a CSH heading, check the indicators in the 65X fields.

Without a subscription or SFTP account

You may search other library systems using the Z39.50 protocol if you choose not to subscribe or get an SFTP account. It is not possible to limit your search to the CSH file only in other catalogues. However, you may see CSH headings in individual bibliographic records.

These suggested lists of Z39.50 sites are not limited to Canada but include Canadian libraries:

Getting French subject headings

Université Laval provides French language subject headings called Répertoire de vedettes-matière (RVM).