Issue 136

The following changes to SCIS Subject Headings List were approved by the SCIS Standards Committee November 2024 – October 2025.

Key

BT – Broader term
NT – Narrower term
RT – Related term
UF – Used for
SN – Scope note
SEN – Special example note
IN – Indexing note

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New headings

Bilingual texts

SN Use for works of, or works about, fiction or non-fiction where the theme or subject matter is communicated with parallel text in two languages.
UF Bilingual books
UF Dual language books
BT Bilingualism
BT Education, Multilingual
RT Multilingual texts

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COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020–2023

SN Use for works on the pandemic of 2020–2023. For works on the disease, use COVID-19 (Disease).
UF Coronavirus Pandemic, 2020–2023
UF COVID Pandemic, 2020–2023
BT Epidemics
RT COVID-19 (Disease)
RT Quarantine

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Dreamtime stories

SN Use for resources about the ontology, spirituality and religion of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, e.g. Paul Callaghan & Uncle Paul Gordon’s The dreaming path and Tyson Yunkaporta’s Sand talk. For tales of the Dreaming told for the general public and for children use the heading Dreamtime stories. For fiction works using elements of The Dreaming (not a retelling), use Dreaming (Religion) – Fiction.
UF Aboriginal peoples – Dreaming – Fiction
UF Aboriginal peoples – Dreamtime legends
UF Aboriginal peoples – Folklore
UF Aboriginal peoples – Legends
UF Aboriginal peoples – Mythology
UF Dreaming stories
UF Dreamtime stories – Fiction
UF Folklore, Aboriginal
UF Legends, Aboriginal
UF Mythology, Aboriginal
UF Myths, Aboriginal
BT Dreaming (Religion)
RT Creation
RT Dreaming (Religion) Fiction

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Dreaming (Religion) Fiction

SN Use for fiction works with elements of The Dreaming (not a retelling), e.g. Jared Thomas’ Uncle Xbox. For tales of the Dreaming told for the general public and for children use Dreamtime stories.
RT Dreamtime stories

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Fugitives

SN Use for people fleeing and hiding from police, criminals or other perceived threats.
BT Life change events
NT Refugees
NT Runaways
RT Escapes
RT Missing persons

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Imaginary wars and battles

SN Use for works about wars and battles existing only in the imagination of the creator.
UF Imaginary battles
UF Imaginary wars
UF Wars and battles, Imaginary
BT War
RT Battles

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Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction

SN Use for stories about fictional wars and battles fought by fictional people (or other fictional beings). For real and historical wars fought by fictional people use War stories. For real and historical battles fought by fictional people use Battles – Fiction.
RT Battles – Fiction
RT Fantasy
RT Science fiction
RT War stories

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Multilingual texts

SN Use for works of, or works about, fiction or non-fiction where the majority of the content is communicated with parallel or equivalent text in three or more languages regardless of layout.
UF Multilingual books
BT Education, Multilingual
RT Bilingual texts

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Solids (Matter)

BT Matter

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New ‘see’ references

Aboriginal peoples – Dreaming – Fiction → see Dreamtime stories
Aboriginal peoples – Dreamtime legends → see Dreamtime stories
Aboriginal peoples – Folklore → see Dreamtime stories
Aboriginal peoples – Legends → see Dreamtime stories
Aboriginal peoples – Mythology → see Dreamtime stories
Bilingual books → see Bilingual texts
Buckaroos → see Cowboys
Coronavirus Pandemic, 2020–2023 → see COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020–2023
COVID Pandemic, 2020–2023 → see COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020–2023
Dreaming (Sleeping) → see Dreams
Dreaming stories → see Dreamtime stories
Dreamtime stories – Fiction → see Dreamtime stories
The Dreaming (Religion) → see Dreaming (Religion)
The Dreamtime → see Dreaming (Religion)
Drovers → see Jackaroos
Dual language books → see Bilingual texts
Dwarfism → see Short stature (Medical condition)
Dwarfs (Imaginary peoples) → see Dwarfs
Folklore, Aboriginal → see Dreamtime stories
Growth disorders → see Short stature (Medical condition)
Imaginary battles → see Imaginary wars and battles
Imaginary wars → see Imaginary wars and battles
Jackeroos → see Jackaroos
Jillaroos → see Jackaroos
Legends, Aboriginal → see Dreamtime stories
Little people (Imaginary peoples) → see Dwarfs
Little people (Medical condition) → see Short stature (Medical condition)
Midgets → see Short stature (Medical condition)
Multilingual books → see Multilingual texts
Mythology, Aboriginal → see Dreamtime stories
Myths, Aboriginal → see Dreamtime stories
Restricted growth → see Short stature (Medical condition)
Ringers → see Jackaroos
Skeletal dysplasia → see Short stature (Medical condition)
Wars and battles, Imaginary → see Imaginary wars and battles

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Revised subject headings

Aboriginal peoples – Dreaming → revised to Dreaming (Religion)

SN Use for resources about the ontology, spirituality and religion of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, e.g. Paul Callaghan & Uncle Paul Gordon’s The dreaming path and Tyson Yunkaporta’s Sand talk. For tales of the Dreaming told for the general public and for children use Dreamtime stories. For fiction works using elements of The Dreaming (not a retelling), use Dreaming (Religion) – Fiction.
UF Aboriginal peoples – Beliefs
UF Aboriginal peoples – Dreaming
UF Aboriginal peoples – Religion and mythology
UF Aboriginal peoples – Spirituality
UF Aboriginal peoples – Totems
UF Dreamtime
UF The Dreaming (Religion)
UF The Dreamtime
BT Religions
NT Aboriginal law
NT Dreamtime stories
RT Creation

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Aboriginal law

UF Law, Aboriginal
UF Aboriginal peoples – Law
BT Law – Australia
BT Dreaming (Religion)

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Agriculture

(New NT only listed)
SN Use for instances of working the land – including both crop production and animal husbandry.
UF Agronomy
UF Farming
UF Food production
UF Planting
NT Farmers
BT Primary industry
RT Land use

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Agricultural workers

UF Agricultural labourers
UF Farm labourers
BT Farmers
RT Peasantry
RT Working classes

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Battles

UF Campaigns and battles
UF Campaigns, Military
UF Fighting
UF Sieges
BT Military history
BT Military science
BT War
NT Ardennes, Battles of the, 1944–1945
NT El Alamein, Battle of, 1942
NT Wounded Knee Creek, Battle of, 1890
RT Imaginary wars and battles [NEW]

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Battles – Fiction

SN Use for stories of historical battles fought by fictional people. For stories about fictional wars and battles fought by fictional people (or other fictional beings) use Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction.
RT Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction
RT War stories

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Bilingualism

BT Language and languages
NT Bilingual texts
RT English as an additional language or dialect

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Cowhands → revised to Cowboys

SN Use for works on pastoral workers in a North American context, particularly historical works.
UF Buckaroos
UF Cowgirls
UF Cowhands
UF Gauchos
BT Pastoral industry
BT Pioneers and pioneer life
RT Rodeos

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Cowhands – Fiction → revised to Cowboys – Fiction

RT Westerns

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Creation

UF Deluge
BT Natural theology
BT Philosophy
BT Religion and science
NT Geology
NT Humankind – Origin
NT Mythology
NT Theology
RT Dreaming (Religion)
RT Dreamtime stories
RT Evolution
RT God
RT Humankind
RT Intelligent design
RT Universe
RT Earth

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Dreams

UF Day dreams
UF Daydreams
UF Dreaming (Sleeping)
UF Nightmares
BT Brain
BT Fortune telling
BT Occult sciences
BT Psychology, Physiological
BT Superstition
BT Subconsciousness
BT Visions
RT Psychoanalysis
RT Sleep

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Dwarfs → revised to Dwarfs (Imaginary peoples)

SN Use for works on short-statured people in folklore and fiction. For works on persons with conditions causing shortness in height and for general resources on these conditions use Short stature (Medical condition).
UF Dwarves (Imaginary peoples)
UF Little people (Imaginary peoples)
BT Folklore
RT Short stature (Medical condition)

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Dwarfism → revised to Short stature (Medical condition)

SN Use for works on persons with conditions causing shortness in height and for general resources on these conditions. For resources on short-statured people in folklore and fiction use Dwarfs (Imaginary peoples).
UF Dwarfism
UF Growth disorders
UF Little people (Medical condition)
UF Midgets
UF Restricted growth
UF Skeletal dysplasia
BT Growth
RT Congenital hypothyroidism
RT Dwarfs (Imaginary peoples)

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Education, Multilingual

UF Bilingual education
UF Education, Bilingual
UF Multilingual education
BT Multicultural education
NT Bilingual texts
NT Multilingual texts

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Epidemics

UF Pandemics
UF Pestilences
UF Plagues
NT Black death
NT COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020–2023
NT Influenza Epidemic, 1918–1919
BT Communicable disease
BT Diseases [REMOVED]
BT Public health

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Fantasy

(New RT listed only)
RT Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction

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Farmers

BT Agriculture
NT Agricultural workers
RT Farm life
RT Farms

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Farms

UF Properties
UF Mixed farms
BT Agriculture
BT Real estate
NT Crop farms
NT Farm management
NT Farms, Small
NT Pastoral industry
NT Plantations
RT Farmers
RT Farm life

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Folklore

(Change to SEN only listed)
SEN See also subjects, other than national or ethnic groups, with the subdivision Folklore, e.g. Cats – Folklore. The adjectival form for a national*, indigenous*, or ethnic* group/style may be added as needed, e.g. Folklore, Albanian; Folklore, Maori. However, for folklore of Aboriginal peoples use Dreamtime stories.

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Gases

(BTs only listed)
BT Chemistry
BT Hydrostatics
BT Matter
BT Mechanics

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Jackeroos → revised to Jackaroos

SN Use for works on pastoral workers and station hands in an Australian context, particularly historical works.
UF Drovers
UF Jackaeroos
UF Jillaroos
UF Ringers
BT Pastoral industry
NT Rodeos
RT Agricultural workers

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Legends

(Change to SEN only listed)
SEN The adjectival form for a national or ethnic group/style may be added as needed, e.g. Legends, Yiddish; Legends, North American Indian. However, for legends of Aboriginal peoples use Dreamtime stories.

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Liquids

(BTs only listed)
BT Matter
BT Mechanics

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Matter

(Full list of NTs not listed, only the new NT)
UF Change of state
UF Constitution of matter
UF Matter constitution
UF Matter – Properties
UF Matter, States of
UF Pysical change
UF Properties of matter
UF States of matter
BT Dynamics
BT Physics
NT Gases
NT Liquids
NT Solids (Matter)
RT Antimatter

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Mythology

(Change to SEN only listed)
SEN The adjectival form for a national*, religious*, indigenous* or ethnic* group/style may be added as needed, e.g. Mythology, Celtic; Mythology, Persian; Mythology, Maori. However, for mythology of Aboriginal peoples use Dreamtime stories.

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Myths

(Change to SEN only listed)
SEN The adjectival form for a national*, religious*, indigenous* or ethnic* group/style may be added as needed, e.g. Myths, Persian. However, for myths of Aboriginal peoples use Dreamtime stories.

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Religion

(Change to SEN only listed)
SEN See also names of ethnic groups* with the subdivision Religion, e.g. North American Indians – Religion. Works on the Dreaming of the Aboriginal peoples are entered under Dreaming (Religion). See also subjects with the subdivision Religious aspects, e.g. War – Religious aspects.

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Religions

(Full list of NTs not listed, only the new NT)
IN Works on the Dreaming of the Aboriginal peoples are entered under Dreaming (Religion).
UF Religious groups
BT Civilisation
NT Dreaming (Religion)
RT Gods and goddesses
RT Religion

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Quarantine

BT Medicine, State
BT Public health
RT Communicable diseases
RT COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020–2023

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Runaways

SN Use for people escaping and hiding from unhappy living situations, e.g. from home or school.
UF Adolescents, Runaway
UF Adults, Runaway
UF Children, Runaway
UF Runaway children
BT Fugitives
NT Street kids

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Science fiction

(New RT listed only)
RT Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction

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War

(New NT listed only)
NT Imaginary wars and battles

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War stories

SN Use for works of fiction which portray experiences in war or in a particular war. Works in this genre include Mann, Delbert (director), Monash, Paul (screenplay), Remarque, Erich Maria (original story). All quiet on the Western Front; Tolstoy, Leo. War and peace; Wein, Elizabeth. Code name Verity; and Weir, Peter (director and original story), Williamson, David (screenplay). Gallipoli. For nonfiction war stories use headings such as War; World War, 1939–1945 – Personal accounts. For works about war stories, use the heading War stories – History and criticism.

For stories about fictional wars and battles fought by fictional people (or other fictional beings) use Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction.

For stories about a specific war or specific aspects of war, also use headings such as Vietnam War, 1961–1975 – Fiction; War – Moral and ethical aspects – Fiction.

UF War – Fiction
RT Battles – Fiction
RT Imaginary wars and battles – Fiction

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The new SCIS subject headings are included in the biannual SCIS Authority releases.