FAST: Faceted Application of Subject Terminology: Principles and… (edition 2010)

Chan and O'Neill's books provides an excellent and engaging explanation of the new FAST headings designed to be easier to apply and use than the current LCSH headings. The first two chapters give the reader a solid understanding of the principles of controlled vocabulary, subject access in catalogs, MARC encoding, and Dublin Core. The bulk of the book details the various facets of FAST headings (topical, geographic, chronological, event, proper name, and form/genre headings), including plenty of clear examples in both MARC and Dublin Core. Several chapters are also devoted to explaining the processes used to derive the FAST headings from the current Library of Congress headings.
After reading this book from cover-to-cover I'm very eager to apply FAST headings to my library's digital collections in the future. I'm convinced this new vocabulary will have a positive impact on searching while easing the process of subject cataloging for library staff. Another exciting development in cataloging! ( )