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Guidelines for cataloguing images using the Picture Queensland web form

Guidelines also available as Word document [new window 363 kb]. 

Appendix A: Guidelines for establishing LCSH headings

• Names of bridges
• Names of houses
• Names of stations (properties)
• Names of parks and botanic gardens
• Wars and conflicts
• Government departmental buildings
• Buildings whose names and functions have changed over time

When more specific (named) subject headings are required and APT does not cater for it, or gives instructions of the type to use the Name field, use the following guidelines to set up headings according to LCSH standards.

A geographic qualifier is in parenthesis and is usually in the format of ([city/town], [state]). The state is abbreviated.

For example:
• (Gympie, Qld.)
• (Tweed Heads, N.S.W.)

Where the town is not appropriate, use only the state, eg, (Qld.), (N.S.W.).

Names of Bridges

Use the format [name of bridge] ([geographic qualifier])

Normally, qualify by the city and state with which the bridge is associated.

For example:
• Story Bridge (Brisbane, Qld.)
• Victoria Bridge (Brisbane, Qld.)
• Victoria Bridge (Townsville, Qld.)
• Fitzroy Bridge (Rockhampton, Qld.)

Note: in the State Library’s catalogues, you will find some exceptions to this and bridges may be qualified by the state only, particularly if the name of the area is part of the name of the bridge.

For example:
• Bribie Island Bridge (Qld.)

Accept what is in the catalogue, i.e., copy and paste from the State Library catalogue. However, if you need to construct a heading, qualify it by the name of the city and state even if the name of the city appears as part of the bridge name:

For example:
• Sydney Harbour Bridge (Sydney, N.S.W.)

If the bridge is in the middle of nowhere, qualify by the most precise geographic area, usually the state.

Names of Houses

Use the format [name of house] ([geographic qualifier])

Where the name incorporates the concept of a house or dwelling qualify by the city/town and state with which the house is associated. If the city/town cannot be identified, or is in a rural area, use the state as the qualifier.

For example:
• Newstead House (Brisbane, Qld.)
• Shafston House (Brisbane, Qld.)
• Jimbour House (Dalby, Qld.)

If the name does not include the concept of house/dwelling, add the qualifier Residence or Homestead after the geographic qualifier. Use Residence for an urban dwelling, eg, a private home, and Homestead for a rural one, eg, a residence on a station.

For example:
• Glengarrif (Brisbane, Qld. : Residence)
• Monahilla (Brisbane, Qld. : Residence)
• Wyldefel (Sydney, N.S.W. : Residence)
• Victoria Downs (Qld. : Homestead)
• Greenvale (Qld. : Homestead)

If the name of a house logically incorporates the article ‘The’, include this in the title.

For example:
• The Haven (Brisbane, Qld. : Residence)
• The Cedars (Brisbane, Qld. : Residence)
• The Hollow (Qld. : Homestead)

Names of Stations (properties)

Use the format [name of station] [(geographic qualifier : Station)

Add the qualifier Station after the geographic qualifier.

For example:
• Greenvale (Qld. : Station)
• Yandilla (Qld. : Station)
• Jimbour (Qld. : Station)
• Mt. Abundance (Qld. : Station)

Names of Parks and Botanic Gardens

Use the format [name of park/gardens] [(geographic qualifier)]

For example:
• Queen’s Park (Rockhampton, Qld.)
• City Botanic Gardens (Brisbane, Qld.)

Wars and Conflicts

It is very likely names of wars will be found in the SLQ catalogue subject index. Copy and paste from the catalogue.

For example:
• World War, 1939-1945
• World War, 1914-1918
• South African War, 1899-1902 (used for Boer War)
• Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975
• Coral Sea, Battle of the, 1942

Government Departmental Buildings

Use the heading for the name of the department.

For example:
• Queensland, Registrar-General’s Office
• Queensland. Treasury Dept. (for the Treasury building before it became the Conrad International Treasury Casino)

Buildings whose names and functions have changed over time

Generally, use the name of the building that was current at the time the image was taken.

For example:
• An image of the Treasury building taken in 2000 would have the subject heading Conrad International Treasury Casino.

If earlier or later names are known they can be recorded in the description if you feel they are important.

However, if you feel that the current name of the building as a subject heading on its own is insufficient, add the earlier name if you feel that would benefit the user.

You could do this also for buildings that have been superseded and are now known as ‘Old ….’, eg, Government House, Old Government House, and Parliament House, Old Parliament House.

For example:
• An image of Old Government House when it was still officially the Government House, could have the subject heading Old Government House (Brisbane, Qld.) as that is how we know it now, as well as the heading Government House (Brisbane, Qld.) as this was what it was known as when the image was taken.

Don’t try to apply this concept to the letter. It may not be possible given the information you have in hand and may involve extra work that is disproportionate to its importance. The above example of the Treasury Dept. and the Casino is very obvious and well known, especially in the Brisbane area – other instances may be more subtle and perhaps not of great interest to the user. It may not be important enough to give it a subject heading.

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