FAIRsharing record for: FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) Topic Facet

This FAIRsharing record describes: FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) is an enumerative, faceted subject heading schema derived from the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). The purpose of adapting the LCSH with a simplified syntax to create FAST is to retain the very rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use. The schema maintains upward compatibility with LCSH, and any valid set of LC subject headings can be converted to FAST headings. In developing FAST, The primary objectives were (1) compatibility with existing metadata, (2) ease of assignment, (3) retrieval effectiveness, (4) cost of maintenance, and (5) semantic interoperability. The development team determined that these objectives could best be satisfied by a fully enumerative faceted subject heading schema derived from the Library of Congress Subject Headings. The individual terms in the FAST vocabulary are divided into eight distinct categories or facets: Personal names, Corporate names, Geographic names, Events, Titles, Time periods, Topics, and Form/Genre. This is the Topic facet.