The Library of Congress Subject Heading (LCSH) list is an amazing thing. While cataloging is a serious business, it also carries within it some comedic gems. Most of these gems can be found in the LCSH. What are subject headings. To put it very simply-they are words chosen to describe works, items, things, etc. They are standardized terms, a.k.a. controlled vocabulary. The Wikipedia entry on LCSH is a good place to get a basic understanding of how the subject headings work.
Now comes the funny part. Some of the subject headings are bizarre! Here's a link to a wiki of Wacky and Weird Subject Headings. You may need to type in a code to see the list. Don't worry, it's worth it! Some of my favorites are:
Boating with cats (May Subd Geog)
Boring--Periodicals
Church work with cowgirls
Donkeys in numismatics
Folk dentistry
Potpies (May Subd Geog)
Stunt nematodes
the list goes on.... If you happen upon a strange LCSH that's not on the list, you can add it. The next time you're looking for something in the library catalog, check out the subjects assigned to it. You might be surprised.
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