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Subject Codes Committee Charter (2026)

Current State

The BISAC Subject List was developed to help authors, publishers, distributors, retailers, and libraries categorize books in a more consistent manner. The current list covers 54 categories and provides nearly 6,000 codes to categorize titles. The list is used in the United States and Canada as the default resource for defining the content of a book.

Internationally, use of Thema, which is currently available in more than 20 languages, continues to grow. Since 2013, the subject codes committee has mapped all BISAC updates to the current version of Thema. The December 2024 release of the 2024 BISAC update will require a revised BISAC-to-Thema map, which will be created in early 2025.


Objectives

The Committee works to keep the BISAC Subject List current, ensuring that it continues to meet the needs of the industry. Its annual and ongoing objectives are to:

  • Review sections (categories) on a periodic basis, adding or deleting codes as needed, and updating descriptions when warranted.

  • Solicit and review requests for updates, which are assessed as they are received from the publishing community and members of the committee.

  • Maintain open communication with publishers, distributors, retailers, and libraries, to ensure that the code list serves the needs of these segments.


Stakeholder Impact/Benefits

Within the North American book industry, publishers, distributors, and retailers use the headings to aid in search, discovery, and sales. Some libraries also rely on BISAC subject headings to facilitate the browsing experience for patrons. Typically, supply-chain participants adopt the annual updates quickly (within months of their release) so that they can accept and display the most up-to-date categories and descriptions.


Deliverables

In 2026, the Committee plans to:

  1. Meet on a monthly schedule to review a planned set of subject categories that include LAW and EDUCATION.

  2. Survey the supply chain to understand if the size of the current code list is adequate or a potential impediment to industry requirements.

  3. Reconsider the guidelines in place for creating new subject code categories.

  4. Promote wider use of merchandising themes as a companion to BISAC subject codes.

  5. Via the web form and committee members, solicit suggestions from the broader community and consider suggestions to make specific parts of the Subject List more useful to the community.

  6. Through its Thema working group, map 2025 BISAC codes to the current version of Thema (1.6), publishing the updated map in the first quarter of 2026.

  7. Finalize changes by fall 2026, bring the proposed update to the industry for comment, as well as to the BISG board for review and approval, and publish the updated list in fall 2026, accompanied by an online webinar describing the updates.


Blockers

The committee plans to dedicate portions of its meetings in 2026 to discussions of how the code list is maintained. These topics are an important investment, but they may take time away from updates requested by the industry this year. As well, a compelling proposal made to the committee prior to the close of the 2026 Edition may delay the edition until the committee can review and accept the proposal. Delays can occur if BISG membership or the BISG Board voices objection to one or more parts of a proposal for the new edition, prompting modifications and a need to recirculate the draft.