BIC: Implementing Thema

This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in book product data quality in general, and book subject classification in particular. Whatever your background, whether from an Editorial, Marketing or Systems perspective, this course is relevant to individuals from all professional disciplines within the trade.

Some familiarity with bibliographic subject classification (e.g. use of schemes such as BIC, BISAC or Thema) is assumed, but not essential.

This course provides an introduction to Thema – the international subject classification scheme for the global book trade – explaining the need for such a scheme; its origins, development and uptake; its benefits across the trade; and the key differences (and similarities) between the BIC scheme and Thema. Specifically, the course guides trainees through the processes involved in implementing Thema in their systems and product records, and in managing the migration from BIC (the current UK standard) to Thema (its international replacement).

The course explains how the Thema codes are used and interpreted throughout the supply chain. While not a detailed, comprehensive training session in Thema coding practice, the course will include some guidance on best practice in Thema application, in the context of demonstrating how accurate Thema subject classification is essential for effective search and discovery in-store and online.