BISAC Merchandising Themes (2023 Edition)
Optional themes and topics that can help merchandise a book
The purpose of this field is to provide a list of terms representing frequently requested merchandising themes and topics so that various organizations within the book industry can assemble materials appropriate to that theme or topic.
Merchandising themes can be used in addition to subject codes to denote:
- An audience to which a work may be of particular appeal.
- A time of year or event for which a work may be especially appropriate.
- A frequently requested topic.
Note that this is an optional field, separate from the subject field—although related, subject codes and theme codes should not be placed in the same field.
In addition to grouping together works that can be classified under a variety of subjects, this field can be used to further describe fictional works that have been subject-coded by genre.
* Merchandising Themes marked with an asterisk (*) are new to 2023
ET010 CULTURAL HERITAGE / African
ET020 CULTURAL HERITAGE / African American & Black
ET021 CULTURAL HERITAGE / American *
ET022 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Asian
ET024 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Asian American & Pacific Islander *
ET026 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Australian
ET028 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Brazilian *
ET030 CULTURAL HERITAGE / British
ET034 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Canadian
ET038 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Caribbean & Latin American
ET039 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Central American *
ET040 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Chinese
ET043 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Cuban *
ET046 CULTURAL HERITAGE / First Nations *
ET050 CULTURAL HERITAGE / French
ET060 CULTURAL HERITAGE / German
ET070 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Hispanic & Latino
ET080 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Indian
ET083 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island *
ET087 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Inuit *
ET090 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Irish
ET100 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Italian
ET110 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Japanese
ET120 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Jewish
ET130 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Korean
ET132 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Métis *
ET133 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Mexican *
ET135 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Middle Eastern
ET140 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Multicultural
ET150 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Native American
ET160 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Polish
ET170 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Portuguese
ET173 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Puerto Rican *
ET180 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Russian
ET185 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Salvadorian *
ET190 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Scandinavian
ET200 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Scottish
ET205 CULTURAL HERITAGE / South American *
ET210 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Spanish
ET215 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Ukrainian *
ET220 CULTURAL HERITAGE / Vietnamese
EV010 EVENT / Anniversary
EV020 EVENT / Back to School
EV015 EVENT / Baby Shower *
EV030 EVENT / Baptism
EV040 EVENT / Bar Mitzvah - Bat Mitzvah
EV050 EVENT / Birthday
EV060 EVENT / Confirmation
EV065 EVENT / Fall
EV070 EVENT / First Communion
EV080 EVENT / Graduation
EV082 EVENT / Home School
EV120 EVENT / National Indigenous History Month *
EV130 EVENT / Poetry Month *
EV140 EVENT / Powwow *
EV150 EVENT / Pride Month *
EV160 EVENT / Quinceañera *
EV084 EVENT / Spring
EV086 EVENT / Summer
EV090 EVENT / Summer Vacation Reading
EV170 EVENT / Super Bowl *
EV180 EVENT / Teacher Appreciation *
EV190 EVENT / Travel *
EV095 EVENT / Vacation Bible School
EV100 EVENT / Wedding
EV110 EVENT / Winter
HL002 HOLIDAY / Canada Day *
HL010 HOLIDAY / Christmas
HL012 HOLIDAY / Cinco de Mayo *
HL013 HOLIDAY / Day of the Dead *
HL014 HOLIDAY / Diwali *
HL030 HOLIDAY / Earth Day
HL040 HOLIDAY / Easter
HL045 HOLIDAY / Eid *
HL050 HOLIDAY / Election Day
HL060 HOLIDAY / Father's Day
HL070 HOLIDAY / Halloween
HL080 HOLIDAY / Hanukkah
HL090 HOLIDAY / Independence Day
HL093 HOLIDAY / Indigenous Peoples’ Day *
HL094 HOLIDAY / Juneteenth *
HL100 HOLIDAY / Kwanzaa
HL103 HOLIDAY / Labor Day *
HL005 HOLIDAY / Lunar New Year
HL105 HOLIDAY / Mardi Gras & Carnivale *
HL110 HOLIDAY / Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
HL120 HOLIDAY / Memorial Day
HL130 HOLIDAY / Mother's Day
HL132 HOLIDAY / National Day for Truth & Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day) *
HL133 HOLIDAY / National Indigenous Peoples’ Day *
HL135 HOLIDAY / New Year *
HL140 HOLIDAY / Passover
HL150 HOLIDAY / President's Day
HL153 HOLIDAY / Ramadan *
HL190 HOLIDAY / Remembrance & Veteran's Day
HL155 HOLIDAY / Rosh Hashanah
HL160 HOLIDAY / St. Patrick's Day
HL170 HOLIDAY / Thanksgiving
HL180 HOLIDAY / Valentine's Day
HL195 HOLIDAY / Yom Kippur
PT010 PUBLISHER TYPE / Academic & University
PT020 PUBLISHER TYPE / Independent
PT030 PUBLISHER TYPE / Self-Published
TP010 TOPICAL / Banned Books *
TP020 TOPICAL / Black History
TP024 TOPICAL / Blank Books, Journals
TP026 TOPICAL / Boy's Interest
TP028 TOPICAL / Christian Interest
TP070 TOPICAL / Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Interest
TP034 TOPICAL / Coming of Age
TP040 TOPICAL / Entertainment Awards *
TP054 TOPICAL / Gift
TP058 TOPICAL / Girl's Interest
TP060 TOPICAL / Health & Fitness
TP062 TOPICAL / Heroes, Real-Life
TP063 TOPICAL / Hispanic & Latino Interest *
TP064 TOPICAL / Inspiration
TP050 TOPICAL / LGBTQ+
TP075 TOPICAL / Own Voices
TP066 TOPICAL / Social Media Personalities
TP086 TOPICAL / Teen
TP088 TOPICAL / Vegan
TP089 TOPICAL / Women’s History *
TP090 TOPICAL / Women's Interest