BISAC Merchandising Themes (2024 Edition)

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:

1. An audience to which a work may be of particular appeal.
2. A time of year or event for which a work may be especially appropriate.
3. 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 2024

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
EV012    EVENT / Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month *
EV020    EVENT / Back to School
EV015    EVENT / Baby Shower
EV030    EVENT / Baptism
EV040    EVENT / Bar Mitzvah - Bat Mitzvah
EV050    EVENT / Birthday
EV055    EVENT / Black History Month *
EV060    EVENT / Confirmation
EV062    EVENT / Disability Pride Month *
EV065    EVENT / Fall
EV070    EVENT / First Communion
EV080    EVENT / Graduation
EV081    EVENT / Hispanic Heritage Month *
EV082    EVENT / Home School
EV120    EVENT / National Indigenous History Month
EV125    EVENT / New Home *
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
EV200    EVENT / Women's History Month *

HL002    HOLIDAY / Canada Day
HL006    HOLIDAY / Cesar Chavez 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

TP020    TOPICAL / African American & Black Interest
TP010    TOPICAL / Banned Books
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
TP036    TOPICAL / Disability *
TP038    TOPICAL / Diversity & Multicultural *
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+ Interest
TP075    TOPICAL / Own Voices
TP066    TOPICAL / Social Media Personalities
TP086    TOPICAL / Teen Interest
TP088    TOPICAL / Vegan
TP090    TOPICAL / Women's Interest