A browsable display under a specific search term can often frustrate users if the length of the display is carried over several screens. This article investigates methods of compressing headings identified by MARC subfield codes, in order to reduce the size of browsable displays.  Arguments are presented that a more efficient system design can be achieved by machine sorting of subdivisions via a conceptual, rather than alphabetical approach. The author concludes that system architecture for browsable subject index displays must be redesigned to relieve the user of the burden of data organization.