The Parts of a Book: What a Cataloger Wants You to Know

Catalogers rely on the library staff to be our eyes. It is important to fill out the catalog request completely, answering each applicable question using the book in hand, not online sources. The two most important sources of information for a request are the title page and the verso.

This is a title page

The title page provides the title of the book. It also provides the author’s name, the publisher, and the place of publication.

The title above would be written as “Memory’s legion : The complete expanse story collection”

This is a title verso

On the reverse of that page (also known as the title verso; verso being Latin for reverse) comes all the copyright info, including:

• Date of publication (please use the most recent year listed)
• ISBN
• Publishers details (if not found on the title page)

Please use title information from the title page only and not the cover since sometimes they can differ. If there is no title page use the cover title but let us know in the Other Information section of the form that you used the cover title.

In addition, self-published books often do not have a record in the database so one must be created – which is a time-consuming process. Any information that can be provided will expedite the process so please upload pdfs of the front and back cover, the title page, and the verso. This option is available on the form.

It is vitally important to fill out a catalog request form properly. Poorly filled out forms significantly contribute to the backlog you are experiencing in requests being filled.

Please contact Diane Drake with any questions you have. And remember, there are more tips in Opal in the Catalogers Corner.