Best Practices for Cataloging Comics & Graphic Novels came out in early 2023Full best practices at: https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/18623
Some important points:
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Bib record
Fixed fields
Cont should always be coded as 6 for "comics/graphic novels" AND Ills gets coded as a
Lots of great info in the document regarding Pay attention to other fixed fields such as LitF and Biog. It's a gentle reminder Please note that just because it's illustrated, it can still be a biography or other nonfiction
Authors & contributors
Check to see that all 1XX and 7XX fields have relator terms
Use the term artist for illustrators of graphic novels
Check that if the author is also the artist of the title that they are credited for both
Ex: 100 10 $a Tuttle, Icaro, $e author, $e artist.
Ex: 100 10 $a Gaiman, Neil, $e author.
700 10 $a Keith, Sam, $e artist.
Title
Include a 500 note when there is no title page about where the title comes from300: the
Ex: 500 __ $a Title from cover.
Physical description
The phrase "chiefly illustrations" is no longer allowed in the 300 field under current RDA rules, so add
Add a note if something about the illustrations feels important (I have never done this, so I’m not even sure what this would look like)
Ex: 300 __ $a 434 pages : $b color illustrations ; $c 28 cm
All graphic novels, graphic nonfiction and comics get two 336 fields (
336 __ $a text $b txt $2 rdacontent AND
336 __ $a still image $b sti $2 rdacontent
Add I always add a 380 for form of work (such as from the LC Genre Form Terms. You may or may not see these in copy cataloging records
Ex: 380 __ $a
Documentary comics $2 lcgft
Note fields
Add a 586 if the comic won an award!
Subject headings & genre terms
Per Library of Congress Subject Heading Manual instruction H 1430 section 2c, the LCSH form subdivision $v Comic books, strips, etc. is used for both fiction and nonfiction works
Not included in this document is how to handle call numbers. The following call number conventions for nonfiction and fiction graphic works was followed for the SEL Graphic Medicine collection:
Best practice in the past has been to catalog Make sure that $v Comic books, strips, etc. subdivides many of the subject headings
Because comics are not always seen as obvious sources for research, please review to be sure that there is more than one subject heading. We want to be proactive and provide as many access points as possible so that students can find the materials for subjects that they are interested in
655 _7
There should be multiple genre terms describing what kind of graphic novel or comics the title is. This helps readers find more of the kinds of comics they are looking for. If the book is covering a tricky topic, or if it has only one subject heading and no genre terms, save for a librarian to review
Local practices
Call numbers for fiction
If the title in hand does not have a call number, assign a call number starting with the country of origin. The countries listed below are ones we purchase in widely:
PN6767 for Italy
PN6757 for Germany
PN6747 for France
PN6733 for Canada
PN6727 for United States
A full number will be created as:
$a Comic_by_country_of_origin.Author_lastname_Cutter $b Title_Cutter Year
Ex: I morti non prendono l'ascensore by Icaro Tuttle (Italian language graphic novel)
050 _4 $a PN6767.T88 $b M67 2023
Call numbers for nonfiction
Classify nonfiction comics under their subject heading
- If a graphic nonfiction title is about the 9-11 Report, catalog it under HV6432.7 for Terrorism -- Specific country -- United States -- Specific incidents -- September 11 Terrorist Attacks 2001. If a nonfiction comic is a
Ex: The facts of life by Paula Knight is a British graphic medicine comic about infertility.
Classify under RG201 for Infertility in Women
Ex: A biography of the jazz musician, Charlie Parker
, catalogwill be classified under ML419.P4
Fiction graphic novels and comics are often cataloged under their country of origin, not by author last name. For example:
PN6765-6768 for graphic novels by Italian authors
PN6725-6728 for American authors.
If a title in hand already has a call number, you do not need to review or verify. Just keep things simple and use it, even if it does not conform to our guidelines. If you truly believe something is in error, set aside for a librarian with a precise note as to what you believe the problem might be.
Location information
UM Science Graphic Medicine (USGM)
Use for science graphic novels and comics related to health or medicine
SEL is using a very broad definition of “health or medicine” so if we have a question about the location, we will need to reach out to Ellen Lutz directly to clarify
UM Science & Engineering Library (USGEN)
Use for science graphic novels about all other science topics that are NOT health or medicine
UM W.E.B Du Bois General Collections (UMGEN)
Use for all world language comics, except Chinese, Japanese or Korean
Do not put any graphic novels or comics into the Near East collection (UNEA), even if it is in a UNEA language
Note: manga and other comics in Chinese, Japanese or Korean go to the appropriate East Asian collection