Best Practices for Cataloging Comics & Graphic Novels came out in early 2023: https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/18623
Bib record
Fixed fields
Cont should always be coded as 6 for "comics/graphic novels" AND Ills gets coded as a
Pay attention to other fixed fields such as LitF and Biog. 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 from
Ex: 500 __ $a Title from cover.
Physical description
The phrase "chiefly illustrations" is no longer allowed in the 300 field under current RDA rules
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 a 380 for form of work if you can
Ex: 380 __ $a Documentary comics $2 lcgft
Note fields
Add a 586 if the comic won an award!
Subject headings
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
Make sure that $v Comic books, strips, etc. subdivides many of the subject headings
Local practices
Call numbers for fiction
If the title in hand does not have a call number, assign a call number under country of origin of the comic, then author. 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 last name Cutter $b Title Cutter Year
Ex of title: Mile end by Michel Hellman (a Canadian graphic novel)
050 _4 $a PN6733.H45 $b M54 2011
Call numbers for nonfiction
Catalog nonfiction comics under their subject heading
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 will be classified under ML419.P4