[Evergreen-general] [External] Paperback vs. Hardcover Records

[Szwagiel, Will]

Good afternoon Joan,

Like you, our bibliographic records can contain both paperback and hardcover versions of a book.  We actually encourage this, as well, as part of our cataloging best practices to try and cut down on duplicate records and to make sure that as many items as possible are available for patrons on a single record.  There will be instances, however, where we suggest using a separate record, but that is usually based on the content of the book, not whether it is paperback or hardcover.

The majority of our member libraries are fine with this, but we do occasionally receive requests to separate paperbacks and hardcovers, because some libraries have patrons who only want one or the other.  One recommendation we have made is for libraries to use call numbers and/or shelving locations to identify if a specific item is paperback.  For example, one member library puts "Apb" for "Adult Paperback" at the beginning of the call numbers for mass market paperback books.

This may not help patrons as much when placing holds, because they cannot place item level holds, but it allows staff to easily identify a paperback version so they can place an item hold for the patron.  Staff would just have to encourage patrons to come to them to place the hold, so the staff can place the item level hold for the patron.

It is admittedly not a perfect solution, but because we have combined paperbacks and hardcovers on single records for so long, trying to split them up now would simply be unfeasible.  And even if we began instructing catalogers to use separate records moving forward, that would still leave countless existing records in the catalog with both paperbacks and hardcovers on them.


William C. Szwagiel

NC Cardinal Project Manager

State Library of North Carolina

william.szwagiel at ncdcr.gov<mailto:william.szwagiel at ncdcr.gov> | 919.814.6721

https://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/services-libraries/nc-cardinal

109 East Jones Street  | 4640 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4600

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Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.



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Cc: Joan Kranich <jkranich at cwmars.org>
Subject: [External] [Evergreen-general] Paperback vs. Hardcover Records

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Hi,

In C/W MARS a bibliographic record may contain items for paperback and for hardcover.  We have had some recommendations to separate paperback items from hardcover items.

This is a change on the cataloging side but also with how holds would be filled.

Do any of you use separate bibliographic records for paperback vs. hardcover or do you have another workflow to make it easy for staff and patrons to place holds to be filled by one format vs. the other?

Thank you.

Joan

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[https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/ZQr4WGP3h4koRDsog_XgO4yyjl3zMIYNeK4G5qYIsR56oBs3WwQ2MiQI0sbmeVm6MF-WHyxuibj-CSWnvm4LjbvvnVUEWXurZq8GzoSabV-J1RHScmgeZ6QPw2dC3IIpCswbXFg2XxwuYaSvXwvnzWw]

Joan Kranich (she/her/hers)
Library Applications Manager, C/W MARS, Inc.

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[icon] jkranich at cwmars.org<mailto:jkranich at cwmars.org> | [icon] www.cwmars.org<https://www.cwmars.org/>

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