GENRE/FORM HEADINGS FOR GRAPHIC NOVELS AND COMICS
10/10/12spg, rev. 3/9/15
DEFINITIONS
When a story is published in the hardcover or soft cover format first (that is, without periodical serialization), it is referred
to as a graphic novel and only a graphic novel.
A comic book or “pamphlet” is the traditional periodical form most people are familiar with. A comic book can stand on its
own or be a part of a series. A series is also sometimes called a “title,” which refers to the entire series, not a single,
discrete unit.
Sometimes, multiple issues of a series are collected into one volume. It can be hardcover or softcover. Softcover editions
are often called “trade paperbacks,” or just “trades,” regardless of size. A hardcover or a softcover can also be called a
graphic novel.
Many of these terms are inter-changeable, as you can see. A graphic novel can refer to a hardcover or soft cover, to a
reprint collection or an original story. Similarly, all of the formats referenced can be called comics or comic books.
-- The above adapted from http://www.diamondbookshelf.com/Home/1/1/20/161
“Manga” refers to Japanese cartoons and comic books, usually with a science-fiction or fantasy theme. The word means
“whimsical pictures.” They usually are serialized and are made in both the comic book and graphic novel format. Other
Asian countries have similar terms. It is not an LC-authorized heading; use “Graphic novels” or “Comic books, strips, etc.”
instead.
GENRE/FORM HEADINGS
For items that ARE graphic novels or comics instead of, or in addition to, being about graphic novels or comics it is
essential that this appear in one or more 655 fields. Because LC has not yet authorized genre/form headings for
literature, we use this form:
655 _0 |a Graphic novels.
655 _0 |a Comic books, strips, etc.
Up until Aug. 2014 we sometimes used the following, but then realized they could be problematic in the future:
655 _7 |a Graphic novels. |2 lcgft
655 _7 |a Comic books, strips, etc. |2 lcgft
Any LCSH heading can be used as a genre/form heading:
Graphic novels (May Subd Geog)
UF Comic book novels
Graphic albums
Graphic fiction
Graphic nonfiction
Graphic novellas
Nonfiction graphic novels
BT Comic books, strips, etc.
Fiction
Popular literature
SA subdivision Comic books, strips, etc. under names of individual persons; under individual sacred works, e.g. Bible—
Comic books, strips, etc.; and under topical headings; and headings for genres of comic books, e.g. Fantasy comic books,
strips, etc.
Comic books, strips, etc. (May Subd Geog)
UF Comic strips
Comics
Funnies
Manga (Comic books, strips, etc.)
Manhua (Comic books, strips, etc.)
Manhwa (Comic books, strips, etc.)
Serial picture books
BT Caricatures and cartoons
Wit and humor, Pictorial
SA subdivision Comic books, strips, etc. under names of individual persons and corporate bodies, uniform titles of sacred
works, and under classes of persons, ethnic groups, and topical headings for fictional or nonfiction works in comic strip
form, e.g. Bible—Comic books, strips, etc.; and headings for individual comic characters, e.g. Snoopy (Fictitious
character)
NT Biographical comic books, strips, etc.
Comic art paraphernalia
Comic book covers
Comic strip characters
Detective and mystery comic books, strips, etc.
Documentary comic books, strips, etc.
Erotic comic books, strips, etc.
Fantasy comic books, strips, etc.
Fotonovelas
Graphic novels
Grassroots comic books, strips, etc.
Horror comic books, strips, etc.
Motion pictures and comic books
Newspapers—Sections, columns, etc.—Comics
Romance comic books, strips, etc.
Science fiction comic books, strips, etc.
Sex—Comic books, strips, etc.
Steampunk comic books, strips, etc.
Suspense comic books, strips, etc.
Underground comic books, strips, etc.
Webcomics
Western comic books, strips, etc.
ACQUISITIONS AND CATALOGING
Edit or add appropriate subject and genre/form terms. For graphic novels and comic books ordered through GOBI:
If available in both paperback and hardback, Acquisitions will prefer the paperback:
 If you prefer the hardback, choose that record and add a processing note Graphic novel - hardback preferred
 Paperbacks should not be bound. To indicate that, choose the -06 account (bypass) and add a processing note
Graphic novel
Some may need reinforcing; send to Preservation if they meet Preservation’s guidelines for clear covers and reinforcing.
FINDING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN THE CATALOG
Because we don’t yet have a Libguide on graphic novels, Columbia University Library offers these guidelines for finding
graphic novels in the catalog and, by extension,how they should be cataloged (http://library.columbia.edu/subjectguides/graphic_novels/clio.html):
FINDING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN CLIO
Finding graphic novels in the collection is not an entirely straightforward task. There is no single Library of Congress
Subject Heading (LCSH) to cover the entire format or genre. Below are some hints for useful LCSHs that will help you
navigate CLIO. To use them, search under SUBJECT.
You might think that this would cover all pertinent titles:

Graphic novels.
This is a recently-added LCSH, however, that is not in wide use. It will locate some titles, especially recent ones, but not
all.

Comic books, strips, etc.

Comic books, strips, etc.--United States.
This main heading is used quite often, but it can describe both titles that are graphic novels and titles that are about
graphic novels. There are numerous sub-headings under this main heading, such as the geographical one shown above.
Some main headings are more genre-specific:



Fantasy comic books, strips, etc.
Science fiction comic books, strips, etc.
Underground comic books, strips, etc.
Some sub-headings may sound like they are for titles that are only about graphic novels, but this can be deceptive:

Comic books, strips, etc.--History and criticism.
Since many graphic novel writers and artists use their medium to examine the medium itself, however, you may also find
actual graphic novels under this heading.
You may also search on specific characters as LCSH:




Batman (Comic strip)
Batman (Fictitious character)
Superman (Fictitious character)
Justice Society of America (Fictitious characters)
Other possibilities for searching may include the “Comic books, strips, etc.” heading as a subheading:




Heroes--Comic books, strips, etc.
New York (N.Y.)--Politics and government--Comic books, strips, etc.
Baseball players--United States--Comic books, strips, etc.
City and town life--Latin America--Comic books, strips, etc.
Of course, you can also search by title or author rather than by subject heading. Keep in mind that both the writer and the
artist associated with a given title may be found using an AUTHOR search:




Gaiman, Neil
Spiegelman, Art
Gibbons, Dave
Kirby, Jack
These examples should help you locate titles of interest. If you require further assistance, or have any questions about
the collection, please contact the selector for graphic novels, Karen Green, at klg19@columbia.edu.
---------------------------------The Cont (Nature of Contents) area of the fixed field may be used to identify comics/graphic novels using the code 6:
Comics/graphic novels for books or continuing resources. Instances of "sequential art" in which a story (whether
fact or fiction) is told primarily through a set of images (often in the form of multiple "panels" per page) presented
concurrently but meant to be "read" sequentially by the viewer. The accompanying narrative and/or dialog text,
when it occurs, works integrally with the images to tell the story. Note: Replaces code c (comic strip) in BKS
006/16 and 008/33 and CNR 006/08-10 and 008/25-27).
Very few records have this coding and we should not bother adding it unless doing original cataloging.