The catalog card is one of the most important items in any publication, especially if you are looking to officially register your work.
In addition, it can be present in articles, annals of events, competition conclusion works, magazines and, of course, in books in general.
What is a catalog card
It may not seem like it at first glance, but the catalog card is one of the most important items in a publication, be it a magazine, article, book or annals of an event.
This is because it serves as an “identity card”, showing the most important details of the work.
Thus, the publication is individualized and this makes it difficult to plagiarize or confuse the authors of the work, making life easier for the people who catalog and for those who want to reference it.
That’s why catalog sheets are commonly required by bookstores, libraries and online indexers, correctly categorizing works on physical or virtual shelves.
The structure of a catalog card
Title and subtitle of the work
Even though these two items are already present on the cover of the work, here it is very important that they are also included in the catalog card.
This is because in case of physical damage to the cover of your publication, the catalog card will still keep the title and subtitle of the work for registration.
author name
In turn, the name of the author, reviewer and translator are the most basic requirements of the catalog card, as it assigns publication authority to the right people.
In addition, it also allows your publication to be found by the authors’ names, in case readers/researchers do not know the title of the publication or what subjects are in it.
ISBN
The International Standard Book Number, or International Standard Book Number, is a numbering that identifies works internationally, with the aim of making them unique.
Therefore, to facilitate your understanding, if the catalog card is an “identity card” of your publication, the ISBN would basically be the General Registration number (RG) of this card.
Even so , the ISBN may not be mandatory.
However, he individualizes, gives credibility, authority and international recognition to the work. So, don’t forget to issue yours!
Matters
This is where the most important topics of the publication are summarized, which facilitates the cataloging of these topics in online or even library indexing systems.
Thus, readers looking for a particular subject will be able to find the work through its topics, without necessarily knowing the name of the publication or its author.
edition number
A book can undergo several changes, whether in the cover, pages or even spelling revisions, causing new editions to be distributed.
And, consequently, a catalog card is created for each edition, signaling its uniqueness.
Therefore, it is important that the edition is included in the catalog to identify that particular edition.
Publishing company
As in all the points above, this item serves to make your publication stand out not only for the edition, but also for the proof of the publisher that carried it out.
place of publication
Have you ever tried referencing works in your work and not knowing where they were published?
The place of publication is a requirement in the reference of works, according to ABNT norms . Even so, this information is not very easy to find in books without a catalog card.
Therefore, a simple insertion of this data in the form can make life easier for many people!
Number of pages
Here, as the title says, we don’t need to explain too much, as it is the exact number of pages contained in the work.
But, this item is still important, because in case of any disagreement about the number of pages, just check the catalog sheet to find the correct number, ok?
IT HURTS
Being an exclusive item for digital catalog cards, the Digital Object Identifier is an identifier, as is the ISBN.
In this way, he is responsible for tracking the publication within the internet, facilitating its accessibility and making it unique.
In addition, it is widely recognized as an indicator of the publication’s credibility in academia.
Also , in the digital catalog sheets you can find:
- Format
- Digital Resource
- System request
- access mode,
The benefits of a catalog card
1. Identify your work and facilitate its location
Have you ever thought about the confusion that would be the cataloging of books with the same names?
Whether in libraries, bookstores or indexing bases, catalog cards are essential items for your publication to be treated as unique, from the title to the edition number.
That’s why it becomes so important for identification, also resulting in an ease of locating the works that contain one.
2. Optimize database indexing
The indexers’ databases usually have thousands of registered publications, so your catalog card has the role of differentiating your work from all others.
Thus, your work will not only be published with an official cataloging record, but will also be more easily found by those who want to consume it.
And, as we said above, it makes referencing much easier!
3. Easy online accessibility
As we mentioned above, the DOI code is not included in catalog cards for nothing, but do you know the real potential it has to enhance your online publication?
Within its publication, the DOI can:
- Individualize your publication;
- Make files permanent on the web;
- Facilitate the location of the work;
- Count and track the citations your publication has received;
- Ensuring the authenticity of online publications.
