Genre/Form Terms

Introduction

General Terms

Photographic Terms

Introduction

This list of form/genre terms was compiled by Manuscript Unit archivists for use in 655 fields.

The terms are primarily from the following thesauri:

Getty Research Institute, Art and Architecture Thesaurus (aat)
Library of Congress, Subject Headings (lcsh)
ACRL/ALA, Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, Binding Terms (rbbin)
ACRL/ALA, Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, Genre Terms (rbgenr)

Other terms from standard thesauri may also be used.

Some terms listed here that are not found in standard thesauri are indicated by ‡2 local.

Consult the unit cataloging coordinators before using local terms not on this list.

Consult the controlled vocabulary for changes to genre terms. Cataloging coordinators review genre and form terms occasionally and update any changed terms, but in cases where the term in this supplement and the term in the thesaurus do not match, use the updated term according to the thesaurus. Cataloging coordinators can also update outdated terms upon request.

Do not use genre/form terms for types of material commonly found in collections of personal or literary papers, such as correspondence, letters, or galley proofs.

Other terms that are not used are indicated with a “see” reference to a related term. “See also” references indicate narrower, broader, or other related terms.

A few terms, indicated with *, have been used to assist staff in managing preservation priorities.

Subdivide 655 headings by ‡z [place] and ‡y [century], as appropriate.

Last major revision completed by Stephanie Bredbenner, 2019 October.

General Terms

Account books. ‡2 aat

Use for the following:

Day books (accounting records)
Journals (accounts)

Addresses

See: Speeches

Albums (books) ‡2 aat

Use for forms of albums not otherwise more appropriately described by any of the more specific terms listed below:

Autograph albums
Photograph albums (also in photographic terms list)
Scrapbooks

See also: Vital statistics records

Blueprints (reprographic copies) ‡2 aat *

Used for internal management purposes–Preservation priority.

Use Architectural drawings (visual works) for general reference/descriptive purposes.

Bookplates. ‡2 aat

Booksellers’ advertisements. ‡2 rbgenr

Booksellers’ catalogs. ‡2 rbgenr

Booksellers’ labels (Provenance) ‡x [Name]. ‡2 local

Booksellers’ stamps (Provenance) ‡x [Name]. ‡2 local

Born digital. ‡2 aat

Use for files off computer disks and other media formats containing data originating in digital form.

See also: Vital statistics records

Certificates. ‡2 aat

Use for certificates awards and certificates of appreciation.

See also: Vital statistics records

Deeds. ‡2 aat

Diaries. ‡2 aat

Use for the following:

Appointment books
Day books (personal calendars, not financial accounts)
Journals (personal narratives)

See also: Born digital

Digital prints. ‡2 aat

Diplomas. ‡2 aat

See also: Born digital

Erotica. ‡2 aat

Eulogies (documents) ‡2 aat

Exhibition catalogs. ‡2 aat

Family papers. ‡2 aat

Federal government records. ‡2 aat

Field notes. ‡2 aat

Forgeries (derivative objects) ‡2 aat

Genealogies. (histories) ‡2 aat

Use for family trees and and other genealogical listings.

Glossaries

See: Dictionaries

Government records.

See: Federal government records

See: Judicial records

See: State government records

See: Tax records

See: Territorial records

See: Vital statistics records

See: Voters’ lists

Greeting cards. ‡2 aat

Use only for substantial amounts of early or fine press items.

Handbills. ‡2 aat

See also: Vital statistics records

Membership lists. ‡2 aat

Memoirs. ‡2 aat

See: Autobiographies (literary works)

Memorial works. ‡2 gmgpc

Use for prints, cards, or other visual items produced in memory of a deceased person.

Do not use for mourning stationery.

See also: Born digital

Tax records. ‡2 aat

Use for assessment books and other government records related to tax collection.

Television scripts. ‡2 aat

Territorial records. ‡2 aat

Testimonies. ‡2 aat

Use for court testimony

Theater programs. ‡2 aat

Treaties. ‡2 aat

Trial proceedings. ‡2 rbgenr

Triptychs. ‡2 aat

Video recordings (physical artifacts) ‡2 aat

Viewbooks. ‡2 aat

Used especially by WA

Visitors’ books. ‡2 aat

Vital statistics records. ‡2 aat

Used for compilations of birth, marriage and death statistics.

Photographic terms

Terms are grouped by type.

Most terms are from the following thesauri:

Library of Congress Subject Headings (lcsh)
Art and Architecture Thesaurus (aat)
Library of Congress Thesaurus for Graphic Materials (lctgm)
Descriptive Terms for Graphic Materials: Genre and Physical Characteristic Headings (gmgpc)

Albumen prints. ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Ambrotypes (photographs) ‡2 aat

Cabinet photographs. ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Card photograph albums. ‡2 gmgpc

Used for carte-de-visite albums.

Also use: Cartes-de-visite (card photographs)

Card photographs (photographs) ‡2 aat

Includes photonegatives and unmounted photoprints intended for standard mounts.

Also use: Photographic prints

Cartes-de-visite (card photographs) ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Collodion prints. ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Cyanotypes (photographic prints) ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Daguerreotypes (photographs) ‡2 aat

Digital prints. ‡2 aat

Use for digitally-printed material printed from digital image files of photographs and computer generated

artwork.

Always use with a more specific term such as:

Dye diffusion thermal transfer prints

Electrophotographic prints

Inkjet prints

Dye diffusion thermal transfer prints. ‡2 aat

Use in addition to Digital prints

Electrophotographic prints. ‡2 aat

Use in addition to Digital prints

Film negatives. ‡2 gmgpc

Gelatin silver prints. ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Glass negatives. ‡2 gmgpc

Group portraits. ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Half stereographs. ‡2 aat

Also use: Photographic prints

Inkjet prints. ‡2 aat

Use in addition to Digital prints

Lantern slides. ‡2 aat

Negatives. ‡2 gmgpc