Home → Cataloging Bibliographic Records → Monograph Parts → Holds & Monograph Parts
Last Updated 02/17/2026
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Catalogers may choose to split up multi-part items into monograph parts. When splitting items, catalogers should consider how the split item might impact holds. In order to ensure consistent hold options, the cataloger must use monograph parts rather than creating individual items for each part. If parts are used, labelling should be consistent.
Catalogers from different library systems may choose to leave a season whole or separate into monograph parts. Since patrons can only place title level holds within the OPAC, if a cataloger splits a season into separate volume or item records, a patron's hold might be filled by any item on the bib record. So, if a full season of Game of Thrones on the same bibliographic record is separated into separate item records for the six individual discs without using monograph parts, the patron's hold could be filled by any of the discs at random.
To avoid this, if a cataloger is dividing the materials cataloged on one bib record into smaller groups for circulation, the cataloger must use monograph parts. Patrons are then able to use monograph parts to place a hold on the specific disc or set of discs they want.
If separated, it is important that the labels used for the monograph parts on the bib record are the same. If catalogers use different labels for the same piece(s) of a set — e.g. "DISC 1-3", "disc 1-3", "Disc 1-3" — the patron will only be able to choose one of these three parts. So, instead of three potential targets to fill the hold, the patron will only have one because the labels are different. It is important to follow the same controlled vocabulary throughout the consortium, so that patrons who place monograph part holds have the highest number of potential target copies.