Home → Cataloging in NC Cardinal → Item Cataloging → Juvenile and Young Adult Materials
Last Updated 03/14/2025
When cataloging juvenile and young adult materials, catalogers should follow the same guidelines for cataloging adult materials. However, there are a few key differences that are worth noting, and these will be discussed below.
In the =008 fixed field, the Audn (for "Audience") code defines the target audience of the work.
For juvenile materials, use code j for "Juvenile."
For young adult materials, use code d for "Adolescent."
This will only apply in very specific instances, but most, if not all, cases will be juvenile materials, hence its inclusion here.
When cataloging a board book, be sure to include the GMD $h[board book] in the =245 title field.
For example:
=245 14$aThe very hungry caterpillar$h[board book] /$cby Eric Carle.
When cataloging a board book, in addition to the GMD, it is recommended that you include the following =250 edition statement:
=250 \\$aBoard book edition.
NOTE: Most board book versions of picture books (and board books in general) do not have an edition statement printed on them. In such cases, you would place the edition statement in brackets, as in the following example:
=250 \\$a[Board book edition]
When cataloging a board book, in addition to the GMD and edition statement, it is recommended that you include the following =500 note:
=500 \\$aOn board pages.
This is not exclusive to juvenile materials, but it is particularly common among them, because picture books in particular, for example, often do not have numbered pages. When cataloging a book without numbered pages, the proper terminology is as follows:
=300 \\$a1 volume (unnumbered pages)
In the case of illustrated works like picture books, there should be an additional =336 field noting as such in the record.
So instead of just:
=336 \\$atext$btxt$2rdacontent
You will have both:
=336 \\$atext$btxt$2rdacontent
=336 \\$astill image$bsti$2rdacontent
While this is not necessarily a required field, it can be helpful to include in a MARC record for a juvenile or young adult material to specify the age range or reading level of the work. For young adult materials, you will often see this with manga and graphic novels, as described here. The age level or rating can usually be found on the front or back cover of the work, but if not, you may be able to find this information on the publisher's website, NoveList Plus, your book vendor's website, etc. If the rating comes from a source other than the work itself, use subfield $b to list the source info.
The first indicator you use in the =521 field will be determined by the information you are entering in the subfield/s. (Note that whichever indicator you use, though, the public patron OPAC will always say Target Audience Note: before the information listed.)
For reference:
=521 0\$aAccelerated Reader$bXX$c#.#$d#.#$z####. (when applicable)
=521 1\$aAges xx - xx.$bSource (when applicable)
=521 2\$aGrades xx - xx.$bSource (when applicable)
=521 8\$aLexile number$bLexile (when applicable)
This is another field that is not required, but you may nevertheless wish to include it in a MARC record to list any awards the work may have received.
For example:
=586 \\$aA Junior Library Guild selection
For juvenile materials, subject headings in =6XX fields should include a subfield $v that designates the work as such. Note that the subfield $v is repeatable.
The following subfield $v's should be used:
$vJuvenile fiction.
$vJuvenile literature.
$vComic books, strips, etc.$vJuvenile fiction. (For "fiction" comic works)
$vComic books, strips, etc.$vJuvenile literature. (For "nonfiction" comic works)
Common genre/form headings for juvenile materials include, and are to be added when applicable:
=655 \7$aBoard books.$2lcgft
=655 \7$aPicture books.$2lcgft
=655 \7$aStories in rhyme.$2lcgft
Common genre/form headings for young adult materials include, and are to be added when applicable:
=655 \7$aTeen television programs.$2lcgft
=655 \7$aTeen films.$2lcgft
=655 \7$aYoung adult fiction.$2lcsh
=655 \7$aYoung adult literature.$2lcsh
=655 \7$aYoung adult drama.$2lcsh
=655 \7$aYoung adult poetry.$2lcsh