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Material types

Find a list of material types used in WorldCat FirstSearch.

Material type information is found from the detail of records and is both indexed in WorldCat and displayed in the short and long record displays. Some terms have a broader meaning than others.

General

code text
elc Electronic
web Web access
cnp Conference publication
deg Thesis/dissertation
fic Fiction
bio Biography
lpt Large print
brl Braille
mss Manuscript
(includes manuscript text, music, and maps)
juv Juvenile
(includes all the subsets of juvenile listed below)
 
subsets of juvenile (juv)
pre Preschool
pri Primary School
ejh Pre-adolescent
shs Adolescent
jau Juvenile (no specific ages)

 

mic Microform
(includes all the subsets of microform listed below)
 
subsets of microform (mic)
mfl Microfile
mfc Microfiche
mcd Micro-opaque
mmc Master microform

 

gpb Government publication
(includes all the subsets of government publications listed below)
 
subsets of government publication (gpb)
igp International government publication
ngp National government publication
sgp State or province government publication
lgp Local government publication

 

DVD DVDs
(includes all the subsets of DVDs listed below)
 
subsets of DVDs (dvd)
dva DVD audio
dvv DVD video

 

Sound recording

code text
msr Musical recording
nsr Non-musical recording (includes books-on-tape, speeches, etc.)
Media types for Sound Recording
dva DVD audio*

*These records are also included in the broader term of DVD.
cda CD audio

Also included in the broader terms of CD and CDs.
lps LP recording
45s 45 rpm
78s 78 rpm
cas Cassette recording
wrr Wire recording
wxc Wax cylinder
rtr Reel-to-reel tape
rll Roll
mp3 MP3

Visual material

code text
kit Kit
pgr Projected image 
(includes all the subsets of projected image listed below)
 
subsets of Projected image (pgr)
flm Filmstrip
mot Film (also motion picture)
sld Slide
trn Transparency
vid Videorecording
anm Animation
pan Partial animation

 

ngr 2-D image 
(includes all the subsets of 2-D image listed below)
 
subsets of 2-d image (ngr)
oar Original artwork
rep Artwork reproduction
pic Picture
pht Photograph
grp Graphic
tch Technical drawing
cht Chart
crd Flash card

 

art 3-D object/artifact
(includes all the subsets of 3-DS object/artifact listed below)
 
subsets of 3-d object/artifact (art)
mdl Model
rbj Real object
toy Toy
dio Diorama
gam Game
msl Microscope slide

 

Media types for visual material
dvv DVD video *

*These records are also included in the broader terms DVD and Videodisc
vdc Videodisc
vhs VHS tape *

*These records are also included in the broader term of Videocassette
bta Beta
pal PAL
scm SECAM
vca Videocassette

Maps/cartographic materials

code text
pcm Published map
mcm Manuscript map
atl Atlas
rsi Remote-sensing image
mmp Model map
gsc Geological section
glb Globe
(includes all the subsets of globe listed below)
 
subsets of globe (glb)
pgl Planetary globe
egl Earth globe
cgl Celestial globe

 

Musical score

code text
pmu Published music
mmu Manuscript music

Serial publication

code text
mse Series
new Newspaper
per Periodical

Continually updated resource

code text
upl Updating loose-leaf

Also included in the broader term of Continuing update.
upw Updating website

Also included in the broader term of Continuing update.
upd Updating database

Also included in the broader term of Continuing update.

Computer file

code text
312 3.5 in. disc
514 5.25 in. disc
bdt Bibliographic data
cdc CD for computer

Also included in the broader terms of CD or CDs.
cgm Computer game
cig Clipart/images/graphics
dct Document
fnt Font
imm Interactive multimedia
ndt Numeric data
oss Online system or service
pgm Program
snd Sound effect