A series is a group of works with a collective title that appears on each work in addition to the titles of the individual works. The individual works in a series may be monographs, serials, or a combination of both. Publishers issue works in series to group together publications on a particular topic and for distribution and sales purposes. Series are important because they provide a potential point of access. A user may know only that a publication is issued in a particular series or may be seeking all of the publications in a particular series without knowing any of the individual titles. The series may also serve as a means for control and shelving. In addition, a library may place a standing order with a publisher to receive all of the issues published in a series.

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12.1. Introduction to Series