Research Guides: Reading Early Printed Books: Genre

Genre Terms for Early Printed Books

While subject headings describe what a book is about, genre terms describe what a book is.

A chapbook, titled The most famous history of the learned fryer Bacon ([London]: printed for B. Deacon, between 1682 and 1701)
B765.B24 M678

Genre Terms & Definitions

There are several types of genre terms to describe types of early printed books. Special Collections uses vocabulary from the Rare Books & Manuscripts Section Genre Terms.

Term types include:

Conditions of publication - such as Anthologies or Chapbooks
Content of work - such as Travel literature or Biographies
Illustrated works - such as Allegories or Emblem books
Literary forms - such as Essays or Novellas
Musical works - such as Parts
Purpose of work - such as Booksellers' catalogs or Addresses
Versions of works - such as Translations

Search terms within each type used at USC can be found in the box to the left.

Genre search terms at USC

Follow the links to find books using the terms below. Click on the "Examples" link to see visual examples of each term. The term "Illustrated works" can also be used.

Conditions of publication

Content of work

Illustrated works

Literary forms

Musical works

Parts

Purpose of work

Versions of works

Translations