Item Types (formats)

Books, audiobooks, DVDs, periodicals — how the homepage Item Types tiles work.

Item Types let you classify catalogue entries by format — book, audiobook, DVD, periodical, etc.

Setting an item type

Catalog → Edit a book → Format → pick one from the dropdown.

Default options:

  • Book — Standard print book (most of your catalogue)
  • Audiobook — CD, MP3, or digital audio
  • DVD — Movies, lectures, documentaries
  • E-book — Digital titles you license
  • Periodical — Magazines, journals
  • Other — Anything else

Custom item types

On Community and Custom plans, add your own types at Settings → Catalog → Item Types. Useful for VHS, vinyl, board games, etc.

Where item types appear

The homepage shows an "Item Types" section with tiles for each type and the count of items in that type. Patrons can click a tile to filter the catalogue.

If your library is all books, the section auto-hides — there's no point showing a single "Book" tile.

Filtering by item type

Patrons see Item Type as a filter option in the catalogue sidebar. Librarians can filter by type in the back office too (Catalog → Filter → Format).

Statistics

Analytics breaks loan and hold metrics down by item type, so you can see which formats are getting checked out most.

Still stuck? Email hello@tryshelfwise.comand we'll get back within one business day.