Identifying a Boundwith
There is no one definitive way to identify a boundwith and a few things need to be considered when making a judgement. Even when you have identified a boundwith you need to decide how many items have been bound together in a single book.
Unfortunately, boundwiths can sometimes be missed or, more commonly, items within a boundwith can be missed e.g. Sierra says the book contains two items but there might actually be three.
Pagination/Foliation
A good first step is to check the pagination and foliation. If the pagination or foliation is continuous this is a strong indication that the book is a single item. Alternatively, if the numbers start again within the book it may be a boundwith. If there are no page numbers or foliation, other parts will need to be assessed.
Sierra Item Records
On Sierra, items listed with the same shelfmark can refer to either a boundwith or a volume. This will be clear from the printed export and from the shelf i.e. if the export shows four item records with the same shelfmark but there is only one book on the shelf this is highly likely to be a boundwith.
Questions linked to the item and bibliographic records include:
Does the book contain multiple title pages? If yes, does the record mention that books were issued together or that parts of the book have special title pages? Unexpected title pages are a good indication of a separate item (see also Multiple Title Pages below)
Look at the physical description (300 field on the bibliographic record) – are there more pages than expected? This could be evidence of a separate item
If you think that you have a boundwith but there is only a single record on Sierra, check the old shelfmark. Some books are ‘located’ as boundwith (bwith) or contained with (cwith) rather than as part of an EPB collection. For these items the shelfmark does not change as part of the initial global update e.g. 1234/A does not change to EPB/A/1234
Search for the title on WorldCat - is the item described as a separate item in other institutions?
If the Sierra record is unclear (or you feel the record is incorrect), there are other ways to check using the book in hand.
Physical Layout
Is there a change in the physical aspect of the book e.g. paper or type? Poorly constructed boundwiths are obvious as the different items are cut to different sizes and are clearly printed on different paper stock. Even with well-constructed boundwiths there can be obvious differences in language, type or page design between items. These might be important clues as to where items begin and end, especially if title page or most of the main text is wanting.
Multiple Title Pages
Multiple title pages can be an indication of a boundwith and are a quick way of identifying how many items there are in a single binding. Unfortunately single item books with multiple parts can also have multiple title pages. If the number of parts is not made clear on the catalogue there are ways to check the book in hand:
Do the multiple title pages have an imprint? This is a possible sign that the item is a separate book rather than simply part of the book with a special title page. Be aware that incunabula and some early sixteenth-century books may only have a colophon
Does the first title page list the other titles? - look for words such as ‘added’ or ‘in addition’. If all the parts are listed on the title page then the items will have been issued together
Does the first word on the title page follow on from the previous page? – This shows that the title page follows on from the previous section
Signatures
During the hand-press period pages were not printed separately but on large sheets of paper containing multiple leaves. To help with eventual folding and binding the bottom right of each page recto was ‘signed’ with a letter of the alphabet to ensure the pages were placed in the correct order and orientation. If the signatures are not continuous then this may suggest a separate item.
Unfortunately some books can have a break in the signatures as, even if the different parts were not necessarily printed together, they could still have been issued together. Signatures are uncommon in books printed in the machine-press period starting in the nineteenth century.
If you remain unsure as to whether the book is a boundwith or not, add the ‘Numbering Issue’ and ‘Extensive Update’ macro so that it can be looked at another time in more detail.
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