Inhaltsvermerk

Inhaltsvermerk is a bibliographic term used in German-language library catalogs and publication metadata. It denotes a brief note about the content of a work, intended to inform users about the scope, topics, genre, or other salient aspects of the resource. The note is not a full summary, but a descriptor that helps readers assess relevance and suitability.

In practice, an Inhaltsvermerk may indicate that a book covers subjects such as history, politics, or social issues; it may flag content features like violence, sexual content, or language; or it may signal formats such as essays, interviews, or data collections. The note is typically displayed in bibliographic records alongside the title, author, edition, and subject terms, providing quick guidance at a glance.

The term is distinct from Inhaltsverzeichnis (table of contents) and from Inhaltsangabe (summary). The Inhaltsvermerk supports discovery, filtering, and decision-making for libraries, researchers, teachers, and readers. It is used by library catalogs, publishers, and digital repositories in German-speaking regions and is often produced according to cataloging standards that require concise content descriptors.

Examples of wording include: “Inhaltsvermerk: Dokumentation über …; enthält Kapitel zu …; geeignet für Leserinnen und Leser ab 12 Jahren.” Such notes offer useful orientation without replacing a full abstract or index, and they help users decide whether to consult or acquire a work.