Multivolume

Multivolume refers to a work that is published in more than one physical or digital volume, typically as a single, consolidated work rather than as a serial publication. The term is commonly applied to reference works, encyclopedias, dictionaries, histories, and scholarly compendia that cover broad topics or long time periods. Each volume usually carries its own title page and pagination, and volumes are often issued sequentially over time.

In library and bibliographic practice, multivolume works are cataloged as a set. Citations may specify the volume and page (for example, vol. 2, p. 123). The set may be bound as a single binding or as individual volumes; multiple ISBNs may exist for different volumes or for the omnibus edition. Some multivolume works are completed, while others are ongoing or planned with later volumes.

Multivolume is distinct from serials, which are published in indefinite numbers (issues, volumes) on a regular schedule, and from omnibus editions, which compile content from multiple volumes into a single volume. It is also related to monographs, usually a single-volume work, though a comprehensive subject may require several volumes.

Practical considerations include storage, binding, and accessibility. In the digital era, multivolume works can be accessed as a single digital edition with navigable cross-references, while search tools must handle cross-volume indexing. The concept remains important for scholarly publishing, where depth and scope sometimes exceed what a single volume can contain.