Titelteil

Titelteil is a term used in German bibliographic metadata to denote any component of a work’s title that forms part of the title statement in a catalog record. Typically the title statement comprises a Haupttitel (main title) and one or more Untertitel (subtitles). All of these elements together are referred to as Titelteile (title parts). Each element may be stored separately in metadata to support search and display while remaining linked to the full title.

In practice, librarians separate and index the different Titelteile so that users can find a work even if they search for only the main title or only the subtitle. For example, a book titled Quantum Computing: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice would have Haupttitel "Quantum Computing" and Untertitel "An Introduction to the Theory and Practice"; both are Titelteile that constitute the complete title statement.

The term is used in German bibliographic guidelines and in metadata standards such as ISBD and MARC records, where the title statement is decomposed into components. German-language catalogs frequently label these components as Titelteile in data schemas and user interfaces. Titelteile can also include elements like running titles, parallel titles in different languages, or cover titles that appear on the title page but are not part of the formal main title. The concept supports accurate cataloging, retrieval, and display across catalogs and search tools.