Verlagsort

Verlagsort, in bibliographic usage, refers to the place of publication of a work—the city or locality associated with the imprint. It is part of the standard bibliographic description that accompanies the title, author, and date, and is typically recorded together with the publisher’s name. In German-language catalogs, Verlagsort is often shown in the imprint line or stored in catalog records under the field for the place of publication (historically called Verlagsort).

In practice, Verlagsort serves to indicate where the imprint was issued and can reflect the publisher’s headquarters or, in some cases, the location of the imprinting. In cataloging rules and library databases, it is commonly represented in MARC records in the 260 field (a: place, b: publisher, c: date) or in the newer 264 field in many systems. Modern international standards such as RDA also use the concept of Place of publication, production, or distribution, and practices may vary between catalogs and over time. For digital or self-published works, the Verlagsort may be omitted or marked as not applicable.

When multiple places are relevant, catalogs may record more than one Verlagsort or note the primary imprint location. If the place is unknown, conventions such as “n.p.” (no place) may be used. Overall, Verlagsort remains a key element for bibliographic description and citation, helping to identify the imprint and assist in the historical and regional analysis of a publication.