catalogusnummer

A catalogusnummer, or catalogue number, is a unique identifier assigned to an item within a catalog or inventory. It enables precise reference, tracking, and retrieval of the item across a collection, such as in libraries, archives, museums, or commercial catalogs. The term is used in Dutch, with English-language equivalents common in international contexts.

In libraries and bibliographic catalogs, a catalogusnummer can identify a specific item or edition within a larger work. It is frequently used alongside other identifiers, such as call numbers or shelf marks, to locate the object physically and to distinguish among multiple copies. In some systems, the catalogusnummer is the same as the accession or item number; in others, it may be a separate field within the catalog record.

In museums and archives, catalogusnummer is used to reference objects in collections, exhibitions, and catalogs. It is typically recorded in accession records and inventory lists and serves as the stable reference for an object even if its display context or metadata changes.

Formats vary: catalogusnummer can be purely numeric or alphanumeric and may incorporate collection codes or year prefixes (for example, "M-2024-042" or "VOC-00123").

Relation to other identifiers: in metadata practices, the catalogusnummer is part of a broader identification scheme and may be stored in cataloging standards such as MARC or Dublin Core. It is best treated as a local or institutional identifier rather than a universal standard, to avoid confusion when items move between institutions.

Related terms include accession number, inventory number, and shelf mark.