illus

illus is an abbreviation used in bibliographic records and library catalogs to indicate that a work contains illustrations. It derives from the plural noun illustrations and is commonly abbreviated as illus in catalog notes, bibliographies, and metadata. The label signals that the publication includes visual material such as drawings, photographs, maps, diagrams, or plates beyond the main text.

Usage and placement: In catalog records, illus may appear at the end of a citation, in a notes field, or alongside the count of illustrations (for example, 120 illus.). It can also stand alone in entries where the scope of illustrations is a distinguishing feature between editions or versions.

Relation to related terms: illus is related to terms like fig. for figures within the text and plates for full-page visual inserts. The abbreviation illus generally indicates an illustrative component throughout the work, rather than a single figure.

Style and usage: Different style guides and catalogs vary in whether they use illus in notes, or spell out “illustrations” in full. In many modern citations, the word illustrations is preferred, but illus remains common in older catalogs and specialist bibliographies. Some non-English catalogs use analogous abbreviations in their own languages.