OMP Catalog Management: Series, Categories & Spotlights

Your press catalog is the public face of your publishing program. A well-organized catalog helps readers discover books, understand your press’s focus, and navigate your publications efficiently. This guide covers how to create and manage series, categories, and spotlights in Open Monograph Press (OMP) 3.5.

Understanding Catalog Organization

OMP provides three primary tools for organizing your catalog:

Series: Collections of books published under a unified editorial vision, often with a dedicated series editor and consistent branding.

Categories: Subject-based groupings that help readers find books by topic area.

Spotlights: Featured promotions that highlight specific books on your homepage or category pages.

Each serves a different purpose, and most presses use all three to create an organized, discoverable catalog.

Part 1: Managing Series

What is a Series?

A series is a group of related books published under a common title, often with:

• A dedicated series editor or editorial board
• A defined scope or theme
• Consistent visual branding
• Sequential numbering
• Its own ISSN (optional)

Examples of Academic Series:

• “Studies in Contemporary History”
• “Critical Perspectives on Education”
• “Asian Studies Monographs”
• “Cambridge Studies in International Relations”

Why Create Series?

For Readers:

• Signals book quality and editorial oversight
• Helps find related titles
• Indicates ongoing commitment to a field

For Authors:

• Provides publishing home for specialized work
• Associates work with established reputation
• Connects to series readership

For Your Press:

• Builds brand recognition in fields
• Creates ongoing publishing program
• Attracts targeted submissions
• Enables focused marketing

Creating a New Series

Step 1: Access Series Settings

1. Log in as Press Manager
2. Go to Settings → Press → Series
3. Click Add Series

Step 2: Configure Basic Information

Title:

Enter the full series title as it should appear publicly.

• Example: “Critical Studies in Gender and Sexuality”

Description:

Write a compelling description of the series:

• Series scope and focus
• Types of books included
• Target audience
• Editorial approach

Keep it concise but informative (150-300 words recommended).

ISSN (Optional):

If your series has a registered ISSN, enter it here. ISSNs are optional for book series but useful for:

• Library cataloging
• Database indexing
• Series identification

Step 3: Assign Series Editors

1. In the Editors section, click Add Editor
2. Search for the user
3. Select the series editor(s)
4. Save

Series editors can:

• Access all submissions in their series
• Manage editorial workflow for series books
• Be displayed on the series page

Step 4: Configure Display Options

Path:

The URL slug for the series page.

• Example: “gender-studies” creates URL: yourpress.com/series/gender-studies
• Use lowercase, hyphens instead of spaces
• Keep it short and descriptive

Image:

Upload a series logo or cover image:

• Used on series landing page
• May appear in catalog listings
• Recommended: 200×200 pixels minimum

Ordering:

Set how books within the series are ordered:

• By series position (custom order)
• By publication date
• Alphabetically by title

Step 5: Save and Review

1. Click Save
2. View the series page on your public site
3. Verify display and information

Assigning Books to a Series

Method 1: During Submission

Authors can select a series when submitting:

1. In submission metadata, author selects from available series
2. Author may indicate series position
3. Editor can modify during editorial process

Method 2: Editor Assignment

Editors can assign books to series:

1. Open the submission
2. Go to Publication tab → Metadata (or click Metadata in top bar)
3. Scroll to Series field
4. Select the appropriate series
5. Enter Series Position (e.g., “Vol. 5” or “12”)
6. Click Save

Method 3: Catalog Management

For published books:

1. Go to Catalog → All Monographs
2. Click on the book
3. Edit metadata to add series assignment
4. Save changes

Series Position

The series position indicates where a book falls in the series sequence.

Common Formats:

• Volume number: “5” or “Vol. 5”
• Year and number: “2024-3”
• Sequential: “Number 23”

Enter consistently across series books for proper ordering.

Editing a Series

To modify an existing series:

1. Go to Settings → Press → Series
2. Find the series
3. Click the arrow next to the series name
4. Click Edit
5. Make changes
6. Save

Editable Elements:

• Title and description
• ISSN
• Series editors
• Path
• Image
• Ordering preferences

Deactivating a Series

If a series is no longer accepting submissions:

1. Edit the series
2. Uncheck Active or adjust visibility settings
3. Books remain in catalog but series doesn’t accept new submissions

Note: Don’t delete series with published books—this breaks catalog organization.

Series Best Practices

Clear Scope:

Define series scope precisely. Vague series attract inappropriate submissions.

Editorial Consistency:

Maintain editorial standards across series books.

Visual Branding:

Consider consistent cover design elements for series recognition.

Regular Publishing:

Active series should publish regularly to maintain momentum.

Series Pages:

Keep series pages updated with current information and featured books.

Part 2: Managing Categories

What are Categories?

Categories are subject classifications that organize books by topic. Unlike series (which have editorial oversight), categories are purely organizational.

Examples of Categories:

• History
• Sociology
• Education
• Literature
• Science and Technology

Category Hierarchy

OMP supports hierarchical categories (parent-child relationships):

Example Structure:

Social Sciences (Parent)
├── Sociology (Child)
├── Political Science (Child)
├── Anthropology (Child)
└── Economics (Child)

Humanities (Parent)
├── History (Child)
├── Literature (Child)
├── Philosophy (Child)
└── Languages (Child)

Creating Categories

Step 1: Access Category Settings

1. Log in as Press Manager
2. Go to Settings → Press → Categories or Catalog → Categories
3. Click Add Category

Step 2: Configure Category Information

Name:

The category name as it appears publicly.

• Keep names clear and standard
• Use terms your audience recognizes
• Be consistent with academic conventions

Description:

Explain what books belong in this category:

• Types of content included
• Scope boundaries
• Related categories

Parent Category (Optional):

To create a subcategory:

1. Select the parent category from dropdown
2. The new category becomes a child of the selected parent
3. Leave blank for top-level categories

Path:

URL slug for the category page:

• Example: “sociology” creates: yourpress.com/catalog/category/sociology
• Use lowercase, hyphens for spaces
• Keep short and descriptive

Image:

Upload a category image:

• Appears on category landing page
• Optional but enhances visual appeal
• Recommended: At least 200×200 pixels

Step 3: Save

Click Save to create the category.

Assigning Books to Categories

Books can belong to multiple categories.

Method 1: During Submission

1. Author selects categories when submitting
2. Editor can modify during editorial workflow

Method 2: Editor Assignment

1. Open the submission/book
2. Go to Publication → Metadata
3. Scroll to Categories
4. Check all applicable categories
5. Save

Multiple Category Assignment:

A book on “Women in Colonial India” might belong to:

• History
• Gender Studies
• Asian Studies
• Postcolonial Studies

Assign all relevant categories for maximum discoverability.

Editing Categories

1. Go to Settings → Press → Categories
2. Find the category
3. Click the arrow → Edit
4. Modify settings
5. Save

Reordering Categories

Control how categories display in navigation:

1. Go to category management
2. Drag and drop categories to reorder
3. Changes apply to public display

Deleting Categories

Before deleting:

• Check which books use this category
• Reassign books to other categories if needed
• Consider whether to merge with another category instead

To delete:

1. Find the category
2. Click arrow → Delete
3. Confirm deletion

Warning: Deleted categories are removed from assigned books.

Category Best Practices

Use Standard Terms:

Align categories with library classification standards when possible.

Appropriate Granularity:

• Too broad: Everything fits, nothing is findable
• Too narrow: Categories have few or single books

Aim for categories with 5-20 books each.

Logical Hierarchy:

Create intuitive parent-child relationships.

Consistent Assignment:

Develop guidelines for category assignment to ensure consistency.

Regular Review:

Periodically review category structure as catalog grows.

Part 3: Managing Spotlights

What are Spotlights?

Spotlights are featured promotions that highlight specific books. They appear prominently on your homepage or category pages.

Uses for Spotlights:

• New releases
• Award-winning books
• Seasonal promotions
• Editor’s picks
• Thematic features
• Author events

Creating a Spotlight

Step 1: Access Spotlights

1. Log in as Press Manager
2. Go to Catalog → Spotlights
3. Click Add Spotlight

Step 2: Configure the Spotlight

Item:

Select the book to feature:

1. Search by title or author
2. Select from results
3. The book must be published

Title:

Custom title for the spotlight (optional):

• If blank, uses book title
• Custom title can add context: “Winner of the 2024 Best Book Award”

Description:

Custom description for the spotlight:

• Brief promotional text
• Highlight what makes this book special
• Include relevant news (awards, events, reviews)

Keep it concise—2-3 sentences typically.

Location:

Choose where the spotlight appears:

• Homepage: Main press homepage
• Category: Specific category page (select which)

Step 3: Save

Click Save to create the spotlight.

Managing Multiple Spotlights

Ordering:

If you have multiple spotlights:

1. Go to Catalog → Spotlights
2. Drag and drop to reorder
3. Top spotlight appears most prominently

Display Limits:

Your theme may limit how many spotlights display. Check theme settings for:

• Maximum spotlights shown
• Rotation/carousel settings
• Display format

Editing Spotlights

1. Go to Catalog → Spotlights
2. Find the spotlight
3. Click arrow → Edit
4. Modify settings
5. Save

Removing Spotlights

When a promotion ends:

1. Find the spotlight
2. Click arrow → Delete
3. Confirm

Tip: Don’t leave outdated spotlights (e.g., “New Release” from two years ago).

Spotlight Strategies

New Release Rotation:

Feature new books for 1-3 months after publication, then rotate.

Seasonal Features:

• Back-to-school textbooks
• Holiday reading suggestions
• Summer reading picks

Award Spotlights:

When books win awards:

• Update spotlight title to mention award
• Refresh description with award information
• Keep featured during award publicity period

Author Events:

When authors have events:

• Conference presentations
• Book launches
• Media appearances

Feature their books temporarily.

Thematic Features:

Group by current events or themes:

• “Books on Democracy” during elections
• “Climate Change Perspectives” for Earth Day
• “Women’s History” in March

Part 4: Catalog Page Configuration

Homepage Catalog Display

Configure how books appear on your homepage:

Theme Settings:

Go to Settings → Website → Appearance → Theme

Common options:

• Number of new releases to show
• Featured books display
• Category browsing options
• Series highlights

Browse By Options

Readers can browse your catalog by:

• New Releases: Recent publications
• Categories: Subject browsing
• Series: Series-based browsing
• All Books: Complete catalog

Ensure navigation menus include these options.

Catalog Search

OMP includes catalog search functionality:

• Title search
• Author search
• Keyword search
• Full-text search (if configured)

Verify search works correctly and returns relevant results.

Individual Book Pages

Each book has a landing page showing:

• Cover image
• Title and author(s)
• Abstract
• Metadata (keywords, categories, series)
• Publication formats (download links)
• Chapter list (edited volumes)
• Related books

Review book pages for consistency and completeness.

Part 5: Catalog Organization Strategy

Planning Your Structure

Before creating series and categories, plan your approach:

Assess Your Catalog:

• How many books do you have?
• What subjects do they cover?
• Are there natural groupings?
• What will you publish in future?

Consider Your Audience:

• How do readers search for books?
• What terminology do they use?
• What categories do similar presses use?

Plan for Growth:

• Create structure that scales
• Allow for future categories
• Avoid over-specificity initially

Recommended Approach

For Small Catalogs (Under 20 Books):

• 3-5 broad categories
• 0-1 series initially
• Focus on metadata quality

For Medium Catalogs (20-100 Books):

• 8-15 categories with some hierarchy
• 2-5 active series
• Regular spotlights rotation

For Large Catalogs (100+ Books):

• Comprehensive category hierarchy
• Multiple active series
• Series landing pages
• Sophisticated spotlight strategy

Maintaining Catalog Quality

Regular Tasks:

• Review new books for proper categorization
• Update spotlights monthly
• Check series pages quarterly
• Audit category assignments annually

Quality Checks:

• Are books in appropriate categories?
• Do series have consistent metadata?
• Are descriptions current?
• Do all links work?

Troubleshooting

Books Not Appearing in Category

Issue: A book assigned to a category doesn’t show on category page.

Solutions:

• Verify the book is published (not just in production)
• Check category assignment in book metadata
• Clear cache if applicable
• Check if publication format files are approved

Series Page Empty

Issue: Series page shows no books.

Solutions:

• Verify books are assigned to the series
• Check series position is entered
• Confirm books are published
• Review series ordering settings

Spotlights Not Displaying

Issue: Created spotlight doesn’t appear on homepage.

Solutions:

• Check spotlight location setting
• Verify the book is published
• Check theme spotlight settings
• Review spotlight ordering

Category Hierarchy Issues

Issue: Subcategories not displaying correctly.

Solutions:

• Verify parent-child relationships
• Check category paths are unique
• Review theme navigation settings
• Clear site cache

Quick Reference: Catalog Checklist

Series Setup:

• [ ] Series title and description written
• [ ] Series editor(s) assigned
• [ ] Path configured
• [ ] Image uploaded (optional)
• [ ] Display ordering set

Category Setup:

• [ ] Categories created for all subjects
• [ ] Hierarchy organized logically
• [ ] Descriptions added
• [ ] Paths configured

Book Assignment:

• [ ] All books assigned to categories
• [ ] Series books have series and position
• [ ] Metadata complete

Spotlights:

• [ ] Current spotlights are relevant
• [ ] Outdated spotlights removed
• [ ] Ordering reflects priorities

OMP Support from Altechmind

Need help organizing your press catalog, configuring series, or optimizing your OMP installation? Altechmind Technologies provides comprehensive OMP support services.

Explore OMP Services →

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About This Guide

This guide is based on OMP 3.5. Interface options may vary depending on your theme and configuration. For official documentation, visit the PKP Documentation Hub.

Related Guides:

• OMP Press Manager Guide: Administering Your Scholarly Press
• OMP Book Metadata: Best Practices for Discoverability
• OMP Book Publishing Guide: Complete Workflow