What is the difference between a monograph and a serial?
Answer
A serial is a publication produced in any format which is issued in successive parts (each part possessing a chronological or numeric designation) and is intended to be published indefinitely. An example of a serial is a periodical, newspaper, journal, or annual. The definition of a serial is currently undergoing some revision in the library community with the introduction of e-journals (electronic journals). A TV soap opera is similar to a serial they have separate episodes (or issues) each day or week, and the plot doesn't change very quickly.
In contrast, a monograph is an item consisting of one part or parts where publication is considered to be completed with a finite number of parts. TV specials or movies are similar to monographs since they are complete in one episode (or part). A TV miniseries is complete after a specific number of episodes, similar to what libraries call a multi-volume set.