{{Umbrella|Titles}}
We distinguish, depending on the function, different types of titles. Per bibliographical description we can have multiple types, and sometimes also multiple instances of the same type.
The main title is the title by which the work is '''made public'''. The main title is usually on the title page.
center|800px|[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:12915842/E STCV 12915842]
Example: STCV 12915842 (OB-Brugge B 238 b)
[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:12915842/E STCV 12915842]
{{See also|Inputting main titles}}
In translations, this is the title of the '''source text'''. For a second or later edition, this is the title of the '''first or earliest known edition'''. This title corresponds to the 'sorting title' in STCN. This title is not visible to users but it is searchable.
center|480px|[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:12916699/E STCV 12916699]
Example: STCV 12916699
{{See also|Inputting grouping titles}}
For editions of '''bibles''' and bible books, publications of '''popular anonymous''' works and '''liturgical''' works a uniform title is recorded. These titles are fixed in both form and content. They can be retrieved from the authority files (search key: titles).
center|480px|[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:12916128/E STCV 12916128]
Example: STCV 12916128
{{See also|Inputting uniform titles}}
In clearly defined categories of publications, such as government publications and theses, a filing title is recorded. The category is marked by a language-independent code. The date on which the publication was issued (for '''government publications'''), published (for '''periodicals''', '''almanacs''' and '''auction catalogues''') or on which the '''thesis''' was defended, is noted in the extensions field. The filing title as it is used here, is not present in STCN.
center|800px|[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:3260480/E STCV 3260480]
Example: STCV 3260480
{{See also|Inputting filing titles}}
Only in the rare case that a title on the title page is repeated in one or more '''other languages''' (presented separately, without initiatory phrases like 'or', 'this is', 'sive', ...), do we speak of a parallel title.
center|800px|[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:12912990/E STCV 12912990]
Example: STCV 12912990 (PBL OD-D-0699)
[http://anet.be/record/stcv/stcvopac/c:stcv:12912990/E STCV 12912990]
{{See also|Inputting parallel titles}}
Each bibliographical description contains at least one title, namely the type '''main title'''. No description can ever contain two main titles.
In about half of the descriptions, a '''grouping title''' is also recorded. It allows to group together different translations of the same work (for example by target language), or to group different editions of the same work that have different spelling in the main title. In exceptional cases, a bibliographical description may contain more than one grouping title.
The '''uniform title''' is compulsory for bibles, bible books, popular anonymous works and liturgical works. In most cases one uniform title is sufficient. If multiple bible books need to be mentioned, the umbrella term of the higher level is chosen, regardless of whether all books that belong to this level are present or not.
The '''filing title''' is compulsory for government publications, theses, periodicals, almanacs and auction catalogues. Normally a bibliographical description only contains one filing title.
The '''parallel title''' is only used in the specific instance described in the definition. The first or most important title is chosen as main title, the following titles are recorded as parallel titles. A bibliographical description may contain as many parallel titles as are present on the work's title page.
In actual practice, a bibliographical description usually has two titles: a main title and a grouping title. In a number of cases, namely bibles and popular anonymous works, a third title, the uniform title, is added. Descriptions of government publications always need two titles: a main title and a filing title. Re-editions of government publications may also get a grouping title. With these types of publications, uniform titles are never present and parallel titles hardly ever.
The head word or entry, which is mainly used in STCN for anonymous works to be able to sort them amongst authored works in a printed form of the database, is not used in STCV.