The concept of genre is central to folklore studies. Genres are usually defined by a combination of form, content, and social function, and genre competence is often a premise for understanding the meaning of a cultural expression. In folklore studies, the understanding of genre is part of the analytical apparatus. At the same time, the folkloristic genre system has also been a way to systematize and catalogue the collected material. In SAMLA, this genre system is used as one of several ways to access the material. The list of genres is not exhaustive, but it covers the most important genres in the collections.