* * * * *
The titles of the subject catalogue are exact transcriptions of the title
page, neither amended, translated, or in any way altered, except that
mottoes, titles of authors, repetitions, or matter of any kind not
essential to a clear titular description, are _omitted_. Omissions of
mottoes are indicated by three stars (* * *); of other matter by three
dots (...). The phraseology, spelling, and punctuation of the title
are exactly copied; but capitals are given only to proper names and
adjectives, and initial words of sentences. Any additions needed to make
the title clear are supplied and enclosed by brackets.
After the titles, are given in order: the place of publication; the year;
the year of copyright, if different, in brackets; the edition; the number
of volumes, or of pages if in only one volume; the illustrations, maps,
plates, or portraits; and the size nearest in the arbitrary scale,
regardless of the fold of the sheet. This scale gives the heights in
decimeters. Square and oblong books have the size prefixed by _sq_. or
_ob_. Books 1 decimeter high are called 32°; 1.5 deci., 16°; 2 deci.,
12°; 2.5 deci., 8°; 3 deci., 4°; and all others are marked simply by the
nearest height, i.e. a book marked 4 is between 3.5 and 4.5 decimeters
high. In books having more than one pagination the number of pages is
indicated by giving the last number of each pagination connected by a +;
an added + indicates additional matter unpaged.
These imprint entries give the facts regardless of the title page, and
are left blank only when they can be ascertained neither from the book
itself or other sources.
The contents of volumes are given when on title pages, or when necessary
to properly identify the volume, but no analysis is attempted. Necessary
notes are given at the bottom of the subject card after the imprint
entries.
Duplicates are simply marked copy 2, copy 3, etc., and bear the same
class and book number, but editions of the same book distinct in
character are catalogued separately.
In all the catalogues, books are entered under the _surnames_ of authors
when known; under the _initials_ of author's names, when these only
appear, the last initial being put first; under the _pseudonyms_ of the
writers, when the real names are not ascertained; under the names
of _editors_ of collections; under the names of _countries, cities,
societies,_ or other _bodies_ which are responsible for their
publication; under the _first word_ not an article of the titles of
periodicals and of anonymous books the names of whose authors are not
ascertained. _Commentaries_ with the text, and _translations_ are
entered under the heading of the original work, but commentaries without
the text are entered under the name of the _commentator_. The Bible or
any part of it in any language is entered under the word _Bible_. Books
having more than one author are entered under the first named on the
title.
In the headings of titles, the names of authors are given in their
vernacular form. In English and French surnames beginning with a prefix
(except the French de and d') the name is recorded under the prefix. In
other languages and in French names beginning with de and d', the name
is recorded under the word following the prefix. Compound surnames are
entered under the first part of the name. Noblemen and ecclesiastical
dignitaries are entered under their family names, but _sovereigns,
princes, oriental writers, friars, persons canonized_, and all other
persons known _only_ by their first name, are entered under this first
name.
The catalogue is not a biographical dictionary, so only gives the names
of authors with sufficient fullness to distinguish them from each other
in practical use.
Names in =full face type= are the ruling headings under which the books
are entered in the various catalogues. Entries not beginning with this
type are in addition to the first or main entry, and are made under the
names of _translators, editors, commentators, continuators_, etc., as
participators in the authorship; also in the case of books having more
than one author, or having both generic and specific titles, or published
by societies or other bodies, and having also the name of the individual
author. These additional entries are made in order to carry out the plan
of the Authors' Catalogue, which aims to give under each author's name
all his works which the library contains.
The works of an author known by more than one name are given all
together, under the form of name chosen. Any other name or title by which
he may be known, if it differs in the first three letters, is entered in
its alphabetical place, followed by the word _see_ and the name under
which the books are entered. Such cross references have no titles given
under them, but are simply guides to the name chosen.
A single dash indicates the omission of the preceding heading; a
subsequent dash indicates the omission of a subordinate heading or of a
title. A dash connecting numbers signifies _to and including_; following
a number it signifies _continuation_. A ? following a word or entry
signifies _probably_. Brackets enclose words added to titles or changed
in form.
The German diphthongs ä, ö, ü are written, ae, oe, ue.
Dates are all given in years of the common calendar, and Arabic numerals
are uniformly used for all numbers.