SUBJECT, TITLE, AND SERIES ENTRIES (_continued_).
=86.=--There remain other varieties of double or treble entries to
consider. A book such as
BAKER, W. R.
Intemperance the idolatry of Britain. 3rd ed. pp. 62. sm. 8o.
n.d.
has no appearance of difficulty, as it is so obviously upon intemperance,
but the question of concentration of books _pro_ and _con_ upon such a
subject as this must be looked into. It is most undesirable to send an
inquirer to a number of headings to find all the books upon the “drink
question.” To effectively group them together, developes the heading into
a class rather than subject, but even so, it has more justification than
the grouping of say “Natural history” would have, because it is more
distinctly a single subject regarded from several standpoints, and while
“temperance” cannot be “intemperance,” yet to bring the two aspects of
the question together adds more to the utility of the catalogue than to
separate books with these words upon their title-pages under different
headings. In looking into this matter, the subject was followed up in
a good catalogue compiled upon strictly orthodox lines, and was found
up and down under headings like Alcohol, Drink, Inebriety, Teetotalism,
Temperance, Total Abstinence, Licensed Victuallers, Public Houses, Sunday
Drinking. Most of the books under these various headings might have been
brought together with advantage under a general term-heading like “Drink
question,” with cross-references from the other topics to bind the whole
together beyond possibility of mistake. There are other questions that
admit of concentration in this way, as for example books upon Free Trade,
Fair Trade, Reciprocity, and Protection can all safely be entered under
“Free Trade” with references from the others.
Some books, on the other hand, must have several entries, as
Ruddock, E. H. Modern medicine and surgery on homœopathic
principles. 1874
requires three entries, viz., under “Medicine,” “Surgery,” “Homœopathy.”
The only method of avoiding this would be to enter the book under
“Homœopathy,” with cross-references from the other headings, as
Medicine. _See also_ Homœopathy.
In a small general library it would be possible to bring together all
books upon subjects so closely allied as medicine and surgery under that
heading, with a cross-reference,
Surgery. _See also_ Medicine and surgery.
Another example of a book needing several entries, is
Garner, R. L. Gorillas and chimpanzees.
As this is not a work upon Monkeys generally, or even upon Apes, the
correct procedure is to enter it under “Gorillas” and “Chimpanzees”
respectively, as
Gorillas.
Garner, R. L. Gorillas and chimpanzees.
In a small library there would most likely be other books upon Gorillas,
but hardly a second upon Chimpanzees, therefore the second entry would be
Chimpanzees, Gorillas and. Garner, R. L.
To bring this book fully under the notice of those interested in the
monkey tribe cross-references are necessary. Presuming that there were
already entries under “Monkeys” (generally) and “Apes” (particularly),
then all the entries would be bound together by
Monkeys.
_See also_ Apes.
Apes.
_See also_ Gorillas.
No cross-reference being called for to “Chimpanzees,” as they are
included in the title of the book under “Gorillas.” In the event,
however, of there being a second book upon Chimpanzees, then the
cross-reference becomes
Apes.
_See also_ Chimpanzees. Gorillas.
=87.=--At the risk of repetition, and to make the matter clear, it may be
again stated that a book must not be entered under every important word
appearing upon its title-page. There is much rule-of-thumb cataloguing
done that would cause a book like
Ihering, Rudolph von. The evolution of the Aryan,
to be entered under “Evolution,” whereas not even a title-entry under the
word “evolution” is required, and the single subject-entry is
Aryans, The
Ihering, R. von. The evolution of the Aryan.
It may be considered unnecessary advice to say that a book so
unmistakably upon the Aryan peoples should not be put under “Evolution,”
when the accepted meaning of that term as a subject has nothing to do
with it, yet there are catalogues at present in force of important town
libraries with much worse forms. One has a heading “Natural history,”
under which there are sixteen items that include such diverse matters
as “Natural method of curing diseases,” “Natural theology,” “Natural
philosophy,” “Nature and art,” “Drawing from nature,” because the word
“natural” or “nature” happened to occur in the titles of the books.
Another has a heading “School, Schoolmasters, and Schools,” which
includes Molière’s “School for wives” and his “School for husbands.” Any
number of examples equally ridiculous could be quoted from present-day
catalogues to prove the contention that this is a common form of error.
Therefore the advice to “get at the subject of the book, and never
mind the particular words used on the title-page,” cannot be too often
impressed upon the cataloguer.
=88.=--Books in a number of languages dealing with a single subject must
all be entered under the English name for that subject. Books like
Kohlrausch, F. Kurze Darstellung der deutschen Geschichte. 1864
Green, S. G. Pictures from the German fatherland. n.d.
Breton, J. Notes d’un étudiant français en Allemagne. 1895
are to be found entered in a catalogue under Deutschen, Germany, and
Allemagne, without a single binding reference. Another has books upon
the United States under America, États-Unis, and United States. In one
catalogue there is a reference in the following form:
États-Unis--_see_ L’Univers,
which is most flattering to our American cousins. In this connection
it should be observed that references of this kind are quite wrong. In
the first place there is no occasion for a reference or entry of any
kind under “États-Unis” in an English catalogue, and in the second the
principle of referring from a lesser to a greater subject is incorrect;
the reference must always be from a greater to a lesser. In the same
catalogue there are numbers of references from subjects to authors,
which are also wrong in principle, as a reference should never be given
in this form:
Indigestion. _See_ Douglas (Dr. Jas.),
or its reverse, equally erroneous:
Duncan, Dr. Andrew. _See_ Consumption,
otherwise the curious humour of references of this kind will soon show
itself. In both cases entries were required and not references. Therefore
the only references to be used are
(1) Subject to subject (connected or synonymous only).
(2) Greater subject to lesser division of the same subject.
(3) Author to author (joint-authors).
(4) Translator, editor, or compiler to author.
(5) Translator, editor, or compiler to title not containing
the name of an author or not treated as author (as editor of a
series).
=89.=--The next illustration is
GARNETT, Richard.
Life of Ralph Waldo Emerson. (_Great writers._) pp. 300, xiv.
sm. 8o. 1888
With a bibliography by John P. Anderson.
No entry is needed under the word “Life,” or under “Biographies,” as that
is a class-heading and not a subject, and the book goes under the name of
its direct subject, making a heading of it, as the library will contain
Emerson’s works as well as other biographies of him, as
Emerson, Ralph W.
Garnett, R. Life of Ralph Waldo Emerson. (_Great writers._) 1888
An entry is required under the name of the series, and to be strictly
accurate the name of the author should lead, as
Great writers; ed. by Eric S. Robertson.
(_Note_:--Each volume contains a bibliography of the subject by
John P. Anderson.)
Garnett, R. Life of Ralph Waldo Emerson. 1888
though it will be found more useful in the case of a series of a
biographical nature to lead off with the subject, instead of the author,
as
Great writers:
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, by R. Garnett. 1888
References to complete the matter fully may be given as
Robertson, Eric S. (_Ed._) _See_ Great writers (series).
Anderson, John P. _See_ Great writers (series).
In case of series like the Bampton, Hulsean, and Hibbert Lectures, the
most convenient method is to arrange them in chronological order of the
delivery of the lectures (not the date of publication) after this style:
Bampton Lectures:
1876. Alexander. The witness of the Psalms to Christ and
Christianity. 1877
1880. Hatch. The organization of the early Christian
churches. 1888
1891. Gore. The incarnation. 1891
The question is raised now and then as to whether it is worth while
giving the list of works forming a series under the first word, other
than an article, of the title of the series instead of under some other
leading word. There is no occasion to lay down a hard and fast rule in
the matter, but all things considered, it will be found safer to treat
all series in the manner indicated and to enter them uniformly under this
first word as Great artists, Great writers, Story of the nations, Leaders
of religion, International scientific series, under “Great,” “Story,”
“Leaders,” and “International” respectively rather than under “Artists,”
“Writers,” “Nations,” “Religion,” or “Scientific.” The fact cannot be
overlooked that the entry is only given because it is a series-entry
and not as a make-shift form of subject-entry, and for this very reason
it would be as erroneous to enter all the series of “Great artists”
under the subject-heading “Artists” as to put the “Leaders of religion”
under “Religion.” The difficulty is fully met by cross-references where
required, as
Science. _See also_ International scientific series.
Authors. _See also_ Great writers (series).
Scots, Famous (series). _See_ Famous Scots.
If the series-entry is to be converted into a semi-subject entry, it
should be by the simple transposition of the title of the series and then
kept altogether apart from the subject-heading.
In a library catalogue, as distinct from a bookseller’s, it is only those
series of a special and limited character that receive entries under
the names of the series, and this form should not be extended so as to
include long lists of books in series under publisher’s names, as Weale’s
series, Pitt Press series, Macmillan’s Manuals for students. Where very
full information is given, these names may be added to the principal
entry and not carried further.
=90.=--Already it has been stated that in many libraries it is of the
utmost importance that a catalogue should be compiled with short entries
and within narrow limits so as to reduce both the size and the cost of
production. To do this judiciously does not interfere in the least with
the principles of good and adequate cataloguing, care only being required
in curtailing the entries so as not to lose their correct character.
The majority of readers in popular libraries are little concerned with
precise bibliographical information provided they get a list of the books
by the author, or upon the subject they want. The title of Dr. Garnett’s
book mentioned above can, for example, be shortened into entries like
these:--
Garnett, Richard. Life of Ralph W. Emerson. 1888
Emerson, Ralph W.
Garnett, R. Life of Emerson 1888
Great writers:
Emerson, by R. Garnett. 1888
The references from Robertson and Anderson can be dispensed with.
Shorter entries than the foregoing would not be looked for, and would be
worthless. Very brief entries imply little or no information, as witness
the following _complete_ entries from the catalogue of a large library:
“Church’s Lament.”
Conspiracy. Ritualistic.
Workhouse. Union. Bowen.
=91.=--The next illustration is taken to further show the method of
regarding a book for its subject-entry:
SAINTSBURY, George.
A history of Elizabethan literature. 1887
This is neither a book upon literature generally nor in the abstract, nor
upon English literature as a whole, but only upon a particular period
of it. Such a book could very properly be placed under “Elizabethan
literature” with a reference from “English literature.” It might even
go under the name of Elizabeth where all books pertaining to her reign
in every particular could be gathered, but this is not so satisfactory.
After all the most useful place for a book of this kind would be under
“English literature,” and its inclusion could be better justified if the
books under such a heading were sub-divided, if sufficient in number,
into periods arranged chronologically as a heading like “English History”
is often usefully divided. This would necessitate a cross-reference like
Elizabethan literature. _See_ English literature.
To further illustrate this point it may be said that a book like
BREWER, J. S.
The reign of Henry VIII. 2 v. 8o. 1884
is better treated in the reverse way and entered under the name of the
monarch, in common with other books of a strictly historical nature
dealing with a particular reign. In the first case the book is thought
to be more usefully catalogued as a contribution to the larger subject
of “English literature,” and in the second the book is looked upon as
being more particularly concerned with Henry VIII. than with “English
history”--hence the difference in the treatment. In this last instance
the safe-guarding cross-reference is
English History.
_For the histories of particular reigns see under the names
of monarchs, as_ Charles I., Henry VIII., Victoria.
=92.=--The following group is given (in brief form) in order to show the
difference of treatment of books apparently alike in subject:
Farrar, F. W., _Dean_ (_Ed._) With the poets.
James, Henry. French poets and novelists.
Johnson, Samuel. Lives of the English poets.
Keats, John. Poetical works.
Shairp, J. C. Aspects of poetry.
Sharp, Wm. Life of Shelley.
Tennyson, Lord. Demeter and other poems.
The first entry would be placed under a heading “Poems,” because it is
an anthology. This heading “Poems” should be reserved for collections of
miscellaneous poems by many authors and would not include a book like
the Keats, which should be entered under the name of the author only.
It does not require any entry under “Poetical works,” as that is simply
a form, and can no more be justified than a heading “Prose works” could
be. If, however, the book has a definite title, like the Tennyson, then a
title-entry must be given as
Demeter and other poems. Tennyson, Lord.
Librarians sometimes consider it necessary to give a series of references
under the heading “Poems” or “Poetry” to the names of the authors
represented in the catalogue, but this is on an equality with the
practice of grouping all the fiction under a heading “Novels.” These
being class-headings are not strictly accurate but, no doubt, are a
convenience to a section of readers. So much cannot be said for all such
grouping in a dictionary catalogue, and it is better to avoid it if
possible. A catalogue of a very important library has a heading “Essays,”
under which an attempt has been made to enter all books written in the
form of essays, as well as with the word “essay” upon the title-pages,
and the result is a mere jumble of titles, absolutely useless, including
as it does works so widely apart in character as Baring Gould’s _Old
country life_, Barrie’s _Auld licht idylls_, Doran’s _In and about
Drury Lane_, and Lang’s _Books and bookmen_. To attempt this in a
classified catalogue would be bad enough, but in a dictionary catalogue
it shows that the first principles governing its compilation are wholly
misunderstood.
The book by Henry James would be fitly placed under “French literature”
and the words “poets” and “novelists” ignored. Dr. Johnson’s book should
go under “Poets,” together with any other lives of poets in collected
form, but the life of an individual poet, like that of Shelley, would not
be so entered, as lives of individuals are entered under their names,
and not under the class to which they belong. Shairp’s book being upon
“Poetry” in the abstract would accordingly go under that heading, as
would any book of a miscellaneous character upon poetry which could not
well be placed under a more definite subject-heading.
=93.=--Sometimes in the case of biographies it will be found unnecessary
to give both author and subject-entries because the biographies are
written or edited by a son or other relative bearing the same name, and
accordingly both entries come together in the catalogue, therefore, while
it is quite correct to give both entries, yet one suffices. If the single
entry is adopted it is better to make choice of the subject for the
entry, not the author, as
Stokes, William: his life and works, 1804-1878, by his son [Sir]
Wm. Stokes. (_Masters of medicine._) 1898
=94.=--Volumes of sermons are dealt with in the same manner as poetical
works, avoiding, as far as possible, an entry under the form “Sermons.”
An illustration is
Kingsley, Charles. All Saints’ Day, and other sermons. 1890
⸻ The gospel of the Pentateuch: sermons. 1890
⸻ Sermons on national subjects. 2v. 1872
⸻ Sermons for the times. 1890
⸻ Village sermons. 1890
The first and last of these simply require title-entries, as
All Saints’ Day, and other sermons. Kingsley, C. 1890
Village sermons. Kingsley, C. 1890
The second, instead of receiving a title-entry, is better placed as a
contribution to its subject, as
Pentateuch, The.
Kingsley, C. The gospel of the Pentateuch: sermons. 1890
The third and fourth will also require title-entries unless there happens
to be a general reference under the word, “Sermons,” after this fashion
Sermons. _For volumes of sermons with specific titles or upon
definite subjects see those titles and subjects. Books with the
general title of sermons will be found under the names of the
following authors_:
(Here follows a list of the names, including Kingsley.)
If this form is not considered suitable then there is no alternative but
to give title-entries, because a heading cannot be correctly made. The
form then is:
Sermons. Le Bas, C. W. 2 v. 1828
Sermons for the times. Kingsley, C. 1890
Sermons in the East. Stanley, A. P. 1863
Sermons on national subjects. Kingsley, C. 2v. 1872
The arrangement is alphabetically by the words of the titles as in the
case of any other title-entries, and not by the names of the authors.
=95.=--Dramas, Dramatic Works, are also forms calling for similar
treatment to Poems, Essays, or Sermons. Collections of letters by
individuals are simply entered under the names of the writers with
references from the editors.
=96.=--There is a form of entry occasionally seen in catalogues that is
so obviously absurd that it scarcely needs to be more than referred to,
viz., a heading “Pamphlets.” Here, presumably, all the thin or unbound
books in a library are entered. Under an arrangement of this description,
work should be facilitated, as but two headings would be requisite--one
“Books” and the other “Pamphlets”--the dividing line between the two to
be fixed by the number of pages.
Almost in a line with such a ridiculous heading is the lazy cataloguer’s
method of taking volumes consisting of a number of pamphlets bound
together, whether upon the self-same subject or as many different
subjects as there are pamphlets in the volumes, and lumping them with
entries like these:
Miscellaneous pamphlets. v.d.
Pamphlets, Miscellaneous. 37 v. v.d.
Sermons, Miscellaneous. v.d.
Political pamphlets. v.d.
Of course, each pamphlet must be dealt with in precisely the same way
as if it were a separate book, the fact that it is a thin book not
entering into the question, unless it happens to be of so very trifling
or ephemeral a character as to be unworthy of an entry, when it should
either be withdrawn from the library (unless the fact of its being bound
up with others prevents) or properly catalogued.
=97.=--The prolix titles of many pamphlets, especially the polemical
tracts of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, often need
abbreviation. For example:
The succession of Solomon to the throne of David consider’d in a
sermon on the occasion of the sudden death of His Majesty King
George I., June 18, 1727, by Thomas Bradbury. 2nd ed. 1727
may very well be cut down to
Bradbury, Thomas. Sermon on the death of George I. 1727
and
An ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament,
together with rules and directions concerning suspention from
the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in cases of ignorance and
scandall; also the names of such ministers and others that are
appointed triers and judges of the ability of elders within the
province of London. 1645
may be safely curtailed in most cases to
Lord’s Supper. An ordinance of Parliament, with rules and
directions concerning suspention from the sacrament. pp. ii., 14.
sm. 4o. 1645
Pamphlets are frequently collected and stored in libraries for some
special reason--perhaps because they are of local interest--when this
fact should be brought out in the catalogue. Accordingly a pamphlet
entitled
A sermon preached in Chelsea Church at the funeral of the Hon.
Mrs. Elizabeth Roberts, by Thomas Knaggs. 1710
would be entered under
Chelsea Church, Sermon preached in, at the funeral of the Hon.
Mrs. Eliz. Roberts. Knaggs, T. 1710
this entry being additional to that under “Knaggs” and another under
“Roberts,” if the person happened to be of some local importance in her
day.