So far we have been considering only the catalogue by which the
library communicates with the public; but a librarian needs several
others for library service: (1) The Catalogue of books ordered; (2)
The Accessions catalogue; (3) The Periodical-and continuation-book;
(4) The Shelf-list; (5) The Catalogue of books missing; (6) The
Tract-catalogue; (7) The Catalogue of duplicates to be sold; (8) The
Catalogue of duplicates sold or exchanged.
(2) and (8) are necessary for the preservation of the history of the
library and important in its financial management.
(6) is a modification of (5). It is a list of the tracts contained in
bound volumes, by which the abstraction of any particular tract can be
ascertained, or the extent of the loss if the whole volume disappears.
All this might be entered on the shelf-list, but it is more convenient
to keep the record of the tract-volumes together. Sometimes part of a
tract-list is inserted in the public catalogue. You may see collections
of pamphlets on various subjects by various authors recorded under a
made-up heading «Tracts», or «Pamphlets», a style of entry that is
nearly useless. The whole of the Prince catalogue of 1846 was made in
this absurd way. A number of tracts by a single author may indeed for
economy be catalogued under him in one mass like a “contents,” and the
same may be {127} done for tracts on a single subject, though there
are objections even to this; but to catalogue the writings of several
authors under an arbitrary heading (as «Plays», «Speeches», «French
Revolution»), to which references merely are made under the authors, is
to be economical at altogether too great an expense of trouble to the
public,—to say nothing of the incongruity of a form or subject heading
for an author-entry.
(4), the shelf-list, ought to be so made (_a_) that the entry of each
book in the catalogue can be readily found from it; (_b_) that the book
can be readily identified with the entry on the shelf-list; (_c_) that
at the annual examination or taking account of stock the shelf-reader
shall know at once what book is meant as each title is read by the
list-reader. For these reasons the list should contain the author’s
name (or first word, etc., if the book is anonymous), part of the real
title, the binder’s title (which will generally be the same as the
real), and the place and date of printing. If the author’s name, or any
part of the title, is not on the back of the book it should be inclosed
in parentheses.
_Ex._ Appuleius. Metamorphoses, tr. Head. L. 1851. 1
(Reinhardt. Artist’s journey.) Bost. 1872. 1
A briefer shelf-list can be made by merely entering the book’s number
and the accessions number, so that the full title can be found if
needed by referring to the accessions-book.
(2), (3), and (8) are best kept in books; (4) and (6) on separate
sheets of paper; (1), (5), and (7) on cards. When the catalogue is kept
on cards (5) can be made by merely separating the cards of such books
as are missing.
(1). After some experiments I have preferred the following method of
keeping the order-list. The titles of books proposed for purchase are
type-written on ruled slips of stiff paper 12½ cm. long by 5 cm. wide.
If approved by the committee a check is made at the left of the title.
A searcher then ascertains whether the library already has the book;
if it has, the card is destroyed or sent with this information to the
person who asked for the book; if not, the searcher puts her initials
and the date in the lower left-hand corner. The cards are then sorted
into parcels for the English, French, or German agents; and an order is
written, the writer first making sure, by looking among the cards of
previous orders, that none of the books has already been sent for. In
the order a running number is given to each title and a corresponding
number is put on the card.
The name of the author is entered in a book opposite the running
number, and the date is put there against the first number of each
order.[73] The cards are then all stamped on the left with the
date, and put away in a drawer alphabetically with other cards of
books ordered. When a {128} box of books comes, the corresponding
cards are picked out and stamped on the right with the date. They
receive the accessions-number when the books are entered on the
accessions-catalogue, the class-number when the books are placed, and
are corrected when the books are catalogued; for, having usually been
written from advertisements, these cards are often incorrect. When a
number have accumulated they are sorted in the order of class-numbers
and the entry on the class-catalogue is made from them. They are
then put away alphabetically in drawers accessible only to the
library-attendants, and form the index of the accessions-book. When a
duplicate volume is exchanged or sold the date, its price, and receiver
are noted on the order card.
The system is economical. One card serves many purposes and with little
writing answers all the questions likely to come up: Has this book
been proposed to the Book Committee? (Books rejected are kept in a
separate drawer.) Has it been approved? Ordered? When? From whom? Who
is responsible for the error if it turns out a duplicate? When was it
received? Where is it entered in the Accessions-catalogue (that we may
ascertain its price and condition)? Where was it first located? If any
one of the questions is not to be asked then the corresponding process
can be dispensed with. The list, of which an example is given in the
note below, is not necessary but convenient.
[Specimen.]
Darwin, Charles.
IXHZ Coral reefs. 2d ed. London, 1874. 8º.
.D35
[On the back of the card is]
2915 [the order No.] [Stamp, with date of order.]
[Stamp, with date of receipt.] 39625 [the accession No.]
[note] 73. Jan. 1, 1875. 1497 Black.
1498 Hammond.
1499 Grenville.
1500 Sampson.[/note]