CHAPTER XIX

MECHANICAL METHODS OF DISPLAYING CATALOGUES

=268.= We have dealt already with forms of catalogue to some extent, but the five chief methods of displaying manuscript catalogues merit a more detailed consideration and illustration. It is needless to attempt to describe every device which has been introduced for the purpose of displaying catalogues and providing for additions and expansion, and we shall limit our selection to those which are best known, most effective or most used. The five chief methods are the Page, Card, Sheaf, Placard and Panoramic, a nomenclature suggested in an article which appeared in 1893 in the _Library_, pp. 45-66.

=269. Page Catalogues.=--The most elementary form of the page catalogue is the ordinary manuscript book, with stepped thumb-index or simple alphabetical division of the leaves, so many being allowed for each letter of the alphabet. This is an unsuitable variety for a public library, and should not be used for cataloguing purposes.

The British Museum public catalogue consists of large guard books, in which printed or manuscript slips of book entries are mounted on the tough cartridge paper leaves, so as to leave space for additions. When a page becomes congested, the slips can be lifted by means of a paper-knife, as they are secured only at the ends, another leaf can be inserted on the adjoining guard, and the old and additional slips can be redistributed over the whole of the newly created space. This catalogue represents but one alphabet, or copy of the catalogue, in some hundreds of volumes, and each volume only holds a small portion of the alphabet, as from Bal to Bec. One copy of the catalogue thus serves many readers at one time. By distributing the entries over a number of volumes, congestion is less likely to occur than in catalogues complete in themselves in one or two volumes.

A variation of this system of guard book is to be seen in some public libraries where the whole of the catalogue is mounted in one volume. A number of copies of this style of page catalogue must be provided to meet public needs, and it is, on the whole, a less serviceable and much more expensive form than the catalogue on similar lines spread over a number of volumes. A good example of this kind of page catalogue is to be seen in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, where it exists in the form of huge guard books displayed on special stands.

=270.= To overcome the difficulty of inserting additional leaves at pleasure in page catalogues, various kinds of adjustable albums, with movable leaves, have been introduced. At the Bibliothèque Nationale, in Paris, and elsewhere a catalogue is used consisting of thick, hinged leaves, punched at the back and laced into the boards, or secured by means of a screw fastening.

=271.= Another variety of this French binder designed to secure adjustability of leaves is that shown below in the illustration (Fig. 93), wherein the leaves are clamped by the pressure of two wooden slats, which are drawn together by means of two or more endless screws turned by a key.

For this kind of binder it is necessary to notch the leaves to correspond with the screws.

The principle of the sheaf binders (Section 282) can also be applied to page catalogues, and very successful page books have been made up from the form illustrated in Sections 286-87. The most recent methods of loose-leaf ledgers have also great possibilities for catalogues, and are probably to be preferred to any book manuscript type other than the sheaf.

The whole of the devices just described are so arranged that leaves can be inserted, to a more or less limited extent, at any point. The British Museum type does not provide for unlimited additions, nor for any subsequent division of volumes, without much trouble and rebinding. The French and other adjustable leaved binders do allow for unlimited insertions, subject to the condition that the matter mounted on the pages must be redistributed. In an adjustable book new leaves can be inserted at any place till the volume is full, and then the contents may be divided and two books used, this subdivision and spreading being continued as the entries increase in number.

=272.= A form of page catalogue combining the powers of inserting new leaves at any point, and moving single entries about without having to paste them down or lift them up, is called the Rudolph Indexer. It consists in its book form of thick cardboard leaves, to which metal flanges are secured, down each margin. Each leaf is provided with a double-hinged fastening, which enables it to be hooked on to any adjoining leaf, so as to form a volume of any desired thickness, to which a pair of covers can be attached. The catalogue entries are written or printed on narrow cards, and these are slipped under the flanges, which secure them by either end. Fig. 94 shows at a glance the appearance of this form of page catalogue.

=273.= There are certain advantages claimed for page catalogues which may be enumerated here. The chief is that a large group of entries can be scanned with one sweep of the eye, thereby facilitating the rapid finding of any particular entry. Another is that, being in book form, it is more easily manipulated than other forms of catalogue. Its comparative cheapness is sometimes put forward as an advantage over other forms, particularly cards, but on this point it is not wise to assume cheapness where so much time and labour are necessarily involved. As regards the claim to rapidity in turning up entries because a whole page is exposed at a time, there are considerable doubts as to its soundness. General experience of such catalogues as the British Museum is that, owing to the number of entries, the occasional congestions and disorders where double columns of entries exist, it is more difficult to find a given entry than in the case of cards or slips properly guided and in accurate alphabetical order. This point may be further illustrated by the case of men or women who are not adepts at using alphabetical lists, and who turn up a particular word in a dictionary with much difficulty and loss of time.

=274. Card Catalogues.=--The card-index is the invention of librarians, and is perhaps the most important contribution to method that commerce owes to them. Cards for library cataloguing purposes were used in France in the middle of the eighteenth century; they were used in Trinity College, Dublin, early in the nineteenth century; and in 1852 they were introduced into the Bank of England for commercial indexing. The plan of keeping cards or slips on edge in boxes or drawers loosely, thereby giving unlimited means of expansion and intercalation, must have occurred to many minds as the best means of maintaining perpetual alphabetical order. Single cards not attached in any way, save temporarily, possess unlimited powers of movability, and can be arranged in any kind of order when assembled in numbers, because each card can be taken away or moved about or fresh cards added at any point in a series, without upsetting any adjoining card, or interrupting alphabetical order.

The cards, when arranged in alphabetical order, are separated into small divisions by means of projecting guides, on which are printed subject or author or other words or class numbers, which serve the same purpose as the running catch-words of a dictionary, only they are much more effective, because more conspicuous. They are secured by means of a rod which passes through holes punched in the lower part of the cards, and the rod is either locked or screwed into the back or front of the drawer.

=275.= The usual plan is to store the cards in the drawers of a cabinet, marking the contents of each drawer plainly on the outside. Fig. 95 is an illustration of a card cabinet, showing the usual guides and sliding runners to enable the whole extent of a drawer to be pulled free of the cabinet for purposes of examination.

=276.= Another form, which is illustrated above (Fig. 96), shows various improvements, including an adjustable angle-block, for supporting the cards at a suitable angle for easy consultation: this can be screwed up tight at any point in a drawer, so as to hold a smaller or larger number of cards in place; a special form of rod on which the cards are strung or filed, easily removable, but still capable of safeguarding them against misuse or misplacement; a special automatic catch at the front of the drawer to prevent it being pulled out accidentally, but which does not prevent any drawer from being taken away from the cabinet if required. Another important improvement introduced in 1902 was the modification in the sides of trays, whereby the woodwork was cut down so as to lighten the tray and enable the cards to be handled from the sides as well as the top. This variety is known as the “Sideless Tray” (Fig. 97).

=277.= The card catalogue in cabinets of fixed drawers is not, in some ways, such an effective arrangement as detachable trays or drawers stored in a suitable rack or cabinet. The fixed-drawer plan has various disadvantages, chief among which is the serious one that a single person consulting a cabinet may monopolize from 6000 to 10,000 entries, according to the number of drawers forming a tier. Where there are four to six drawers in a tier it is impossible to adjust them so that both tall and short persons will find them equally accessible; and only a few persons can use the catalogue at one time, as two persons will practically cover up three tiers, thus in some cases cutting off from other users at least 20,000 or more entries. There is also the difficulty of filling up application forms for books, as no proper writing surfaces are available, although some modern cabinets have a horizontal shelf which slides in and out as required from the centre or from beneath the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 95. In addition there is the difficulty of obtaining a good light on the lower drawers, and the large amount of space occupied by a large cabinet. To meet these difficulties card cabinets should be placed most carefully so that the person of average height can consult all drawers without trouble; and the extension shelf just mentioned should be provided; or, the cabinets should stand upon a table the top of which projects in front of them sufficiently to permit of drawers withdrawn from the cabinet being placed upon them. This shelf or table provides the desired writing surface; and small paper note-blocks on which readers can note catalogue particulars are part of the table equipment.

When printed entries are mounted on blank cards, it is advisable to “guard” them, in order to balance the additional thickness of the upper part, which causes bulging, by pricking the fronts of the cards, or embossing them by means of a blunt awl, thus:

| Embossed Hole Embossed | | dent dent | | | | ● ○ ● | +----------------------------------------------+

A similar result may be obtained by pasting strips of paper of similar quality to that on which the printed entries are mounted on the lower part of the back of the card.

=278.= Various kinds of trays, described and figured below, are intended to replace the “cabinet” system; but it is clear that if every drawer is easily detached from a cabinet and if suitable table space is available their advantages are more theoretical than real. A good form, which is well safeguarded and not too heavy or clumsy, will be found in a tray which is provided with all necessary accessories in the form of locking-rod, guides, adjustable angle-block, outside label-holder, and felt pads to prevent it from scratching table-tops or other furniture. This kind of tray can be kept in racks of a convenient size, and users can remove it to a table for consultation.

=279.= A French form of card-catalogue tray was invented by Mr F. Bonnange, of Paris, in 1866, and improved in 1874. In this, the method of securing the card differs from the rod threading through perforations, as in English and American models. The cards are hinged, and have shoulders formed in the slightly thicker lower portion, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 98), which is also slotted to clear the fastening. The hinged cards shoulder into side grooves formed in the wooden trays, and the slotted portion is placed astride a powerful endless screw, which traverses the tray from end to end, and carries a suitable block which acts as a travelling clamp. The screw is worked by means of a key, and when turned to the right the block travels forward along the screw till the cards are all firmly clamped between it and the end of the tray; when turned to the left the block travels back and so releases the cards to enable insertions to be made. The upper portion of the cards being hinged, and consequently free of the block, are not clamped, and can be turned over readily for purposes of consultation. Guides, alphabetical or numerical, may be inserted either above or at either side of the cards.

=280.= An Italian card tray on a somewhat similar principle to this was invented by Mr A. Staderini, of Rome, in 1890. It differs from the Bonnange tray in having a sliding-block gearing with a ratchet which is fastened along the bottom and made to engage or disengage with a key. The cards are similar in principle to those of the Bonnange system, save that the lower hinged half is not slotted. The illustration (Fig. 100) will explain better than words the appearance and other accessories of this tray.

Both the Bonnange and Staderini methods share in common an advantage of some importance, viz., the clamped lower portion of the card forms a counterfoil to show what has been taken, should a card by accident or design be removed or torn off. The accession number or brief title of the book can be written on the clamped portion of the card, and so will safeguard against loss and imperfections. This is an advantage not possessed by any of the ordinary card methods, because when cards are torn from the rods they leave no trace, and become lost for ever, leaving it very problematical whether a catalogue is perfect or not.

=281.= A card catalogue on a somewhat similar principle to the French and Italian forms just described is known as the Duplex Card Catalogue, and was invented in England to enable both sides of the cards to be used, thereby considerably enlarging the capacity of the catalogue, while materially reducing its bulk. It is fitted with falling ends which act as angle-blocks; a travelling angle-block can be adjusted and locked at any point; a locking-rod for threading the cards upon in order to secure them; and xylonite label-holders. The cards are larger than ordinary catalogue cards, and instead of being hinged are simply creased at a short distance above the rod holes. This gives a slight bulge and enables the cards to have the necessary play. The trays are held lengthways in a position parallel to the body, instead of at right angles as in the case of ordinary trays, and the cards or leaves are simply turned over like those of a book.

An extended, illustrated study of the whole of card-cataloguing methodology is Sayers and Stewart’s _The Card Catalogue_.

=282. Sheaf Catalogues.=--The sheaf catalogue is not so widely used as the card system in Britain, but, as we have shown, it has exactly the same advantages as regards the power of expansion and intercalation. It aims at combining the advantages of both book and card catalogues, by dividing the catalogue into handy sections so that the maximum number of readers can consult it at one time; providing means for continuous expansion in alphabetical order; safeguarding the contents of sections; reducing the amount of storage space occupied; and enabling users to handle and turn over the catalogue like the leaves of an ordinary book. The introduction of ordinary paper slips, which can be used in any typewriter, which can be easily stored in various forms of binders in book form, and which can be added to in manuscript without undoing the holder, is a real economy in library administration which has not received the attention it deserves. While 1000 entries in a card catalogue will occupy from 750 to 840 cubic inches of space, the sheaf-holders most in use will not take up more than fifty-six cubic inches of space for the same number of entries. The writing surfaces are also much larger.

=283.= The slip catalogue known as the Leyden, from its first use in the University Library of Leyden, in Holland, in 1871, consists of bundles of slips, notched as shown in the illustration (Fig. 102), and secured by means of cord or catgut. The outer boards are hinged, and notched to correspond with the slips, and the cord is tied firmly round the volume and into the slots, so as to bind the whole. These Leyden holders are only adapted for private or staff use, and must be kept in very thin sections, as the volumes get more loose and insecure the thicker they are made. As a means of holding any kind of temporary slip, this is, however, a useful device.

=284.= A much more mechanically perfect slip catalogue-holder is the screw-binder invented by Mr A. Staderini, of Rome. It comprises a fixed back and boards, to which two iron screw-bolts are attached. On these the slips, which are perforated to correspond with the bolts, are threaded, and the books are secured by means of brass screw-caps which fasten the boards to the bolts, and so make the volume rigid and the slips secure. These volumes are numbered and kept in pigeon-holes, which bear the volume numbers and letters denoting the section of the alphabet contained in each sheaf (Figs. 103-104).

=285.= A “sheaf”-holder on exactly the same principle, but with a different and neater fastening, was invented in 1891 by Mrs Sacconi-Ricci, of Florence. This holder also fits into numbered pigeon-holes, and consists of perforated slips threaded on to two upright rods, which are kept in place by means of a sliding bar which, when screwed into place, locks the slips and boards into one compact volume (Fig. 105).

=286.= The most used and oldest of the British sheaf catalogues is the “Adjustable Catalogue-Holder,” which was invented about 1892. This has a flexible leather back, and the slips are bound and unbound by the contracting and expanding action of two cylindrical screws, turned by means of a metal key. It is not necessary, as in the case of all other sheaf-holders, to undo this one in order to remove the slips when additions are being made, the loosening of the screws being all that is necessary. The slips are punched at the back edge with bayonet-shaped or keyed slots, which give sufficient holding power when the screws are tightened to clamp the boards and slips into one solid and firm volume. The book numbers, if written on the clamped portion of the slips, will remain in the sheaf if entries should be wilfully torn out, and no catalogue could be rendered imperfect without the knowledge of the librarian. Xylonite label-holders are attached to the back of this form of sheaf, which enable contents labels to be changed at will, without pasting or damaging the back. A rack or pigeon-holes can be provided in which to store these sheafs in numbered, alphabetical or class order.

=287.= The most recent form of catalogue sheaf is that illustrated in Figs. 107-8. It differs from the adjustable in having a rigid back, and but one screw. In other respects it is perhaps easier to manipulate than the binders just described.

The holder consists of a strong wooden back to which two stout covers are attached by means of hinges, specially designed to guard against injury to the covers. Within the holder a special form of brass screw-fitting is mounted, upon which the slips are threaded, so that when the covers are closed the whole sheaf is firmly secured by means of a special screw. A few turns of the key suffices to lock or open the holder.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Oliphant | | (Mrs.) | | | | Adam Graeme. Fiction | | | | Country gentleman. Fiction | | | | Curate in charge. Fiction | | | | Harry Joscelyn. Fiction | | | | House in Bloomsbury. Fiction | | | | Kirsteen. Fiction | | _OVER_ | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+

FIG. 109.--Front of Sheaf Catalogue Author Slip (Section 288).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | | | Oliphant | | (Mrs.) | | | | | | Laird of Norlaw. Fiction | | | | Perpetual curate. Fiction | | | | Hester. Fiction | | | | | | | | _OVER_ | | | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+

FIG. 110.--Reverse of Sheaf Catalogue Author Slip (Section 288).

=288.= A very good way of maintaining a sheaf catalogue for public use, especially in open access libraries, is to provide a sheaf or sheaves for each class of literature, and to enter the books in class order, using both sides of the slips for entries of small topics. These sheaves can be kept on the shelves with their classes. To this an author and title index can be provided in one alphabet, each author being kept on one slip or more, and both sides of the slips being used to ensure economy of space, and enable readers to find at once any particular book. Thus, on the front of the slip an author entry might appear as in Fig. 109, while on the back, or reverse side, the titles would be continued as on Fig. 110.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | | | Old | | Old court suburb, by Hunt U906 | | | | Old curiosity shop, by Dickens Fiction | | | | Old dominion, by Johnston Fiction | | | | Old Mortality, by Scott Fiction | | | | Old world in its new face, by Bellows Q037 | | | | | | [_and so on_] | | _OVER_ | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+

FIG. 111.--Sheaf Catalogue Title Slip (Section 288).

The matter of strict alphabetical order in such index slips is of little consequence, owing to the concentration of entries which enables a consultor to note the contents with one sweep of the eye.

Title entries can be done in similar fashion, the leading word being used as the index or catch-heading, as in Fig. 111. Here, again, strict alphabetical order need not be maintained, owing to the comparatively small compass in which the entries are displayed.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | F000.3 | | Zoology | | | | Parker (T.J.) and W.A. Haswell. Text-book | | of zoology. 1903. | | | | Hertwig (R.) General principles of | | zoology. 1906. | | | | Claus (C.) Elementary text-book of | | zoology. 1899. | | | | Nicholson (H.A.) Manual of zoology. 1876. | | | | _OVER_ | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+

FIG. 112.--Sheaf Catalogue Subject Slip (Section 288).

The classified sheaves can be kept in the same manner, or, if it is felt that a separate slip should be written for each book, to ensure strict order, this of course can be done. But it is at best doubtful if this is necessary save in very large subjects. For example, entries like the above are quite easily discovered (Fig. 112).

Where annotations on a large scale are employed, it is best to make use of a separate slip for each entry.

In all kinds of sheaf catalogues a fair margin should be allowed round the entries, to preserve them against finger-marks.

The slips are punched so as to secure absolute uniformity in size and in the position of the holes. The hole being made in an oval form allows the slips to be easily threaded on, or removed from the screw-fitting.

The special construction of the holders prevents the slips from sagging or drooping at their free ends, a fault observable in both the Staderini and Sacconi forms. It is usual to “guide” all forms of sheaf or slip catalogues, by boldly writing catchwords on both outer corners of each leaf (see Figs. 109-10, 112), and indicating the contents by means of the xylonite label-holders on the backs.

The whole subject of sheaf-cataloguing methodology is explained and illustrated in Stewart’s _The Sheaf Catalogue_.

=289. Placard Catalogues.=--The most ordinary form of placard catalogue is a manuscript or printed list of books on a large sheet or sheets, which is framed and hung on the wall where readers can see it. There are several varieties of these framed lists, which are used chiefly for lists of additions. A form giving the power of moving single entries has been devised in England which is better than anything else usually seen. This consists of a frame with a movable back, on which vertical xylonite slips are fastened in such a way as to form long columns with flanged sides. Under the flanges can be slipped pieces of cardboard the width of the columns, which slide up and down in the length of the column as required. The titles of new books can be written on these cards and arranged in any order. If blank cards are left between every letter of the alphabet or every class, additional entries can be added at any moment. If several frames are used, some hundreds of new books can be catalogued, and when full the entries can be transferred to the printed bulletin, or otherwise utilized, to free the frames for further additions. The illustration given above will show the nature of this adjustable accessions catalogue, which corresponds in principle with the adjustable Periodical List.

=290. Panoramic Catalogues.=--Several methods have been proposed or devised for displaying catalogue entries on an endless chain in a panoramic or continuous form, but none of them has been generally adopted.

BIBLIOGRAPHY (CHAPTERS XVI.-XVIII.)

The principal literature of the subject of cataloguing has been mentioned in the text, and much of the best, more recent writing is in periodicals; moreover, every general work on libraries has a chapter or more on the subject. The following is offered as a selection of the literature in separate form:--

=291. General:=

Bishop, W. W. Practical Handbook of Modern Library Cataloguing, 1914. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.

Delisle, Léopold. Instructions Elémentaires et Techniques pour la Mise et le Maintien en Ordre des Livres d’une Bibliothèque, 1910.

Thorne, W. B. First Steps in Library Cataloguing, 1917. L.A.A., Series 8.

Wheatley, H. B. How to Catalogue a Library, 1889. Stock.

=292. Codes, Rules, etc.:=

Aberdeen University Library. Condensed Cataloguing Rules, 1914.

New York State Library School. Fellows, J. D. Cataloguing Rules: for the Course in Elementary Cataloguing, 1914. Library School, 36.

Wisconsin University Library School. Turvill, Helen. Cataloguing Rules, 1912.

=293. Annotation:=

Savage, E. A. Manual of Descriptive Annotation in Library Catalogues, 1906. Grafton.

Sayers, W. C. Berwick. First Steps in Annotation in Catalogues, 1918. L.A.A., Series 9.

=294. Children’s Catalogues= (see also Division XIII.):

Sayers and Stewart. Catalogues for Children: with a Code of Rules, 1905.

=295. Subject Headings:=

A.L.A. List of Subject Headings for use in Dictionary Catalogues. 3rd ed., by M. J. Briggs, 1911.

Mann, M. Subject Headings for use in Dictionary Catalogues of Juvenile Books, 1916. A.L.A.

Library of Congress. Preliminary List of Subject Sub-divisions, 1910. Edited by J. C. M. Hanson.

=296. Card Catalogues:=

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Rules for Filing Cards in the Dictionary Catalogues, 1917. Sayers and Stewart. The Card Catalogue, 1913. Grafton.

=297. Sheaf Catalogues:=

Stewart, J. D. The Sheaf Catalogue, 1909. Grafton.

=298. Co-operative Cataloguing:=

Jahr, T., and Strohm, A. J. Bibliography of Co-operative Cataloguing and the Printing of Catalogue Cards: with References to International Bibliography and the Universal Catalogue, 1850-1902. 1903.

=299. Cataloguer’s Reference Books:=

New York State Library. Selections of Cataloguer’s Reference Books in New York State Library, 1903.

See also Brown’s Library Classification and Cataloguing and Stewart’s Sheaf Catalogue.

For articles, see Cannons: I, Cataloguing.