ByDr. S. L. Sangam

Professor and ChairmanDepartment of Library and Information Science

Karnataka University, Dharwad

Introduction The library catalogue has been an indispensible

and effective tool to make the library resources available to its users.

The modern librarians have attached much importance to the convenience of readers for making the use of the present action of the library catalogue has greatly influenced its shape which has led to the adoption of various forms.

There are two forms of catalogue1. Outer Forms or the Physical Form which relates to the external shape, size, and

appearance of catalogue installed for the use of the readers.

2. Inner Forms: which refers to various varieties of

construction and arrangement of catalogue.

Consideration in the choice of physical formIn choosing the physical form of

catalogue, the following requirements should be kept in mind.

To keep it up to date To bring together entries Accessible Portability Easy to handle and consult Economical to produce and maintain Compact in size Reproduction Fast speed of search.

Outer Forms

Book Form: As the name suggests it resembles to a book or a register in appearance.

The entries are printed on separate sheets as per a desired arrangement and the sheets are then bound together to form a book or register.

It is easy to prepare, however, lacks flexibility. Entries for newly coming books cannot be accommodated at proper places, hence, requires frequent revisions.

As such it is not economical to keep it up-to-date. Moreover, it cannot be used by more than one user simultaneously; only a single user can use it at one time.

It has the advantage of portability. Its use is not subject to the availability of electricity. It is free from any machinery fault.

Merits and Demerits of Book FormThe merits are Book form is the easiest form to

consult. Portable and easy to handle Several entries can be seen on a

single page quickly and at time. It occupies much less space Very useful as bibliographical

tools to the scholars and researcher students.

The demerits are It is too expensive This can never be kept up to-date. No place for new entries Used by limited number of readers

Sheaf Form: This form consists of

separate sheets preferably of manila

paper on which a couple of entries

are printed. The sheets in turn are punched at

one side and loosely bound either

with a spiral thread or a comb spine.

This form resemble to the book form as it shares most of the advantages of the book form.

It is a bit superior to the book form in the sense that it partly overcomes the non-flexibility problem faced by the former. However it becomes much voluminous

Merits and Demerits of Sheaf form

The merits are Flexilibility of insertion and with

drawl of entries. Easier and cheaper to produce Easier in handling and can be

moved one place to another Occupies less space Duplicate copies can be prepared

cheaply by simply carbon copies.

Demerits are Only one entry is recorded on the paper

slip, much wastage of space on the slip. The operation of withdrawal and insertion

of entries is not very easy. Handwritten entries get distorted and

defaced, and time of labor is wasted in preparing the same entries.

Guiding is not satisfactory Library using sheaf catalogue cannot take

advantage of co-operative cataloguing.

Card Form: The non-flexibility problem faced by the previous physical forms of the catalogue was gravely felt.

In order to eradicate it fully, stiff paper cards of the dimension of 3 x 5 in. size and 0.25 mm. thickness are used to prepare different catalogue entries discussed earlier.

One card is used for every individual entry, main or the added. The card has a small hole in the lower middle part, so that each card can be inserted into a steel rod.

The cards held together by the steel rod are arranged as per the desired sequence in wooden trays.

The wooden trays are then placed in the pigeonholes of the catalogue cabinet.

Each tray on its outer face is marked by an appropriate label in alphabetical or classified sequence, the sequence in which the cards are arranged inside. Entries for newly coming books can be accommodated at proper places, hence, does not require frequent revisions. As such it is economical to keep it up-to-date.

Moreover it can be used by more than one user simultaneously; each user can use one or the other tray at a particular time. Its use is not subject to the availability of electricity. It is free from any machinery fault. However, such catalogue is voluminous and lacks portability.

Merits and Demerits of Card formMerits are Far from growing obsolete or congestion. Allows flexilibility and maximum case of

insertion of new entries. Capable of infinite expansion and

manipulation without any hindrance. Easily changed at any time by replacing

new ones and can be arranged in any order.

Easy to consult and handle by many readers.

It can be easily guided.

Demerits are Card cabinet occupies much space and as

such it creates the problem of space. It is not portable and cannot be consulted

like a book form. In a busy library when a single reader

monopolizes the whole tray or section of the cabinets he kills the time of other reader.

The cards can be easily removed or distracted by errant reader who can create problems.

Only one title can be located by the reader at the time.

These days cards are too expensive It is not economical

Computerized Form of Catalogues/ OPAC: The problems faced by the previous forms of catalogue have been addressed to a great extant by the computers.

With the advent of computers the library activities ranging from acquisition to withdrawal of books from the library records can be automated. Same is the fate of cataloguing.

The process not only helps in preparation of different catalogue entries, but also, in generation of book type or card type printouts.

In addition it has revolutionized the storage and retrieval mechanism of the libraries through its electronic version. As a matter of fact OPAC (on line public access catalogues) are nowadays available in libraries.

Cont

Microfiche reader OPAC

Merits and Demerits of Computerized Form of Catalogues/ OPAC

Merits are Micro forms inexpensive to reproduce

COM catalogue and can be placed in many locations inside and outside of library.

There can be separate film for other entries, title entries and subject entries.

Several records can be viewed at one time

Entries can be easily copied if a microform rear/printer is available.

Equipment for the use of COM is relatively inexpensive.

Demerits are Microforms are often not easily read

compared to print form. It is not easily updated. Updating is by supplements which may

confuse the catalogue user who must look in several files.

Rearrangement of information is difficult Equipment requires.

Inner Forms By simplest definition catalogue is a list of Books

and other material in a library or collection. The entries in the list being arranged in same

systematic order. This order, or the mode of arrangement of entries determines the “ inner form” catalogue.

JamesOrmerod in his book style in card cataloguing Ed.2 1932 mentioned that catalogues likes sentences in grammar are of 3 kinds

1. Simple2. Compound3. Complex

The 3 kinds can be divided as 1. Simple Author, title and Alphabetico-subject2. Compound Author-Title Name- Subject3. Complex Dictionary Classified Alphabetico-Classed

Main Inner Forms1. Author Catalogue2. Name Catalogue3. Title catalogue4. Alphabetical subject Catalogue5. Dictionary Catalogue6. Classified or systematic catalogue7. Alphabetical-classed catalogue

Author Catalogue Generally accepted that author catalogue

is supreme in value and important, because it is the only catalogue from which a reader can be perfectly certain of ascertaining whether a library has a particular book,

Assuming that he has the author's name correctly, for the author name is the one indisputable thing about a book.

Cataloguers have felt justified in giving the author catalogue first place, and no library is complete without some form of it.

British Museum, which possess one of the finest examples of printed author catalogue, and also provides an equally valuable subject index.

Name Catalogue Which is arranged in a single

alphabet of authors and of people written about, whether biographies descriptions and criticisms of their work.

Within its limits it is a catalogue of great value, and one that may be used to advantage in conjunction with a classified catalogue, taking the place of author index.

Title catalogue The catalogue in which titles are

arranged alphabetically And the totally documents

available in the library are arranged title wise.

Alphabetical subject Catalogue

Alphabetically arranged under each subject.

And under each subject to show on which specific subject or topic.

With the help of chain procedure process can be carried out.

Dictionary Catalogue It appeals particularly to people who

want very specific information, or who

are not pursuing a detailed investigation

of a wide branch of Knowledge

Ex: The gardener who wants books about

roses only.

Classified or systematic catalogue

Here entries are made under class symbols or class numbers.

One scheme is chosen i.e CC, DDC,UDC

Subject arranged accordingly CC-A-Z DDC 000-999330 Economics331 Labour and Lobour problem

Alphabetical-classed catalogue In an Alphabetico-classed catalog,

the headings of bibliographic records are arranged alphabetically, but subject headings display the generic relationships of subjects.

While this type of classed catalog is generally useful it requires titles sometimes to be forced into the subject-headings. This is particularly true for inter-disciplinary or multi-disciplinary works

ConclusionBoth catalogues have their advocates who strongly support their favorites. While the opponents of the classified catalogue argue that it was a complicated tool difficult to decipher by users. Its supporters have held the view, which they constantly propagate that there is no substitute for it. There is a lack of objectivity on the part of both groups because very few people are familiar with both types of catalogue

The dictionary catalogue as certain weaknesses, but a carefully worked out network of cross can help to reduce limitations resulting from the absence of a classified arrangement.

However, there is no doubt that very often careless use of cross references can prove irritating to users.

Choice of catalogue by a library would depend upon certain factors –type of library, avalibility of printed catalogues cards ,types of catalogues used by neighboring libraries ,kind of training of the chief librarian and chief cataloguer ,and the attitude of authorities.