Library Cataloguing (Theory)
Topic: Library Catalogue: Definition, Objectives,
Purposes and Functions
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Contents of the Session
• Introduction
• Library Catalogue
• Meaning and Definition
• Need and Purpose
• Objectives
• Functions of Library Catalogue
• Library Catalogue Vs Bibliography
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Introduction
Kata- According to
Logos- order/plan
Originated from the Greek word Kataloges
Arrangement of list of reading material according to a reasonable
order
Catalogue: key to a library collection
Catalogue tells about available resources and their location in the library
Library catalogue is the list of books and other reading materials in the holdings of a
library or a group of libraries.
The list contains precise bibliographical information of books such as title, author,
publisher, collaborator, collation, imprints, etc.
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Front Portion of Main Entry Card
Figure 1: Template of a Library Catalogue
(Classified Catalogue Code)
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Back Portion of Main Entry Card
Tracing
Figure 2: Template of a Library Catalogue
(Classified Catalogue Code)
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Example Front
Figure 3: Example of a Library Catalogue
(Classified Catalogue Code)
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Example Back
Tracing
Figure 4: Example of a Library Catalogue
(Classified Catalogue Code)
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Library Catalogue: Meaning and Definition
Notable Definitions
J. D. Brown: “A library catalogue is an explanatory, logically arranged inventory
and key to books and their contents, and differs from the bibliography is being
confined to books in a particular library.”
Dr. S. R. Ranganathan: “A library catalogue is a list of documents in a library or
in a collection forming a part of it.”
International Conference of cataloguing Principles (ICCP) Terminology
Group: “A comprehensive list of collection or collection of books, documents or
similar material.”
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Contd.
Library Catalogue: Meaning and Definition
Notable Definitions
H. A. Sharp: “A catalogue is the record of information regarding manuscripts,
books, pamphlets musical composition, illustrations paintings, maps, slides etc.”
Anglo American Cataloguing Rules 2 (AACR) 2: “A list of library materials
contained in a collection, a library, or a group of libraries, arranged according to a
definite sequence of plan.”
C. A. Cutter: “A library catalogue is a list of books which is arranged on some
definite plan.”
Summary: A Library Catalogue is a list of books and other reading materials
arranged according to a set rules for guiding users to locate the books
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Library Catalogue: Need and Purpose
Locate and Identify bibliographic features: The purpose of the library catalogue
is to include all the approaching points in catalogue card for a document from users
perspective. A library catalogue can record certain bibliographic features such as
author name, title, publisher details, collation, etc.
Record, describe and index the holdings of any library collection: The purpose
of the library catalogue is to record documents forming the total holdings or a part
of the holdings of a library and describe in most simplest manner to the users.
Grouping of Books: The purpose of the library to display books by same author,
collaborator, etc. together (alphabetical/dictionary catalogue) and of same subject at
one place (classified catalogue)
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Library Catalogue: Objectives
Cutter’s Objectives (Rules for a Dictionary Catalogue,1876)
1. To enable a person to find a book when one of the following information is
known:
a. The Author –Author Entry
b. The Title- Title Entry
c. The Subject- Subject Entry
2. To show what the information institution has
a. By a given author -Author Entry
b. On a given subject- Subject Entry
c. In a given kind of literature- Form Entry/Language Entry
3. To assist in choice of a book
a. As to the edition (bibliographically)-for giving edition and imprint information
b. As to its character (literally or topical) - notes
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Library Catalogue: Objectives
Ranganathan’s Objectives (Classified Catalogue Code, 1934)
1. Disclose to every reader his/her document
2. Secure for every document his reader
3. To save the time of the reader, and for this purpose
4. To save the time of the staff
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Library Catalogue: Objectives
The library catalogue is expected to answer the following queries of the readers:
1. Is a particular book is in the library?
2. Which books by a particular author are in the library collection?
3. Is there a book in the library with such and such title?
4. Is there a book in the library with such and such collaborator i.e. editor, translator,
reviser, compiler, illustrator etc.
5. Which are the books in the library with such and such series?
6. The books on a given subject.
7. To provide bibliographical information of a particular book i.e. author, title, series,
edition, publisher, year of publication etc.
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Functions of Library Catalogue
1. Accurate and speedy determination of location of documents for a particular title
or author. (Lubetzky)
2. Location of documents on particular subject. (Lubetzky)
3. All works of same author will be found together under same name.
4. Catalogue have to record with collaborator’s names (editor, translator, reviser,
compiler, illustrator etc.) or any other name approachable by the user.
5. Catalogue have to record with each work or components of composite work under
the subjects to show proper subject coverage.
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Functions of Library Catalogue
6. The catalogue should be able to arrange the subject entries so that similar topics
are kept together and related topics will be correlated. (APUPA)
7. A catalogue should use cross references so that users may be led from one entry
in the catalogue to another.
8. The call number in the catalogue card helps users in requesting, locating and
obtaining books.
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Library Catalogue Vs Bibliography
Library Catalogue Bibliography
1. A library catalogue is a comprehensive list of 1. A bibliography is a list of sources (books,
all the materials (books, journals, articles, websites, etc.) that have been cited
multimedia, etc.) held in a library. or referenced in a particular work, such as a
2. It provides bibliographic records for each research paper, article, or book.
item, including author, title, subject headings, 2. Bibliographies usually provide bibliographic
publication information, and location within information, including author, title, publisher,
the library. and date of publication
3. The purpose of a library catalogue is to help 3. The purpose of a bibliography is to
users locate materials held in the library by acknowledge the sources used in the work
searching for the author, title, subject, or and to provide readers with a list of resources
keyword. for further reading on the topic.
As such catalogue and bibliography are not identical though the distinction
between the two is very narrow.
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Questions of the Day!
1. Who enunciated Rules for a Dictionary Catalogue and in which year?
2. Who enunciated Classified Catalogue Code and in which year?
3. Describe the meaning and definition of Library Catalogue.
4. Describe the need and purpose of the Library Catalogue.
5. What are the objectives of Library Catalogue?
6. Explain the functions of the Library Catalogue.
7. Write three points of differences between catalogue and bibliography.
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