On the Classification of Books: A Paper Read Before the American Library Association, May, 1882 (Classic Reprint)

Lloyd Pearsall Smith

ISBN 10: 0331811944 / ISBN 13: 9780331811940

Editore: Forgotten Books, 2019

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Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: On the Classification of Books: A Paper Read Before the American Library Association, May, 1882 (Classic Reprint)
• Editore: Forgotten Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2019
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0331811944
• ISBN 13: 9780331811940
• Rilegatura: HRD
• Condizione: New
• Peso: 309 grammi

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

Excerpt from On the Classification of Books: A Paper Read Before the American Library Association, May, 1882

The classification is intended to be permanent only so far as the six main classes A E I O U and Y, and their sub-classes a, b, c, d, e, etc., are concerned. In its details it is Open to modification to suit the needs of libraries devoted mainly to the collection of one or a few classes of books. As the volumes multiply on the shelves, it is Obvious that the divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., can be added to indefinitely, - by each librarian for himself - without deranging the system. Moreover, the divisions can themselves be subdivided by supplying arbitrary marks. For example, under Zoology I have made but one subdivision, that of Birds (116 whereas an Academy of Natural Sciences might well find it expedient to distribute their works on the animal kingdom in accordance with the elaborate plan set forth' in Agassiz's Essay on Classification. On the other hand, a small library may content itself with the classes and sub-classes marked by letters only, or even with the classes A E I O U Yalone. It is to he remarked in passing that, by this arrangement, whatever improvements may be made from time to time in the details of the system, the books have always a relative, and not a fixed location on the shelves, so that they may be moved from shelf to shelf, from case to case, and from building to building, without altering the shelf marks.

The system is available, not only for the arrangement of books on the shelves, but also for their classification in a subject catalogue. Indeed, the shelf lists them selves form - when properly made - a subject catalogue, which may be sent Off to the printer as soon as there is money enough to pay for setting them Up in type. It is true that most of the ends of a subject catalogue may be gained by the modern dic tionary catalogue - combining authors and subjects in one alphabet - which it is to the credit Of Mr. Poole to have invented, and Of Messrs. Cutter, Noyes, and others to have developed; but, nevertheless, to my mind, the ideal printed catalogue is a classified one, with a cepious alphabetical index. Suppose that the British Museum had such a printed catalogue to-day, how much would the usefulness of that great Institution be enhanced!

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