r reference. To render it, as
nearly as possible, a correct representation of the contents of the
library, each work has but one principal descriptive entry. The
shelfmark is confined to this entry--duplicate shelfmark references,
when the position of books is likely to be often altered, from the
accession of additions to the library, &c., leading to frequent and
unavoidable errors.
2. This entry is under the author's name when given on the title-page,
or otherwise known, as being the only arrangement which allows one
general rule to be followed throughout the catalogue.
3. Anonymous works, whose authors' names are unknown, are placed under
the subjects to which they relate.
4. Cross references are made:
from the subjects of biographies to the authors;
from the principal anonymous and pseudonymous works to the writer's
real names where known;
from works included in, or noticed in the title-pages of other
publications, to those publications.
5. To obviate the imperfections necessarily attendant on an alphabetical
arrangement, and for the greater facility of reference, short
classifications are introduced of the chief subjects on which the books
in the library treat, referring to the names of the authors in the same
general alphabet; thereby uniting the advantages of the alphabetical and
classified systems, and acting in some measure as a key to the
prevailing character of the library.
6. All authors' names are followed by full stops: any articles placed
under a writer's name, of which he is not the author, but which are
anonymous answers to, or criticisms on, his works; anonymous memoirs
placed under the subjects; or any entries whatever, in which the heading
name prefixed is not that of the author, are distinguished by a line
following the name.
7. The headings of the short classifications are distinguished by being
doubly underlined with red ink. The name to be referred to is singly
underlined, but when the reference is to another heading, and not to an
author, it is doubly underlined.
In preparing titles for the catalogue (whether it be intended to
transcribe or print them), it should be an imperative instruction that
they be written on slips of paper (or on cards) of uniform size. It is
also useful to include in them a word or two which may serve to identify
the origin of the books--whether by purchase, by copyright, or by
gift--and to indicate the date of
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