Procedures and preliminares; The card catalog; The main entry; Added entries; Form of the entry; Descriptive cataloging; Subject cataloging; Classification of books; Copy identification; The shelf list; Catalog cards and catalog maintenance; Cataloging services; Physical preparation of materials; Audio-visual and other nonbook materials; Keeping records up to date.

A proven resource for librarians and students, this updated classic opens the door to understanding current library cataloging processes, shows you how to use them to create standard catalog records, and provides guidance in managing the cataloging workflow. Library cataloging and classification tools are constantly improving, making this concise guide a necessity for any librarian or library student seeking improved understanding of the practical process of cataloging today. With the release of RDA, a new code for description, and a new edition of Dewey Classification, it's time for every library to add this fifth edition of a classic reference to your resources. Two Margaret Mann Citation winners update you on the five basic steps in standardized library cataloging: describing and adding access points for resources; assigning subject headings using Sears List or Library of Congress subject headings; classifying them using the Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress classification systems; and digitizing the resulting records. The book opens with a brief look at the environment in which cataloging now functions, especially in response to advances in digital access. It clarifies terminology, explores new and changed applications, and enhances understanding of basic principles for those responsible for creating cataloging data. To get you ready for tomorrow, the edition closes with a brief look at trends likely to affect cataloging in the foreseeable future.

This book, first published in 1946, lays out the tools a librarian has to organize books for use and to make them productive. The methods of classing, cataloguing, indexing, personal guidance, display and publicity are directed to one end, the making know of books and their contents.