Simplified Rules for the Cataloguing of Books of Tomorrow in a Service Library

Abstract

Standardisation and simplification have become a necessity today, in order to release the creative impulse of man. Cataloguing rules for the books of the past bristle with difficulties, as the title leaf of such a book did not conform to any standard. But in collaboration with the publishing and the printing trades, the library profession can bring about a standard for the title-page and its back. This standard will make the title-leaf give all the necessary cataloguing information for the books of future. This will lead to a simplification of cat aloguing rules and to an accepted standard for the main entry of a book of the future. Suggestions are given for the standards for personal author statement, corporate author statement, collaborator statement, supplement to author statement and supplement to collaborator statement, to be printed on the back of the title-page. The consequential simplification of the cataloguing rules is indicated. All these are to be as for a "Service library" whose books are virtually replaced at least once within a generation. They are not to be as for a "Dormitary library" preserving each book for the occasional use of bibliophiles and antiquarians and as cultural deposits.