Essentials of Cataloguing and Classification by Prof Dr. K.M. Saiful Islam

Essentials of Cataloguing and Classification

Prof Dr. K.M. Saiful Islam

Information Science and Library Management
University of Dhaka

Just published the much-awaited monographic textbook to the immense benefit and use of the students, teachers of Information science and library studies, and the information scientists all over the world. The work starts from the definition and functions of catalogue & cataloguing and classification to embody the organization of knowledge and stretches to advanced cataloguing, both theoretical and practical, including difficult and intricate areas like treatment of oriental names, corporate bodies, special and cartographic materials. This endeavour is to satisfy or help the beginners of the subject, i.e. students of Certificate or Diploma level to M.A. final year, although some areas are taught in M.Phil courses. And the working information scientists could benefit not only through the novel style of theoretical discourse, but also through the solutions of practical cataloguing.

Emphasis has been laid on those areas that haunt our mind frequently, and are confronted by the students in their examinations but are not covered in the international publications either of Akers, Bakewell, Hunter, Maltby, Mann, Maxwell, Needham, Quigg, Rice, Rowley, Saffady, Sayers, Taylor or Wynar. These topics, interalia, are (i) Distinction between Catalogue and Bibliography; (ii) Construction of classified and dictionary catalogues; (iii) Comparative studies between these two popular inner forms; (iv) Appropriateness of classified and dictionary catalogues to different types of libraries;(v) Use of C.A. Cutter’s author table; (vi) Comparative studies of construction of subject headings between Sears and LCSH; (vii) Integrated online library automation systems in the world; (viii) OPAC search according to some major online system; (ix) USMARC3 format including variable data fields; (x) Treatment of oriental names; (xi) Purpose and usefulness of classification; (xii) Mnemonic values in DDC and LCC; (xiii) Construction, characteristics, types, and merits of Notation, and so on.

For proper documentation, most of the chapters include Bibliographies and References, apart from a general ‘Bibliography’ of 83 items at the end of the text. The Bibliographies are a real challenge since they include the latest editions of valuable books published in the world. Citations have been drawn from various sources including websites like GBIP (now sold), Amazon.com, alibris.com, http://catalog. loc.gov. (of LC online catalog), google, oclc, apart from our professional friends in US Information Resource Center (USIC), British Council, Dhaka, Library of Congress, Washington,D.C., The British Library, London, and the like. How the present work with Bibliography has been made up-to-date can be gleaned from the inclusion of 19^th edition of Sears list, 2007; 30^th ed. of LC subject headings, 2007 (with citation of weekly lists, and quarterly on microfiche & CD-ROM classification plus); Rowley’s 4^th rev.ed. of Computers for libraries now newly entitled The Electronic Library; 8^th ed. of Anthony’s Handbook of special librarianship and information work, now edited by Scammell entitled Handbook of information management; 10^th rev.ed. of Wynar’s Introduction to cataloging and classification, rev. by Taylor in 2006, to name a few. The Bibliography with all citations including ISBN no. should be of much value to working information scientists to update and enrich their resources.

Owing to overwhelming demends of local students particularly the beginners, a ‘Bengali Part’ has been incorporated which includes popular topics like (i) Classified catalogue vs. Dictionary catalogue, (ii) Shelf list vs. public catalogue, (iii) Purpose, usefulness and functions of classification, (iv) Appraisal of Merrill’s Principals of book classification, etc.

The part on Classification also includes popular issues like (i) Mnemonic values in DDC, (ii) Purpose and usefulness of classification, (iii) Notation, and the like.

Have a glance through the text and examine if it is precious and a new challenge or not. For detailed information please visit http://www.bayrbd.org/catalogue.htm .

Price: International [hard cover, offset paper] edition Tk. 750/-

$ 30/-

₤ 20/-

Student edition [only for registered students in ISLS] Tk. 350/- only

Place your order to publisher, New Progati Prakashani, 68-69 & 1039 Bakushah Market, Nilkhet, Dhaka- 1205, Bangladesh. fax: 880-2-9668629. tel.: 9660925; 9143834; cell 01713020266.

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