Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Ottawa, Canada, June 26-July 2, 1912
Science
Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Library Association: Held at Ottawa, Canada, June 26-July 2, 1912
American Library Association; Library science -- Congresses
A few words in regard to the printing of the lists known as "Additions
and corrections" will, I think, be needed for a full understanding of
the subject headings. I have already spoken of the lists of additions
issued in connection with the old A. L. A. list, before the Library
of Congress list of headings began to be printed. When letter A of
our new list was ready for press, there had been four of these lists
issued, the additions being cumulated in each successive number. The
corrections in the lists appeared but once, and were carried over by
the catalogers to copies of the A. L. A. list. The headings in these
early supplementary lists have, of course, been incorporated in the
Library of Congress list, as far as the letters have been printed.
Even after the new list was begun, it was found impossible to dispense
with the "Additions and corrections" lists, as the library catalog grew
and expanded. We have continued to issue them from time to time, as
occasion has demanded, and have included in them new headings in the
section of the alphabet not yet printed, as well as additions to the
letters which have already appeared in print.
Each "Additions and corrections" list is cumulative, as far as the
additions are concerned, so that a library possessing the main list and
the latest supplementary list has a complete record of all the Library
of Congress headings which have been printed. As was the case in the
lists supplementary to the A. L. A. headings, the corrections noted
appear but once, and should be carried over by catalogers to the main
list of subject headings.
The classification numbers, and cross references to related
subjects, known as the "See also" references, are not included in
the supplementary lists. Direct "See" references from one subject to
another, or from one form of name to another, are, however, usually
included, that the cataloger may avoid the pitfalls lurking for the
unwary.
Including the early supplementary lists, there have been, up to the
present time, eight lists of "Additions and corrections" issued, and
number 9 is ready for the press.
Having now touched upon some general features in regard to the issuing
of the list of subject headings, with its supplementary lists, I will
conclude with a word as to a later and fuller edition. The list now
being issued is a preliminary list, printed as manuscript, and, to some
extent, experimental in its nature. While it is being made as complete
and inclusive as present conditions seem to warrant, the intention
has been to reissue it later in book form, wider in its scope and
more inclusive in its references. Concerning the date of issue of the
fuller edition, should this desired consummation be brought about, it
is impossible at this time to make a statement. Probably it will be
best to wait until the remaining classes of books in the library are
reclassified and re-cataloged, before any definite decision as to date
is reached.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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