Library Cataloguing Access Points

In library cataloguing, access points are used to provide multiple entry points for retrieving bibliographic records. These access points are typically presented as headings added to the description of the item. The access points are based on different elements of the item being catalogued, such as subject content, authorship, titles, or series information. Here are the four main types of access points or bibliographic entries commonly found in library catalogues:

1. Names of Persons:
   a. Authors: The names of individuals who have written or contributed to the work.
   b. Editors and Compilers: The names of individuals responsible for editing or compiling the work.
   c. Translators: The names of individuals who have translated the work into another language.
   d. Illustrators: The names of individuals who have provided illustrations for the work.
   e. Other Related Persons: The names of individuals associated with the work in a significant way, such as the addressee of a collection of letters or a person honored by a Festschrift (a collection of essays in their honor).
2. Names of Corporate Bodies: This includes names of organizations, institutions, or corporate entities that are related to the item being described in a function other than solely as a distributor or manufacturer. For example, the name of a publishing house or a sponsoring organization.
3. Titles: The titles of the works themselves, whether they are books, articles, or other types of materials. This may include main titles, subtitles, and variant titles.
4. Series: The names of series or sets of works that are part of a larger collection. This allows users to find related materials within a series.

In some cases, the heading may combine both a name and a title element to form a name-title combination. This is done to create a unique and specific access point for the item.

These access points or headings are created according to descriptive cataloging rules, which provide guidelines for determining how the access points should be formulated based on the content and characteristics of the item being cataloged.