Shelf catalogue is an improved variation of Guard Book catalogue. It is individual entries prepared on slips (may also be pasted on tough sheet cut to uniform size (15 cm x 10 cm) notched at the left edge which are kept in specially designed loos left binders. One sheet is used for one entry i.e. one and only one entry appears on one sheet. Bound volumes can be kept on shelves.
It combines most of the qualities of Book catalogue and card catalogue. It can be updated and is flexible. Obsolete entries can easily be withdrawn from it because each entry in it is an unit and is complete in itself. It is portable and occupies less space. At the same time it is economical and entries can be multiplied even by carbon copying. But in spite of its qualities, shelf catalogue cannot replace card catalogue due to its inherent demerits which, in the words of P.J. Quigg, are as follows: “While capability for insertion and withdrawal of entries is certainly present, the nature of binding mechanism of the shelf holder (Screws, springs etc.) and firmliness of the paper slips make the operation of insertion and withdrawal of entries less convenient. In spite of the ‘book form’ with one entry per page, sequential scanning is not all that easy, although it may be slightly easier than in the card catalogue. The large area for the entry gives no distance advantage unless, as noted above, it is to be used for a guide or perhaps for annotation. Guiding is not very satisfactory. There has never been sufficient evidence of distinct advantages of the form over the practically
universal card catalogue sufficient to oust and later from its supremacy.”
universal card catalogue sufficient to oust and later from its supremacy.”
1 Comment
Pingback: Physical form of library catalogue and its type. | Library and Information Science Network