By R U T H E R F O R D
D.
ROGERS
Subject Bibliography Versus Subject
Catalog and Periodical Index'
Mr. Rogers is librarian,
Library.
The
Grosvenor
n o t be l o c a t e d in e i t h e r of t h e t w o c a t a l o g s
w e r e eliminated f r o m the statistical results.
A l l books w e r e d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e c a t e g o r i e s :
I
T is n o t t o o g e n e r a l l y r e c o g n i z e d t h a t s u b -
A , B, a n d C , e x a m p l e s a n d d e f i n i t i o n s of
j e c t b i b l i o g r a p h y is u s e f u l t o a r e s e a r c h
w h i c h a r e g i v e n in t h e f o l l o w i n g sections.
w o r k e r a p p r o x i m a t e l y in i n v e r s e p r o p o r t i o n
t o his a b i l i t y .
Inexperienced librarians and
CATEGORY
research s t u d e n t s least i n f o r m e d a b o u t subject
bibliography
need
it m o s t ,
but
they
t u r n to m o r e obvious bibliographical
tools
s u c h as t h e s u b j e c t c a r d c a t a l o g a n d g e n e r a l
periodical indexes.
Therefore, I have un-
dertaken to demonstrate, to a certain e x t e n t
s t a t i s t i c a l l y , w h a t good
subject bibliography
can do which the card catalog and periodical i n d e x e s f a i l t o d o .
T h i s p a p e r is based
o n a n a n a l y s i s of b o o k a n d p e r i o d i c a l citations
in
approximately
26
f r o m four recognized sources:
bibliographies
Encyclopaedia
of the Social Sciences, Dictionary of American Biography,
Literary
History
of the
United
States
(cited
as
Spiller),2
E b i s c h a n d S c h i i c k i n g , A Shakespeare
and
Bib-
liography .3
A
C a t e g o r y A includes those books w h i c h
c o u l d be f o u n d t h r o u g h t h e s u b j e c t c a t a l o g
as easily as
through
subject
because
subject
headings
the
bibliography
used
were
reasonably related to the subject u n d e r consideration.
H a r d l y anyone would
disagree
t h a t a p e r s o n w o r k i n g on S h a k e s p e a r e w o u l d
look u n d e r s u c h o b v i o u s l y r e l a t e d
as
ENGLISH
LISH
LITERATURE,
DRAMA,
etc.
subjects
ENG-
H o w e v e r , t h e r e is
one reservation w i t h respect to C a t e g o r y A :
The
card
catalog lacks critical notes
quently contained
in s u b j e c t
fre-
bibliography.
F o r e x a m p l e , S p i l l e r r e f e r s t o a b i o g r a p h y of
C h a r l e s B r o c k d e n B r o w n by W i l l i a m D u n l a p in these w o r d s : " T h e w o r k is in f a c t ext r e m e l y i n a c c u r a t e b u t it h a s u s u a l l y been
f o l l o w e d by l a t e r w r i t e r s . "
Methodology
of American
E a c h b o o k w a s c h e c k e d in t h e L i b r a r y of
Biography
The
Dictionary
article on
Andrew
J o h n s o n , w r i t t e n by S t . G e o r g e L . S i o u s s a t ,
C o n g r e s s p r i n t e d c a t a l o g a n d in t h e c a t a l o g
r e f e r s to the l i t e r a t u r e on the reconstruction
of t h e G r o s v e n o r L i b r a r y to d e t e r m i n e t h e
p e r i o d in A m e r i c a n H i s t o r y in t h e s e w o r d s :
a d e q u a c y of t h e s u b j e c t h e a d i n g s used in t h e
card
catalog.
Those
books w h i c h
could
1 Paper
presented at meeting of Bibliography Committee, A . C . R . L . , Chicago, Jan. 26, 1950.
2 Edited by Robert E. Spiller [and others]. New York,
Macmillan, 1948.
3 Ebisch, Walter, Schiicking, Levin L., Oxford, The
Clarendon Press, 1931. (Editor's Note: See art'cle by
Wesley Simonton in this issue of College and
Research
Libraries,
which also considers this bibliography.)
JULY, 1950
H u g h M c C u l l o u g h , Men and Measures
of a
Half a Century
( 1 8 8 8 ) w a s one of t h e first
i m p o r t a n t w o r k s , by a c o n t e m p o r a r y of real
significance, to give a f a v o r a b l e e s t i m a t e of
J o h n s o n ' s presidency, which up to t h a t time
had been described f o r the m o s t p a r t by enemies. W . A . D u n n i n g , Essays on the Civil
211
War and Reconstruction
( 1 8 9 8 ) as the first
e x a m i n a t i o n of the r e c o n s t r u c t i o n policies w i t h
the d e t a c h e d view of historical scholarship exerted a d e t e r m i n i n g influence on l a t e r w r i t e r s .
Influenced by D u n n i n g is C . E . C h a d s e y , The
Struggle between President Johnson and Congress over Reconstruction (1896). C. H. McCarthy, Lincoln's Plan of
Reconstruction
( 1 9 0 1 ) ; J . W . F e r t i g , Secession and
Reconstruction
of Tennessee
( 1 8 9 8 ) ; and J . R .
N e a l , Disunion
and Restoration
in
Tennessee
( 1 8 9 9 ) , belong to the s a m e period of w r i t i n g .
CATEGORY
B
C a t e g o r y B includes those books
which
I t s e e m s to m e t h a t t h r e e t h i n g s a r e t r u e
about Category B :
1. T h e highly skilled, intuitive, p e r s i s t e n t
r e s e a r c h w o r k e r m i g h t find books of the type
cited.
2. T h e books could be f o u n d m u c h m o r e
quickly t h r o u g h s u b j e c t bibliography.
3. A s l i t e r a t u r e g r o w s in all s u b j e c t fields it
will be necessary to rely less and less on the
sheer tenacity of the scholar to w a d e t h r o u g h
t h e l i t e r a t u r e of his i m m e d i a t e as w e l l as coll a t e r a l fields and to rely m o r e and m o r e on
good s u b j e c t bibliography to discipline such
literature.
CATEGORY
m i g h t be f o u n d by a h i g h l y s k i l l e d a n d p e r Category C
sistent research w o r k e r t h r o u g h the subject
c a t a l o g , b u t t h e r e is c o n s i d e r a b l e
question
if a n i n e x p e r i e n c e d r e s e a r c h w o r k e r
thus locate
the books.
Encyclopaedia
Edward
Human
of
the
For
Social
Westermarck's
Marriage
could
example
the
Sciences
The
I think the
cites
of
and
Cultural
inexperienced
t h e a b s e n c e of
adequate or related subject approach.
section
in its b i b l i o g r a p h y u n d e r
"Prostitution."
could n o t have been f o u n d t h r o u g h the subj e c t c a t a l o g b e c a u s e of
the
History
C
includes those books w h i c h
"Sources,
Bibliography4
Literary
Relations,"
cites
t a i g n e ' s Essays5
an
with
In
Influences
A
Shakespeare
edition
an
an
of
Mon-
introduction
by
research w o r k e r — a n d I m e a n inexperienced
G e o r g e S a i n t s b u r y w h i c h discusses t h e in-
bibliographically
fluence
speaking—could
be
ex-
of M o n t a i g n e o n E l i z a b e t h a n d r a m a
cused f o r n o t l o o k i n g in a b o o k o n m a r r i a g e
and Shakespeare.
for i n f o r m a t i o n on prostitution.
of t h e a u t h o r of t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n , t h e c a r d
Unfortu-
nately the subject catalog will not help him
c a t a l o g gives n o
in t h i s c o n n e c t i o n .
essay.
A s a s e c o n d e x a m p l e of t h i s c a t e g o r y , t h e
Dictionary
of
American
Biography
states
t h a t t h e r e a r e t w o g o o d d e s c r i p t i o n s of J o seph D e n n i e .
Dennie was a minor Ameri-
Despite the
subject
importance
to
the
Ebisch and Schucking (p. 6 7 )
approach
cite
a s i m i l a r e x a m p l e , of a n e d i t i o n of
Seneca
w i t h a n i n t r o d u c t i o n by T . S. E l i o t . 6
This
i n t r o d u c t i o n l i k e w i s e discusses t h e i n f l u e n c e
of S e n e c a o n E l i z a b e t h a n d r a m a , b u t t h e r e
c a n l i t e r a r y f i g u r e w h o l i v e d a t t h e e n d of
is n o s u b j e c t a p p r o a c h t o t h e essay in
t h e e i g h t e e n t h a n d in t h e e a r l y
nineteenth
card catalog.
centuries.
reared
He
was
born
and
Boston a n d w a s g r a d u a t e d "from
in
Harvard.
d i f f e r e n t e x a m p l e in a b o o k e n t i t l e d
graphic'
Clinics
the
T h e r e is a t h i r d , s o m e w h a t
by G e o r g e M . G o u l d .
BioOne
H e s p e n t t h e m o s t p r o d u c t i v e p a r t of his
s e c t i o n of t h i s s i x - v o l u m e w o r k discusses t h e
l i f e in N e w
e f f e c t of L a f c a d i o H e a r n ' s p h y s i c a l m a l a d i e s
Hampshire
and
Philadelphia
as a n e d i t o r , l i t e r a r y a g e n t a n d
writer.
raphy
T h e Dictionary
newspaper
of American
Biog-
s t a t e s t h a t o n e of t h e t w o g o o d de-
s c r i p t i o n s of D e n n i e is in W a s h i n g t o n
i n g ' s Salmagundi,
Launcelot
N o . 8.
Langstaff
course the card
after Dennie, but
catalog does n o t
i n f o r m a t i o n of t h i s t y p e .
212
Irv-
Irving patterned
of
provide
a n d p o o r e y e s i g h t o n his w o r k .
T h e r e is n o
approach
in t h e
to t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n
catalog, either under
CAN
HEARN,
LITERATURE
or
any
card
AMERIgenerally
related subject.
Ebisch and Schucking, p. 73.
5
The Essays, done into English by John Florio. London, D. Nutt, 1892.
8
Seneca, His Tenne Tragedies.
London, Constable &
Co., 1927. 2' vols.
4
COLLEGE AND RESEARCH
LIBRARIES
Methodology
with
Respect
to Periodicals
Conclusions
T h r e e c a t e g o r i e s , A , B, a n d C w e r e also
assigned
to periodical
articles.
However,
t h e p e r i o d i c a l a r t i c l e s c i t e d in t h e
bibliographies
analyzed
were
not
various
Despite
its
obvious
limitations,
t e n t a t i v e c o n c l u s i o n s a r e w a r r a n t e d by t h i s
study:
checked
1. T h e basic p r e m i s e of t h i s p a p e r is c o n -
against the card catalog but against general
firmed beyond reasonable doubt.
periodical indexes.
subject
T w o criteria w e r e estab-
lished t o assist in t h e a l l o c a t i o n s :
Spiller cites three periodical articles
Dennie.
One
is in a
on
nineteenth-
c e n t u r y periodical not indexed by a g e n e r a l
periodical
index.
The
other
two
are
in
p e r i o d i c a l s i n d e x e d by g e n e r a l p e r i o d i c a l indexes, b u t b e c a u s e t h e a r t i c l e s a r e p r i m a r i l y
on
other
literary
figures n o
reference
m a d e t o D e n n i e in t h e i n d e x e s . 7
is
T h e re-
m o t e n e s s of t h e W o r d s w o r t h a r t i c l e c a n be
appreciated w h e n one realizes that the
tionary
of American
Dic-
Biography
in its a r t i c l e
o n D e n n i e does n o t m e n t i o n
Wordsworth.
Statistical
The
s t a t i s t i c a l r e s u l t s of t h i s s t u d y
Three
of
has
a
That
great
deal
is,
to
ma-
t e r i a l s n o t o t h e r w i s e a v a i l a b l e a n d in p r o v i d i n g c r i t i c a l n o t e s o n t h e l i t e r a t u r e of a
g i v e n field.
2. M a n y so-called s t a n d a r d b i b l i o g r a p h i e s
a r e o u t of d a t e .
Social
old.
Sciences
T h e Encyclopaedia
of
the
is b e t w e e n 15 a n d 2 0 y e a r s
T h e s i t u a t i o n in t h e field of t h e social
sciences g e n e r a l l y a n d h i s t o r y in p a r t i c u l a r
is b a d .
field,
T o cite a n e x a m p l e f r o m
the
Medicus
Quarterly
another
Cumulative
Index
is 18 m o n t h s b e h i n d t h e
o u t p u t of m e d i c a l j o u r n a l s .
current
In order to do
a n e f f e c t i v e j o b in t h e G r o s v e n o r
Library
M e d i c a l D e p a r t m e n t , w e must do our o w n
subject indexing.
Conservatively estimated,
t h i s costs t h e l i b r a r y
$1000
per year,
and
t h i s s i t u a t i o n c a n u n d o u b t e d l y be m u l t i p l i e d
m a n y t i m e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y . I t seems
Results
o u t l i n e d b r i e f l y in t h e t a b l e e n t i t l e d
tribution
bibliography
o f f e r t h e r e s e a r c h w o r k e r in l o c a t i n g
1. W a s the article in a m a g a z i n e indexed by
a g e n e r a l periodical i n d e x ?
2. If so, did the g e n e r a l periodical index
give a d e q u a t e subject c o v e r a g e to the a r t i c l e ?
Joseph
certain
Bibliographical
are
"Dis-
Citations
by
Categories."
$0 m e t h a t w e h a v e a n i m p o r t a n t p r o f e s s i o n a l
7
Leary, Lewis. " L e i g h H u n t in Philadelphia . . . , "
Pennsylvania
Magazine
of History and Biography,
70:
270-280, 1946; and L e a r y , Lewis.
" W o r d s w o r t h in
A m e r i c a : A d d e n d a , " Modern Language
Quarterly,
58:
391-393. I943-
Distribution of Bibliographical Citations by Three Categories*
N o . of
Verifiable
Periodical
Articles
5
36
4
3
0
1
21
21
48
46
38
0
8
8
8
80
11
6
1
4
N o . of
Verifiable
Books
E n c y c l o p a e d i a of
the Social
Sciences
6
81
52
24
Spiller
9
87
45
Ebisch and
Schiicking
1
20
4
Source
Distribution of
Periodical
Articles
B y Categories
A B C
Per C e n t
of T o t a l
Books in
Categories
B and C
Distribution
of Books b y
Categories
A B C
N o . of
Bibliographies
Analyzed
Per C e n t
of T o t a l
Articles in
Categories
B and C
25
45
For Explanation, see text.
JULY. 1950
213
of
if it is d i v i d e d i n t o 1 0 0 s u b h e a d i n g s , it is
n e w subject bibliographies and to assure the
q u i t e possible f o r a g e n e r a l b o o k t o be c i t e d
a d e q u a c y a n d t i m e l i n e s s of e s t a b l i s h e d s u b -
4 0 or 50 times.
ject
ning bibliography at the national and inter-
responsibility
to s e c u r e
the publication
bibliographies.
3 . T h e r e is n o s u b s t i t u t e f o r g o o d s u b j e c t
bibliography.
It
appears
conservative
to
T h o s e people w h o are plan-
n a t i o n a l level m u s t n o t c o n s i d e r t h e p r o b l e m s
confronting them insuperable.
If w e
add
s t a t e t h a t f r o m 8 t o 2 0 per c e n t of t h e m a -
these additional q u a n t i t a t i v e and qualitative
terial
e l e m e n t s , w e d o so a t t h e e x p e n s e of b e c o m -
on
a
given
subject
can
be
found
t h r o u g h g o o d s u b j e c t b i b l i o g r a p h y , if a v a i l -
ing unrealistic.
a b l e , w h i c h c a n n o t be f o u n d t h r o u g h t h e s u b -
l i t t l e p o i n t of p r o d u c i n g i n c l u s i v e n a t i o n a l
ject catalog and general periodical indexes.
o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l b i b l i o g r a p h y u n l e s s it is of
In certain subjects, an additional
s u c h n a t u r e as t o be u s e f u l in t h e w a y s o u t -
per
cent
of
the
material
may
15 t o 6 0
be
found
O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e is
l i n e d in t h i s p a p e r .
not
6. N o cataloger or periodical indexer w h o
t h r o u g h t h e o t h e r t w o m o r e g e n e r a l biblio-
m u s t c o v e r a g e n e r a l field o r fields c a n c o m -
g r a p h i c a l tools.
p e t e w i t h t h e s c h o l a r w h o is p r o d u c i n g s u b -
through
subject
bibliography
but
4. G o o d s u b j e c t b i b l i o g r a p h y c o v e r i n g all
fields of k n o w l e d g e c o u l d r e p l a c e t h e s u b j e c t
catalog.
This
is n o t
a new
idea, b u t
I
ject bibliography.
First, the scholar has the
a d v a n t a g e in k n o w l e d g e of his a r e a of interest.
Second, and
more important,
the
w o u l d like t o a d d a n o t e of c a u t i o n in re-
s u b j e c t b i b l i o g r a p h e r is w o r k i n g o n e n t i r e l y
gard
different principles f r o m the subject
t o it, p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r t h e b e n e f i t of
catalogers w h o become dejected w h e n they
loger and the periodical indexer.
r e a d s t a t e m e n t s of t h i s k i n d
liographer
ately w a n t
and
t o be t r a n s f e r r e d
service d e p a r t m e n t .
immedi-
to a
public
I t w i l l be y e a r s b e f o r e
is i n t e r e s t e d
in a l i m i t e d
H e r e a d s w i d e l y in a g e n e r a l
collateral
fields;
cata-
T h e bib-
field
field.
a n d in
selects a p a r t of a
book
w e overcome the problems obstructing the
w h i c h , to the subject cataloger, seems u n -
p r o d u c t i o n of i n c l u s i v e a n d a d e q u a t e s u b j e c t
w o r t h y of e m p h a s i s ; a n a l y z e s m i n u t e
bibliography.
of p e r i o d i c a l a r t i c l e s in t h e s a m e w a y ; a n d
5. O t h e r
things being equal,
the
more
b r i n g s all of t h e s e m a t e r i a l s t o g e t h e r
specific t h e s u b j e c t c o v e r a g e of a b i b l i o g r a -
subject
p h y t h e m o r e u s e f u l it is.
statistical advantages.
in A Shakespeare
T h i s is a p p a r e n t
Bibliography
w h i c h is di-
vided into very n a r r o w categories.
A
re-
parts
b i b l i o g r a p h y g i v i n g it
into
tremendous
T h e cataloger w o r k s on obviously different
principles.
For
Vannevar
Bush's Modern
l i o g r a p h y of t h i s t y p e is m u c h m o r e l i k e l y t o
o u t s t a n d i n g b o o k of t h e y e a r , a n o u t s t a n d -
find assistance t h a n
i n g b o o k o n t h e s u b j e c t , a n d w r i t t e n by p e r -
in a b i b l i o g r a p h y
di-
haps
field.
T h e s u b j e c t c a t a l o g lists t h i s b o o k
under
two
A s bibliography becomes m o r e
and
m o r e specific, t h e e f f o r t r e q u i r e d t o c r e a t e it
living authority
is an
t h e r e is a s i g n i f i c a n t c o r o l l a r y to t h i s c o n c l u sion.
greatest
and Free Man
However,
vided into general subdivisions.
the
Arms
example,
s e a r c h w o r k e r b r i n g i n g a p r o b l e m t o a bib-
subjects,
WAR
and
in
the
MUNI-
T I O N S , despite the fact that the f o l l o w i n g
a n d t h e m a g n i t u d e of t h e final b i b l i o g r a p h y
s u b j e c t s a r e discussed a t l e n g t h :
become greater and greater. I n other words,
ION AND SCIENCE; C O M M U N I S M ;
if a b i b l i o g r a p h y o n S h a k e s p e a r e is d i v i d e d
DEMOCRACY;
i n t o six s u b h e a d i n g s , n o b o o k w i l l be c i t e d
ISM;
m o r e t h a n six t i m e s in t h e b i b l i o g r a p h y ; b u t
214
WORLD
(Continued
RELIG-
TOTALITARIANWAR,
1939-46—GER-
on page
COLLEGE AND RESEARCH
22j)
LIBRARIES
t h e y a r e t o d a y used f a r m o r e t h a n is a d -
ists w i l l rise in e s t e e m in t h e eyes of b o t h
mitted.
their o w n and other professions.
But subject cataloging,
the
most
i n t e l l e c t u a l l y d e m a n d i n g of p r e s e n t - d a y c a t a l o g i n g t e c h n i q u e s , w i l l c o m e i n t o its o w n .
It
should
assumed
O n e of t h e m o s t f e r t i l e fields f o r t h e n e w
be
noted
that
that libraries and
it
has
been
librarians
will
t a k e t h e i n i t i a t i v e in g u i d i n g t h e n e w biblio-
t o o l s is t h e c o n t r o l of m a t e r i a l s w h i c h h a v e
graphic
a l r e a d y been i n d e x e d a n d a b s t r a c t e d , r a t h e r
t h a t j u s t as i n d e x e s a n d b i b l i o g r a p h i e s w e r e
t h a n d i r e c t l y of s u b j e c t c o n t e n t .
For
g i v e n o v e r t o o u t s i d e agencies, so t h e n e w
ample, "it would
Selector
take the Rapid
only about
15 m i n u t e s
entries that
have appeared
to r e v i e w all
dexes w i l l c o n t i n u e t o e x p a n d .
information,
will
it is e q u a l l y
possible
w h o first realize their potentialities.
If t h i s
30
c o m e s to pass, if l i b r a r i e s d o n o t seize t h e
H e n c e in-
o p p o r t u n i t y a f f o r d e d by t h e n e w tools, it is
A n d hence
all t o o p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e i r r e s e a r c h collec-
s u b j e c t c a t a l o g i n g , in t h e sense of
of
But
devices w i l l be g r a s p e d m o s t e a g e r l y by t h o s e
the
in t h e l a s t
Abstracts."1S
y e a r s in Chemical
ex-
tools.
analysis
require greater
skill
t i o n s w i l l be l e f t t o w i t h e r i n t o i n n o c u o u s
desuetude
while
other
agencies
take
over
a n d h i g h e r s t a n d a r d s of s u b j e c t k n o w l e d g e .
their research functions.
L i b r a r i a n s w h o c a n q u a l i f y as s u b j e c t special-
change h u m a n n a t u r e ; but automotive trans-
M a c h i n e s do not
p o r t a t i o n has c e r t a i n l y disposed of t h e h o r s e
Ibid., p. T 119.
10
and buggy.
Subject Bibliography Versus Subject Catalog
(Continued
MANY;
TION;
STUDY
EDUCATION;
PHILOSOPHY;
AND
CINE—STUDY
and
U.S.
EVOLUSCIENCE-
TEACHING;
AND
from page
214)
subject bibliography.
H o w e v e r , w e do not
h a v e a n a d e q u a t e n u m b e r of c a p a b l e people
MEDI-
in o u r p r o f e s s i o n to p r o v i d e t h e l e a d e r s h i p let
TEACHING;
a l o n e t h e a r m y of t r a i n e d s c h o l a r s n e c e s s a r y
DEPARTMENT
OF
DE-
FENSE.
to d o t h e s p a d e w o r k .
P e r h a p s t h e l a t t e r is
n o t a f u n c t i o n of o u r p r o f e s s i o n , b u t if w e
7. T h e t i m e h a s passed w h e n w e n e e d t o
a r e t o a s s e r t l e a d e r s h i p w e m u s t e i t h e r de-
d e b a t e t h e m e r i t s of g o o d s u b j e c t b i b l i o g r a -
velop
phy.
numbers within
T h e l i b r a r y p r o f e s s i o n w i s h e s t o as-
s u m e s o m e l e a d e r s h i p in t h e p r o d u c t i o n of
capable
bibliographers
our
in
adequate
profession or
them into librarianship
from other
import
fields.
Rare Books in the University Library
Rare Books in the University
Library, published as P a r t I I of the J u l y 1949, issue of College
and Research
Libraries,
and issued as a s e p a r a t e by A . C . R . L . , received an impressive review
in The ( L o n d o n ) Times Literary
Supplement
f o r A p r i l 28, 1950. Copies of Rare Books in
the University
Library a r e still available a t A . C . R . L . H e a d q u a r t e r s , A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y A s s o ciation, Chicago, 111.
JULY, 1950
22 7