199. When a single work fills several volumes give the contents under the author, provided the division is definite and easily described.
Object, that the inquirer may know which volume he wants; application, chiefly to dictionaries and historical works; method, in general, giving dates and letters of the alphabet, which take little room. It is particularly important also to fully describe in this way very bulky works; Walton’s Polyglott is a good example, in consulting which, without such a guide, one may have to handle ten gigantic folios.
200. Under the subject repeat so much of the contents as is necessary to show how the subject is treated or what part is treated in the different volumes.
This is particularly desirable in works with an insufficiently descriptive title which treat of several subjects, for which under each heading will be given its appropriate part of the contents. For example, Hugo’s “Jus civile Antejustinianeum” contains the originals of Antejustinian law, but this does not appear from its title, and if it did, it would be hardly worth while to save a few lines by obliging the reader to turn to Hugo to ascertain just what is in the book. On the other hand, the contents of Pertz’s “Monumenta Germaniae historica” is so long that only Fullest can afford to give it under Germany as well as under Pertz. In such a case the reader feels it to be more reasonable that he should be referred.
The contents is often more useful under subject-heading than under author; but it is best that there should be one uniform place where it can always be found, and where the whole of it can be found, and that place should be the author-catalogue.
201. Put into notes (in small type) that information which is not given in the title but is required to be given by the plan of the catalogue. {79}
Notes have several objects:
1. To give any information about the author, the form of his name, his pseudonyms, etc., about the different editions or places of publication, or about the gaps in a set (especially of periodicals), which can not be included in the title without making it disproportionately long. Short, especially if without imprints, can get many of these into the title; which it is well to do, for a short note is not economical.
2. To explain the title or correct any misapprehension to which it might lead. In a popular library the boys take out “The cruise of the Betsy,” imagining it to be another “Cruise of the Midge.”
3. To direct the attention of persons not familiar with literature to the best books. The main principles of such annotating are simple. (a.) The notes should characterize the best books only; to insert them under every author would only confuse and weary; if few they will arrest attention much better. Dull books and morally bad books should be left in obscurity. Under some of the poorer works which have attained unmerited popularity a brief protest may be made; it will probably be ineffectual; but it can do no harm to call Mühlbach unreliable or Tupper commonplace. (b.) They should be brief and pointed. Perhaps after this direction it is necessary to add that they should be true.