CHAPTER XIII.
ALPHABETISATION AND ARRANGEMENT.
113.—On the face of it, it seems a simple affair to arrange slips in alphabetical order—“as easy as a, b, c”—but, judging by the mistakes made, and the small number of persons who when put to it can alphabetise properly, it is not so simple as it appears. The arrangement is, of course, to be according to the English alphabet, and irrespective of the language of the entries, I and J and U and V to be kept apart as distinct letters, and then by each separate word.
One of the first principles is to arrange all entries leading off with the same word in accordance with what is understood as precedence and importance of entry, viz., (1) author and other personal names; (2) subject names; (3) titles of books; as, for example:
Ireland, Alex. (Ed.) The book-lover’s enchiridion.
(Author.)
Ireland.
Bagwell, R. Ireland under the Tudors.
(Subject.)
Ireland: a tale. Martineau, H.