Manual of Library Cataloguing

by John Henry Quinn

For CAPITALS underline three times in black ink.

For Small Capitals underline twice in black ink.

For Italics underline once in black ink.

For Clarendon or other heavy type underline as above in red.

For smaller type than the body of the catalogue mark the portions down the margin in red and black, or red and blue.

Before the catalogue can be sent to be printed, its form must be decided upon as to the size of pages, quality and colour of paper, the types to be used, and the style of binding, and these being settled, a specification must be prepared to guide the printer in his work, or to obtain tenders upon if the work of printing is open to competition, as is most usual with all work done for public bodies. Personal preferences govern many matters in connection with the “get up” of a catalogue, though in most instances there is a limit imposed by the necessity for economy in cost of printing, just as there so often is for economy of compilation. The styles ordinarily adopted in the catalogues of the lending departments of the rate-supported libraries may be referred to.

119.—The most economical and commonest form is royal octavo in size, printed with two columns on the page in brevier type, with the subject-headings in a heavier type, and notes and list of contents in nonpareil. Sometimes the authors’ names in the principal entry are printed in capitals and small capitals, and this serves very well for distinctive purposes. Occasionally a catalogue is seen in which the subject-headings are in capitals and the authors’ names printed in heavier type, with the result that the authors are too prominent and the subjects not prominent enough. If the authors’ names in all entries are printed in blacker type and the shelf or other finding numbers as well, the appearance is greatly marred, the page having a spotted look most unrestful to the eye, and the purpose for which the heavy type is adopted is defeated. Altogether it will be found that the heavier type to be effective must be used sparingly, and as subject-headings are much less numerous than authors’ names, the most dignified and satisfactory page is obtained by the use of heavier type for the headings rather than for the authors’ names. While this refers mainly to the dictionary catalogue, it is also the best style to adopt for the classified catalogue. All type used should be as plain as possible, either old or modern-faced, without fancy letters, and the heavier type should be similar in style and size to that used in the body of the catalogue. When two sizes of type are used for distinctive purposes, it is customary to pass over a size in order that the distinction may be clearer, thus if the body type were long primer, the contents and notes should be set in brevier and not bourgeois, and nonpareil should be used with brevier, and not minion. The following specimens of types will be found useful, especially as it shows the line space occupied by each size:

SIZES OF TYPE.