because it is likely enough that an edition of Moore’s Melodies with music would be called for without regard to the composer, though the book may have been placed in the library more on account of the music. Therefore, both entries must be given, that under the arranger’s name being the principal, as
Balfe, Michael W.
Moore’s Irish melodies; with accompaniments. pp. viii., 192. la. 8o. n.d.
Moore, Thomas.
Irish melodies; with accompaniments by Balfe. n.d.
61.—When a book consists of a collection of essays or articles by a number of authors, gathered together by an editor, it is proper to give the principal entry under the editor’s name rather than under that of the first-named author in the contents. If a book of this nature is of sufficient importance, each of its divisions can be treated as a separate work, and author-entries given, each author being credited with his share only. As to how far books of the kind are to be so dealt with must rest entirely with the cataloguer, space and utility being the two important points for his consideration. It frequently happens that a single essay or section of a book contains the essence of many volumes, and to a busy man such essays may be of more real value than a whole book. Again, if a person is interested in the work of a particular author, he will be glad not only to have the complete books, but also his contributions to miscellaneous works as well, and these are shown by indexing the contents. To do this will add to the extent and cost of a catalogue, but it will, at the same time, add to its value and usefulness. Of course there are many volumes of this miscellaneous nature, the contents of which are of a very slight or ephemeral value, and to so index them would be a waste of energy and of space. It is quite as easy to overdo this indexing of contents as to carry it out judiciously, as witness the fact that some librarians have gone to the trouble of indexing the principal contents of such obvious works of reference as the Encyclopædia Britannica, and the Dictionary of National Biography. In this matter, then, it will be seen that no fixed rule can be laid down. Sometimes the setting out of the contents under the principal entry will be sufficient. This does not imply that the contents of volumes of magazines, reviews, and the like should be so treated, as is sometimes seen attempted, of course with sorry results so far as completeness is concerned, because at best but a selection can be given, and even this necessitates wading through pages of closely-set small type; in fact, the only real purpose it serves is to show what serial stories are in a particular volume. No one can gainsay the fact that an enormous quantity of valuable material lies hidden away in back volumes of magazines, but librarians must depend upon such works as Poole’s Index to Periodical Literature, with its supplements, and the Review of Reviews’ Annual Index to Periodicals to reveal it.
62.—In some libraries the contents of miscellaneous books are set out as well as indexed, but it is doubtful if it is worth while doing both in the majority of cases. The following entries show a well-known book fully treated in this way so far as the principal and author entries only are concerned:—
Essays and reviews, pp. iv., 434. la. 8o. 1860
Contains:—The education of the world, by Temple. Bunsen’s Biblical researches, by Williams. On the study of the evidences of Christianity, by Powell. Séances historiques de Genève: The national church, by Wilson. On the Mosaic cosmogony, by Goodwin. Tendencies of religious thought in England, 1688-1750, by Pattison. On the interpretation of scripture, by Jowett.