CATALOGUING THEORY PAST QUESTION ANSWERS (PAGE 18)
QUESTION THREE
a. Define cataloguing
Cataloguing is the process of creating bibliographic records for information resources (books,
journals, multimedia, etc.) by describing them according to standard rules and organizing them
in a catalogue for easy identification, retrieval, and access.
b. Three basic functions of the library catalogue
1. Finding Function – Helps users locate a particular item in the library collection (by
author, title, or subject).
2. Collocating Function – Brings together all materials by the same author, on the same
subject, or of the same kind.
3. Evaluating Function – Enables users to choose resources by giving bibliographic
details (edition, date, format, etc.) to evaluate usefulness.
QUESTION FOUR
c. Secondary sources of information
Secondary sources are information materials that analyze, interpret, summarize, or evaluate
primary sources rather than presenting original content.
d. Five secondary sources of information
1. Encyclopedias
2. Dictionaries
3. Textbooks
4. Abstracts
5. Indexes
e. Explanation of three secondary sources
1. Encyclopedias – Provide summarized information on a wide range of subjects, useful
for quick reference.
2. Textbooks – Organize and explain information on a subject, usually for teaching and
learning.
3. Abstracts – Provide concise summaries of research articles, helping users decide if the
full document is needed.
QUESTION FIVE
a. Six useful tools for a cataloguer
1. Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2 or RDA)
2. Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
3. Library of Congress Classification (LCC)
4. Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)
5. Sears List of Subject Headings
6. Bibliographic databases (e.g., OCLC/WorldCat)
b. Why classified catalogue is rarely used by users
● It is complex and technical, requiring knowledge of classification systems.
● Users often prefer simple author/title/subject searches rather than navigating
classification numbers.
● It is more useful to librarians for shelving and organization than for ordinary users.
c. Two differences between shelf list and classified catalogue
1. Purpose – Shelf list is mainly for librarians to check holdings and shelf order, while
classified catalogue is for users to locate resources by subject classification.
2. Arrangement – Shelf list follows the physical arrangement of books on shelves, while
classified catalogue follows a classification scheme (e.g., Dewey, LCC).
QUESTION SIX
a. The tool called “catalogue card”
A catalogue card is a small card (usually 3x5 inches) used in traditional card catalogues,
containing bibliographic details of a library item (author, title, subject, call number, etc.) for
user reference.
b. Bibliographic details on a catalogue card
● Author(s)
● Title and subtitle
● Edition statement
● Place of publication
● Publisher
● Year of publication
● Physical description (pages, illustrations, size)
● Series statement (if any)
● Notes (bibliographies, index, etc.)
● Call number (classification + author mark)
c. Benefits of parts of a book to a cataloguer
i. Title Page – Provides official title, author(s), edition, and publication details.
ii. Copyright Page – Contains copyright date, ISBN, publisher information, and
sometimes cataloguing-in-publication data.
iii. Index – Lists important topics covered, useful for assigning subject headings.
iv. Foreword/Preface – Gives insight into the purpose, scope, and perspective of the
book, helping cataloguers in subject analysis.
QUESTION SEVEN
a. Four inner forms of a catalogue
i. Author Catalogue – Entries arranged alphabetically by author’s name.
ii. Title Catalogue – Entries arranged alphabetically by book title.
iii. Subject Catalogue – Entries arranged by subject headings.
iv. Dictionary Catalogue – A single alphabetical list combining author, title, and subject
entries.
v. Classified Catalogue – Entries arranged according to a classification scheme (DDC, LCC,
etc.).
b. Understanding of special catalogues
i. Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) – A computerized catalogue accessible to users
within the library’s network.
ii. Web OPAC – An internet-based OPAC accessible remotely via the web.
iii. CD-ROM Catalogue – A catalogue stored on CD-ROMs, used offline before widespread
internet access.
iv. Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd Edition (AACR2) – An international standard
for cataloguing library materials, providing detailed rules for bibliographic description and
access points.
