and is preceded by the first letter of the author's name. For
instance, Bancroft's History of the United States is marked
973—8, to distinguish it from Hildreth's, which is 973—H. The
books are arranged under each class head by these letters.
The subject catalogue cards are arranged not alphabetically,
but numerically, according to the class numbers 001 to 999,
It will be noticed that there is often a red number over the
blue one on the subject card. This is a cross reference, and
means that although the book stands under the blue number
on the shelf, and deals primarily with the subject which that
number indicates, as 973, United States history, it may also,
as a whole or in part, refer to another subject. For instance,
a chapter giving a biographical sketch of a man may appear
on a card with a red number, 92 (a shortened form of 920,
which stands ' for biography) above the blue number, 973.
This is to give it a place in the catalogue with other biog
raphies, but the red number is to be ignored in looking for the
book on the shelf.
The new arrangemerit is to be a dictionary catalogue; that
is, the subject cards are to be added to the author catalogue.
The names of the subjects are written in, red ink at the top of
the cards, which are filed in one alphabet with the author
cards. The titles of books are also included in the alphabet,
so that the cards may read thus, " Bancroft (author), Basis of
Social Relations (title), Beetles (subject, red)," and author,
title or subject may. be found by simply following the alpha
beted cards until the first letter of the name is reached.
Only a few subject cards have as yet been inserted into the
author catalogue which stands next the reading-room door,
and until the work of changing is completed, the subjects must
be found in the subject catalogue by the use of the guides be
fore referred to.
Articles in the magazines upon the various subjects of debate
may be found by reference to Poole and to the cumulative in
dex, which stand upon the top of the catalogue case. The
principle is that of the dictionary catalogue, and author, title
and subject will be found arranged in one alphabet by their
The Card Catalogue.