Library Catalogue Vs Accession Register

Accession register is a record of the volumes aided to a library in the order in which they are received. Some of the columns of accession register are date, accession number, author, title, publisher, year of publication, pages, source, price, cost, volume, call number, withdrawal number, remarks etc. Some of the important functions of the accession register are:

(i) To furnish complete record on each item added to the library collection which can be consulted when       the item itself is not available.

(ii) To maintain a chronological record of the libraries growth.

(iii) To provide a direct method for tabulating growth, statistics, drafting annual report etc.

(iv) Useful for inventory, audit, insurance etc.

(v) Distinguishes several copies of the book.

(vi) Gives find information about the book, whether it is in library or withdrawn. Seeing the functions performed by Accession register, we can say that it is merely a stock register and it is a list of books chronologically received in the library, while a library catalogue helps in locating the book, serves many approaches through which a book can be traced i.e. author, title, collaborator, subject, series etc.

Library Catalogue Vs Shelf List

Shelf list is a ‘record of the books in a library arranged in the order in which they stand on the shelves’. Each title is represented by a card giving the author, title, edition, number of volumes (it any), number of copies (if more than one), call number and such other items as the library deems necessary. The call number arranges the cards in the shelf list in the same way as it arranges the books on the shelves.

In the beginning, the catalogues were compiled with the inventory purpose. But now this function is shifted to shelf list and catalogue is left free to develop on its all possible approaches. However shelf list serves the purpose of classified catalogue (can reveal the total books on the specific subject), if fails to give information as other approaches are concerned. While catalogue is used by the readers, staff list is used only by the library staff.

Catalogue Vs Bibliography

A bibliography is also a list of books, manuscripts, articles, illustrations etc with required bibliographical details, compiled on lines similar to a catalogue and is limited in its scope to either an author, or a particular subject, but is not confined to a particular collection. Its main purpose is usually to bring to the notice of readers an exhaustive or select list of documents relevant to the pursuit of his enquiry or study. They are used for book selection, reference service, inter library loan etc. But they do not give the exact location in the library. Though both catalogue and bibliography are basically lists and their entries are arranged in definite order but the scope of catalogue is limited to a particular collection. Bibliography serves as adjunct to catalogue by providing additional information about a book. As such catalogue and bibliography are not identical though the distinction between the two is very narrow.

Further Readings

1. Girja Kumar and Krishan Kumar. Theory of cataloguing. 5th ed. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing, House, 1986.
2. Horner, John. Cataloguing. London; Association of Assistant Librarians, 1970.
3. Job, M.M. Theory and practice of cataloguing. New Delhi: Metropolitan, 1989.
4. IGNOU. BLS-4. Library cataloguing theory booklet 1.
5. Needham, C.D. Organizing knowledge in libraries: an introduction to classification and
6. cataloguing. London: Andre Deutsch, 1969.
7. Sengupta, Benoyendra. Cataloguing: its theory and practice. Calcutta: World Press, 1964.
8. Vishwanathan, C.G. Cataloguing: theory and practice. 6th ed. Lucknow: Print House (India), 1986.