Discusses the need to impose a rigidly controlled structure on the machine-readable catalog, the machine capabilities and limitations for achieving that control, possibilities for machine control of the catalog, and the extension of those possibilities to permit a degree of control not possible in a manual system. (Author/LS)

A comprehensive automated bibliographic control system has been developed by the New York Public Library. This system is unique in its use of an automated authority system and highly sophisticated machine filing algorithms. (23 references) (Authors)