This paper traces the development of classification at the Library of Congress in terms of its broader context and by accounting for changes in the present system since its initial period of creation between 1898 and 1910 and the present. Topics covered include: (1) Early Growth of the Collections; (2) Subject Access During the Early Years; (3) A.…

This paper argues that the ancient people of Kemet (Egypt), "the black land," built and operated the first major libraries and institutions of higher education in the world. Topics of discussion include the Ancient Egyptians as an African people; a chronology of Ancient Kemet; literature in Kemet; a history of Egyptian Librarianship; the…

Describes a historical study of cataloging rules through the "Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2d ed.," that was conducted to identify linking devices that have been used to connect bibliographic entities. Relationships that are part of the taxonomy of bibliographic relationships are explained, including equivalence, derivative,…

Between 1900 and 1905, Rudolph Focke published a series of papers on classification theory and a draft of a code for the construction of classified catalogs. His work was the direct result of the reform of librarianship during the last decades of the nineteenth century. The large number of classification systems used by German university and…

In 1905, Library of Congress Processing Services had about 100 employees in 2 divisions: Catalog and Order. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress since 1899, cataloging chief James Hanson, and chief classifier Charles Martel were engaged in restoring order to library's collections and centralizing cataloging activity for entire country. (41…

Describes the debate over the discarding of card catalogs once automated, online library catalogs are implemented. The discussion focuses on the classified catalog of the Science and Technology Department at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The neglected state of library archives and historical developments in library catalogs are considered.…

This overview of literature pertaining to philosophies and crosscurrents of cataloging highlights literature of 1905, cataloging codes, serials and textbooks on cataloging, cataloging aids, and selected themes 1905-1985 (cataloging for small library, union lists and catalogs, classification, catalog use studies, subject retrieval systems,…