College and Research Libraries


tween these poles. This is what Florida 
Atlantic University's system aims at; if 
it achieves this as well as the synthesis 
between the advantages and disadvan-

tages of the computer, the efforts at Uni-
versity of Illinois, Chicago and Florida 
Atlantic University will be vindicated. 

•• 

Cataloging for Document Retrieval 
at Florida Atlantic University 

INCLUDED in the cataloging of library ma-
terials at Florida Atlantic University is 
a procedure which involves the coding 
of specific information for the purpose of 
later retrieval of these materials. This 
coding is done on the same transmittal 
sheet that is used for the descriptive cata-
loging of materials for the computer-pro-
duced book catalog. As is indicated in 
the form reproduced here, three forty-
space columns are utilized for the coding 
of the desired information. The entire 
procedure may be described quite ac-
curately as an expansion of the collation 
and imprint of a document. The reason 
for the forty-space columns instead of 
the eighty-space columns of the typical 
IBM data processing card is that the 
length of each column was determined 
somewhat by the availability of space on 
the transmittal sheet. Also, future ex-
pansion of the procedure will be possible 
without a complete reformatting of the 
tran~mittal sheet. 

Some explanation, for the use of the 
term "document" in this article might be 
in order. The ·reader will realize that the 
coding areas on the transmittal form in-
clude many elements not ordinarily as-
sociated with a document. First, for lack 
of a better term, "document" is used. Sec-
ond, the retrieval discussed in this ar-
ticle includes types of materials other 
than the typical document. The library 
at Florida Atlantic University is an in-
tegral part of the Learning Resources Di-

MAY1964 

BY CLAYTON D. HIGHUM 

Mr. Highum is Assistant Librarian in Cat-
aloging at Florida Atlantic University. 

vision, and as such the catalog will include 
all materials, book and nonbook, that 
comprise the collection of the entire di-
vision. Therefore, rather than attempting 
continually to differentiate among the 
many forms of material included on the 
coding sheet, the word "document" is 
being used as an all-inclusive term. 

Most of the fields represented on the 
coding sheet are self -explanatory. There-
fore, no detailed explanation will be giv-
en here. Detailed instructions have been 
developed, however, and are given to the 
catalogers to assist them in the coding. 

In general terms, each labeled space 
that can be associated with the document 
being cataloged is either checked or 
filled with an appropriate, pre-estab-
lished code. The only limit to the number 
of spaces checked is the document being 
cataloged. It is assumed that the cata-
logers will analyze each piece of material 
carefully enough to insure adequate cov-
erage. Obviously, the more specific the 
analysis, the more meaningful and worth-
while a retrieval becomes to the patron. 
Some blank spaces have been left on 
the form to allow for future expansion 
or for the addition of elements that were 
forgotten or not justified for inclusion at 
the time the form was developed. 

Field 1-5 in area 81 provides. space for 
the indication of the type of main entry 

197 



The above coding was done for the follow-
ing source and is representative of the aver-
age amount done on a book of this type. 

Lamanna, Carl. 

Basic bacteriology, its biological and 
chemical background [by] Carl Laman-
na [and] M. Frank Mallette. 2d ed. 
Baltimore, Williams and Wilkins [1959] 

associated with a document. A check 
mark is placed in the appropriate space. 

Field 6-27 represents the imprint of 
a document in coded form. These codes 
have been developed and are in the form 
of alphabetical lists by city, publisher, 
and country. The cataloger refers to 
these lists for the appropriate informa-
tion. Each entry in the list is given an 
identification number which becomes the 
code entered in the spaces provided on 
the transmittal sheet. Data to be inserted 
in this field are for the original source of 
the document. If the document is a re-
print, the data are inserted in area 82, 
field 1-10. 

The dates to be entered in 81 : 20-2 7 
are those for the original issue of the 
document or documents being cataloged. 
For example, if a set of books includes 
volumes that were published at various 
times, the date of the first volume is 
placed in "Initial Date" (20-23), and 
the date for the most recent volume is 
placed in spaces 24-27. The "Terminal 
Date" of the set will be revised as more 
recent volumes are purchased. Single 
works or sets issued in a single year will 
be indicated with a terminal date only. 

Field 28-34 of area 81 is reserved for 
edition data. The word "issue" is used 
here to eliminate the confusion that some-
times results from an attempt to define 
the term "edition" to the satisfaction of 
all concerned. 

Field 3 7-40 is provided to indicate the 
inclusion of bibliographic data and to 
identify, more specifically, the types of 
bibliography in a document. This field is 
an example of one in which a number of 
spaces could be checked for a single 
document. 

In area 82, field 1-10 provides space to 
code data pertaining to a reprint. A re-
print is defined, for coding purposes, as 
being a re-issue of a work from the 
original plates by some publisher other 
than the first. 

A section is provided by field 15-35 in 

198 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



which the type of illustrative material in 
a document may be designated. All spac-
es which apply to the document are 
checked rather than the more general 
types of illustration eliminated in favor 
of more specific. Therefore, if a book is 
fully illustrated, a cataloger could expect 
to check ten to twelve spaces in this field 
to describe adequately the illustrations in 
the document and to insure as being more 
useful any retrieval requested, either par-
tially or completely, on the basis of the 
illustrative material. Distinctions among 
various types of illustrations are made 
according to the definitions in the cata-
loging instruction manual. 

Spaces are provided in area 8 5 for the 
coding of descriptive data that pertains 
primarily to nonbook material. One will 
notice, however, that spaces 26, 35, and 
36 will often be used when coding print-
ed material. Here, again, the instructions 
for the coding and the definitions for 
each heading are found in the instruction 
manual. 

The information from the transmittal 
sheet is key-punched into data process-
ing cards and ultimately read onto mag-
netic tape as a part of the descriptive 
cataloging information for a specific doc-
ument. The cataloged data is stored on 
the magnetic tape according to the Li-
brary of Congress classification of the 
document, thus making possible a search 
of each cataloged item in the collection 
for specific information. 

The practical result of the coding for 
document retrieval will be the production 
of bibliographies and lists of library ma-
terials for students, faculty members, and 
librarians that will conform to their speci-

fications in so far as the type of informa-
tion they desire has been coded. One 
must remember that this coding pro-
cedure is not an attempt at information 
retrieval but an attempt at efficient and 
more worthwhile document retrieval. 

A faculty member might ask for all 
first editions of an author, published in 
Germany during a specified period of 
time, with primary bibliography, and ex-
pect to receive a printed list of materials 
in the library collection which meet his 
requirements. 

A student who is interested in illustra-
tions might ask for the materials of cer-
tain organizations known to be involved 
in the publishing of well illustrated books, 
limit the request by date of publication 
and specify colored portraits, colored 
plates, and colored maps. He also will 
receive a list of library materials that 
meet his requirements. 

One finds it possible to believe that the 
librarians at Florida Atlantic University 
may find much practical value in being 
able to cull from the collection, quickly 
and efficiently, special lists of materials 
that could greatly expedite the checking 
of certain specialized proposed purchases 
against the existing collection, or of spe-
cial lists that might become excellent tools 
for the reference department. 

The patrons of the Florida Atlantic 
University library who wish to avail them-
selves of the retrieval service will be pro-
vided with the necessary guidance to un-
derstand what types of information have 
been coded and the definitions of the cod-
ed headings. Obviously, such information 
will be essential if any worthwhile results 
are expected from a retrieval. • • 

199