Abstract
Description of a system for the production of a book catalog for an undergraduate library, using an IBM 1401 Computer (12K storage, 4 tape drives), an expanded print chain on the 1403 Printer, and an 029 Card Punch for input. Described are the conversion of cataloging information into machine readable form, the machine record produced, the computer programs employed, and printing of the catalog. The catalog, issued annually, is in three parts: an author & title catalog, a subject catalog, and a shelf list. Cumulative supplements are issued quarterly. A central idea in the depiction of entries in the catalog is the abandonment of the main entry concept. The alphabetical arrangement of entries is discuessed: sort keys employed, filing order observed, symbols employed to alter this order, and problems encountered. Cost factors involved in the preparation of the catalog are summarized.
Highlights
Such success as this project has achieved may be attributed to a number of factors: The entire operation was performed "in house;" we were able to draw upon the skills of many staff members on the Stanford campus-in the Library, the Administrative Data Processing Center, the Photo Reproduction Service, the News and Publications Office, and the Stanford University Press
IBM representatives, and the systems engineer assigned to the project, gave considerable impetus and guidance to the undertaking
Equipment was delivered on schedule and functioned well
Summary
Later it was decided to restrict use of the reusable binders to the shelf list, printed in four copies, and the supplements for the author & title and subject catalogs, to be printed in six copies, and to bind the basic annual catalog in standard book form. It was originally proposed to divide the catalog in a slightly different manner: names (as authors and as subjects) and titles in one section, and topical subjects in the other This seemed to have considerable logical value, it proved impossible to implement during preliminary work with card files, given the time and staff available. When Stanford first considered the costs of a book catalog in 1962, it was quickly discovered that the most expensive element was reproduction of the individual pages This factor influenced many decisions in design: The more entries per page, the fewer pages and less overall expense. The master tape record (Table 1) illustrates how all of the information appears on magnetic tape. (Figure 5 gives an example of the layout.)
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