A World Bibliography of Bibliographies

Abstract

THE need for the making of bibliographies arises from the multiplicity of books, the excessive production of which was a matter for complaint before the invention of printing. Bibliographies, or lists of books, existed before the Christian epoch. Not long after the introduction of printing, the recording of all books made became impossible and the difficulty became one of keeping track of bibliographies. Eventually the ever increasing number of bibliographies of bibliographies has justified the publication of Mr. Josephson's bibliography of bibliographies of bibliographies. To-day the aggregate of existing bibliographies is countless. Thanks to the work of the International Federation for Documentation, an increasing number are produced according to a standard system. Such bibliographies can be amalgamated into a single index, where all references to a particular topic, collected from a variety of sources in different languages, can be found immediately in one place. The great mass, however, are arranged according to a variety of systems, mostly alphabetical, which make amalgamation impossible. The adoption of individual systems gives rise to the need for a work by which to ascertain what bibliographies have been compiled on a given subject, and Mr. T. Besterman is attempting to meet the need by a “World Bibliography of Bibliographies” to contain about 24,000 entries of separately published bibliographies of all countries on all subjects. In addition to printed books, it will cover every sort of written matter as well as the subject classes of Patent Office Abridgements from 1617 until 1930. It is promised in two volumes, the first on October 1, 1939 and the second early in 1940. Orders should be sent to Mr. T. Besterman, 98 Heath Street, London, N.W.3.