Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/94

LIBRARY CHRONICLE. Catalogues* Camberwell Public Libraries. Catalogue of books in the Central Library (Lending and Reference) ; compiled by Edward Foskett, F.R.S.L., Chief Librarian. London: Printed by Cooper and Budd, 1893. 8vo., 570 pp. No one can question the industry of the Chief Librarian of the Cam- berwell Public Libraries. This is the fourth catalogue issued by him since 1890, and in some respects it is a very remarkable piece of work. The number of volumes catalogued is stated to be over 20,000, of which 13,615 are in the lending and 6,413 in the reference department. Mr. Foskett wisely divides his catalogue into two parts, but a more prominent type might have been used with advantage for the running headline, to prevent the chance of readers referring to the wrong portion of the book. With that trifling exception the style of typography is all that can be desired, and the execution of the work reflects credit both on author and printer. We have not hunted up and down the pages of this catalogue for small misprints which will slip into the most careful piece of printing. No doubt they exist here, but their discovery can be of no service to anyone except the compiler, and, from what we know of pre- vious catalogues issued by Mr. Foskett, we can confidently say that all care has been taken to avoid them. The plan adopted is what is known as the dictionary catalogue, but several new features have been introduced which require careful explanation and criticism. Mr. Foskett writes in his preface, "All the works of biography, fiction, French literature, German literature, history, music, poetry, travel, c., have been grouped under their respective headings in alphabetical as well as numerical sequence, the lists thus forming dual keys to books and library-indicators." Of the value of such a list as the fiction for use with the indicator no one can for a moment deny, and it appears to us to be remarkable that both the numerical and alphabetical sequence in a list of 5,500 books have been successfully maintained down to the very last volume added to that class. It should be noted that if we look for Dickens in the body of the catalogue, we are referred to fiction for his novels. In this respect the catalogue does not adhere to the dictionary plan, but probably the novel-reader will prefer to have all his literary food within thirty-two pages, rather than have to range over the whole catalogue. We have tested a number of entries in biography, and find that the class list has been more carefully prepared than the entries in the catalogue proper. The biography is invariably entered under the author, but the subject entry is frequently omitted. Sometimes under the subject the entry is fully recorded, and at other times there is merely a reference to the class- list. While we regret this want of uniformity in treatment, we notice with pleasure that in the biography class-list the years of birth and death have been supplied for the convenience of readers. This, in itself, renders the catalogue of value to everyone, and must have entailed no