Page 36 - DLIS102_LIBRARY_AND_ITS_USERS

Unit 5: Library Catalogues

Many complications about alphabetic sorting of entries arise. Some examples: Notes
• Some languages know sorting conventions that differ from the language of the catalog. For
example, some Dutch catalogs sort IJ as Y. Should an English catalog follow this suit? And
should a Dutch catalog sort non-Dutch words the same way?
• Some titles contain numbers, for example 2001: A Space Odyssey. Should they be sorted as
numbers, or spelled out as Two thousand and one?
• de Balzac, Honoré or Balzac, Honoré de? Ortega y Gasset, José or Gasset, José Ortega y?

For a fuller discussion, see collation
In a subject catalog, one has to decide on which classification system to use. The cataloguer will
select appropriate subject headings for the bibliographic item and a unique classification number
(sometimes known as a “call number”) which is used not only for identification but also for the
purposes of shelving, placing items with similar subjects near one another, which aids in browsing
by library users, who are thus often able to take advantage of serendipity in their search process.

Analyze the card cataloguing rules.

Self Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions:
4. A formal catalog, sorted alphabetically according to the authors’ or editors’ names of the
entries is called:
(a) Author card (b) Title catalog

(c) Dictionary catalogue (d) None of these.
5. IFLA stands for:
(a) International Federation of Library Association
(b) International Federation of Laboratory Association
(c) International Federation of Laboratory Associates
(d) International Federation of Law Association.

5.2 Effectiveness

Cost benefit/cost effectiveness studies

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is a form of economic analysis that compares the relative costs
and outcomes (effects) of two or more courses of action. Cost-effectiveness analysis is distinct from cost-
benefit analysis, which assigns a monetary value to the measure of effect. Cost-effectiveness analysis
is often used in the field of health services, where it may be inappropriate to monetize health effect.
Typically the CEA is expressed in terms of a ratio where the denominator is a gain in health from a
measure (years of life, premature births averted, sight-years gained) and the numerator is the cost
associated with the health gain. The most commonly used outcome measure is quality-adjusted life
years (QALY). Cost-utility analysis is similar to cost-effectiveness analysis.

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