Page 183 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Knowledge Organization: Classification and Cataloguing Theory

Notes records pertaining to current periodicals. Chaindex and Stipdex are other known but less used
versions of these commercially available equipments.

9.4.6 Microform Catalogue

Catalogue entries are converted into microforms viz. microfilm, microfiche that cannot be read
by naked eyes and need special machinery to read the images in microform. The microform
reader magnifies the reduced images on the film or fiche and projects them onto a screen.
Microform catalogues are the output form of computerized cataloguing systems. These forms
have been used extensively in the production of library catalogues since the early 1970s.

Advantages of Microform Catalogue

(a) Microform catalogues are compact and occupy less space in libraries. The space
requirements of microform catalogues arise mainly because of space for microfilm or
microfiche readers.
(b) These are portable and accessible to users depending upon the number of copies of
catalogues and machines available.
(c) Multiple copies of these catalogues can be prepared easily and inexpensively.
(d) These catalogues are very easy to use and maintain.

Disadvantages of Microform Catalogue
(a) Microform catalogue cannot be used without microform readers.

(b) They also require special care and protection.
(c) They are useful only in very large libraries where massive data has to be stored and
retrieved. Microforms may not be that much useful in a medium or small library.

9.4.7 Machine-readable Catalogue

With the increasing use of computers and network communications, many standards have been
developed to suit the changing cataloguing practices, which have been universally acknowledged
and adopted. In machine-readable form, catalogue entries are rendered in a format that permits
input in computer memory for manipulation. MARC, UNIMARC, CCF are standard formats
used as a carrier of information between computers located at different locations. Catalogues
can be searched either offline or online. Offline search means that the computer can be used only
at certain times.

Did u know? At the available computer time, search must be made for collection or batch
of enquiries.
Online systems, however, can link directly to the computers that can be used immediately or at
any time for processing enquiries and searching. There are three major computer-produced
physical forms of library catalogues, which are relevant to offline access. These are:

Printed form: Entries are printed in conventional book format and are available in multiple
copies.

Card form: Each entry is transferred to one or more cards of standard catalogue card and
is filed just as in a conventional card catalogue.

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