The Australian Library Journal

Review article: Seymour Lubetzky Writings on the classical art of cataloguing

Eugenie Greig

This volume is of major importance for much more than its historical value in the annals of cataloguing. I think 'classical' in this context should be taken as signifying ideas firmly based on consistent reasoning - not just as traditional cataloguing in comparison with more 'mechanical' approaches to the topic, or as a practice fixed in some bygone 'golden age'. There is no time-warp here: the skill and clarity of Lubetzky's views, his expression of them and his emphasis on objectives and principles, make his writings a useful model in any current re-thinking of access provision by author and title.

Each of Lubetzky's pieces possesses its own fresh approach to many and varied aspects of the field. He writes succinctly, but adopts a widely varied vocabulary to enliven his technical discussion, as well as humour and elegance. For instance, in 'Capital punishment for catalogers?' (pages 10 to19) for capital letters and capitalisation he refers to: 'the double alphabet' 'to lower capitals' 'devastation of capitals' 'bestowing of capitals...' It is little wonder that, as an excellent communicator with original views, he was highly acclaimed as a teacher at UCLA.

Lubetzky's readable style in his articles, conference papers and reports is enhanced by Elaine Svenonius and Dorothy McGarry's introductions. They reveal their enthusiasm for and insights into Lubetzky's work and reflect their own long experience as cataloguing professionals and educators. They have written just enough to set each piece in context and invite one to read on. For instance, on page 55:

'Principles of cataloging' is quintessential Lubetzky... few works in the library literature are so pleasurable to read... Each word is chosen thoughtfully; stories and images are used to reinforce major ideas. The thinking is powerful, in part a reformulation of earlier tenets, in part speculation about the automated future of cataloging...

and, in introducing a paper presented by Lubetzky at a 1980 conference on the second edition of AACR (Anglo-American cataloguing rules) on page 367:

With a gloved hand Lubetzky praises the new code, while suggesting reasons [why] it might be buried...

Lubetzky believed that the failings of AACR2 outweighed its improvements over AACR1. He found that it was not grounded in clear principles. It weakened the notion of corporate authorship, about which broad international agreement had been so hard won only years before; it dealt unsatisfactorily with the entry of serials and other continuing works, and it incorporated the ISBD. The latter, to his mind, made entries far less clear because of the punctuation and also because of rigidity with regard to the recording of some of the required elements. Worst of all, the new code pointed the way towards title unit entries, whereas he steadfastly held the main entry to be fundamental to the objective of revealing the works of an author and the editions of those works.

Initially editor of the Cataloging Code Revision Committee for AACR1, Lubetzky describes how that committee began its work by considering afresh the purposes of library catalogues and the associated problems and possible solutions. In 1962, however, he resigned from the Committee, believing that the Code's ideological basis was becoming compromised as revision progressed.

For instance, he did not agree that certain non-book materials such as films should be 'excluded from the principle of authorship' on the basis of format (page 283). On the other hand, he showed how title entry could be far more useful than compiler main entry for certain monographs issued under a well-known title in successive editions, where the editor changed from one edition to the next.

This reasoning regarding 'works of changing authorship' was not based on format or genre, however, but on their condition as ongoing publications (pages 288-289). Since many more forms of continuing publication and revision have now arisen, both in print and computerised, this condition of publishing has received more attention from cataloguers. The best thinking looks beyond notions of 'monograph' and 'serial' to works of 'ongoing' as opposed to 'static' publishing (Cf. Issues related to seriality, by Jean Hirons and Crystal Graham. Paper delivered at the International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR, Toronto, Canada, 23-25 October 1997).

Writing at the beginning of the automated cataloguing era, Lubetzky acknowledged that gains could be made by exploiting the computer's potential; but he emphasised that 'In considering these implications and weighing possible changes in existing cataloging methodology ... it is very important to make sure that the purposes behind the existing rules or methods and the problems involved are fully understood' (page 324). These days, the experience of consulting many online catalogues tends to suggest that thinking about purposes and ease of use has not always been a priority for some automated catalogue designers.

Browsing is a case in point. Lubetzky is very concerned with the visual in catalogue design, especially the arrangement of entries with regard to catalogue size and complexity. Also, he cannot see how users are helped by having some descriptive details relegated to a note position, while quite similar elements might be located in the body of the entry. Added entries on unit cards were far from ideal, he concedes; but online, an added entry name could easily be mistaken for an author entry at the initial screen, which could be far more misleading.

Lubetzky's contention is that the catalogue needs to be neither a reference work laden with information, nor a simple finding list of individual titles. 'A helpful guide to the library's resources' was all that was needed - one which would 'call ...[the user's] attention to related materials in the library which might be pertinent to his interest and thus help him to utilize more fully and adequately the library's resources' (page 270).

'I have emphasized as a fundamental objective of cataloging to relate the works of an author and the editions of a work', he says (page 224). This principle of displaying bibliographical relationships effectively has been advanced in the work of many subsequent cataloguing theoreticians, although actual online catalogues still often fall dismally short, in practice.

The need for setting out relationships remains, in the search for feasible ways of cataloguing so as to direct users to extensive and ever-changing online/on-disk materials, alongside collections catalogued as in the past. The spirit of Lubetzky's user-oriented thinking still comes into play in defining the principles for access provision in the age of internet cataloguing and metadata. And his analytical approach, honestly applied, can quickly reveal where improvements are necessary to existing access provisions.

Photographs and biographical information about Seymour Lubetzky's professional life, show him to have maintained a cheerful approach to many challenges. One feels thankful to his mentors at LC and elsewhere, who encouraged him during some difficult times in his career, perceived his ability and assigned him tough tasks, along with the time needed to research and develop considered ideas. It is only a shame that he felt unable to continue with the official revision of AACR.

Seymour Lubetzky was 41 when he first went into cataloguing in 1939 (pages 2-8); and 100 when he wrote his latest paper in collaboration with Elaine Svenonius, for presentation at his Centennial Celebration at the University of California Los Angeles in 1998.

Many of Lubetzky's reports would nowadays be difficult to come by in their original form. Elaine Svenonius and Dorothy McGarry have done librarianship a great service by assembling this first collected edition and contributing their perceptive comments. Their efforts and their appreciation of the author have increased the readability of the volume, and enhanced the value of its message. They have included a comprehensive chronological bibliography of Lubetzky's professional writings and an index.

I think this is a milestone publication, a refreshing read for all involved with teaching, learning and practising cataloguing, and an encouragement to those concerned with thinking honestly about the principles as well as the nitty-gritty of access provision for information in the electronic age.