The Evolution of Bibliographic Systems in the United States, 1876-1945

THIS PAPER IS an attempt to describe the structure of the mechanisms and problems in the distribution and utilization of bibliographic data in US.libraries in the period from 1876 to 1945, or from the founding of the American Library Association to the close of the precomputer age. In this paper, a bibliographic system is defined as the compilation and nationwide dissemination of bibliographic information, either cooperatively or from a central source agency, to independent libraries. For the period under consideration it is appropriate to speak of the evolution rather than the development of such systems. The purpose of a national bibliographic system is obscured by the terminology of the times. In the voluminous literature on economy in cataloging, for example, librarians did not project a national bibliographic system but wrote in terms of specific topics. They wanted better catalogs with less expenditure of time and money and tended to omit stating the obvious-namely, that the savings would result in better service to library users. The system could release staff time and energy for more direct service to users or for expanded services. It would also provide higher quality bibliographic data, expand subject access to library materials, include more efficient access to a greater number of bibliographic entities, and furnish location information for a particular item needed but not available in the user’s local library. A comprehensive universal bibliographic system remains a dream of librarians. Two aspects of the system, bibliographic data from a central source and access to the item by interlibrary lending, had been part of Jewett’s dream for the Smithsonian Institution. His ill-fated