Working Catalog, c.1876

File — Box: 09, Folder: 107

Identifier: MS002-09-107

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The initial form of this catalog was compiled by Doctor Theo West and put into use on 10 July 1874, although there may have been additions by the time it was copied by the directors of the library company into its current form. It was intended for publication, but was later advertised as merely being available at the librarian’s desk. It was therefore organized with the aim of finding books by title, like a printed catalog, rather than by number like the manuscript catalogs from before the Civil War. It remained in use until the company shut down after 1880.

The book contains a detailed history of the library company including the text of the 1799 act of incorporation written by “John Stewart, Keeper of the Rolls.” It is also the only extant catalog with a book plate, albeit one with the shelf location and classification numbers left blank.

The listing of books is missing the letters O and P at a point where the binding is broken, either because they were removed from this edition or never added in. Title information includes the title and number of each book as well as a “case” number (presumably for shelving) and occasional volume and date information. Space is left in many places for additional titles to be added, although in some cases this was handled by inserted slips of paper. For details on the organization of the title list see the arrangement note.

Dates

c.1876

Extent

From the Collection: 8.10 Cubic Feet (13 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 record carton)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The arrangement of the catalog is alphabetical by title with a few additional sections by subject. The alphabetical portion includes the letters A-N and Q-Y with the letters O and P missing. The subject headings are “History” after “H,” “Letters” after “L,” “Memoirs” after “M,” and “British Prose Writers” after “P.” A similar practice was used for the “Pamphlets” section of Drinker’s catalog of the 1830-1848. Books are numbered up to 4,314.

Processing Information

A previous processor had dated this catalog “1799?” but the second page of titles lists an “Address on the Life and actions of Gen. R. E. Lee delivered on the 12th of Oct. 1871 before the Society of Confederate Soldiers and Sailors in Maryland” which seemed unlikely to predate the Civil War by so many years, so a later date was sought. Although the initial catalog was completed in 1874, it has been given the date of 1876 when this copy was physically created by the directors.