College and Research Libraries California Examines Divided Catalog Mrs. Nyholm is special assistant, New- berry Library. T N T H E A U T U M N of 1938 a brief article was written on the divided catalog in the University of C a l i f o r n i a Library. 1 In this paper it was promised that a further report on the use of this catalog w o u l d be f o r t h c o m i n g . A l t h o u g h it seemed easy at that time to fulfill such a promise, it has not been until n o w that this accounting can be made. T o report w i t h objectivity is not usually an easy task. T h e dividing of a great dictionary c a t a l o g — a costly p r o j e c t — u s u - ally has both supporters and opponents. In the f o l l o w i n g report, therefore, every effort is made to provide evidence on both sides of each question involved. It was decided early in the planning stages of the study to a l l o w the users to speak f o r themselves. In order to obtain data on use, 1000 mimeographed question- naires were distributed to students through- out the university's schools and departments — t o freshmen and graduate students, serv- ice men and civilians, and to professors and librarians. Each person checked his status only, omitting his name so that he might speak freely. T h e study was made w i t h the university administration's approval,2 and the faculty members were, in general, cooperative and interested. Some ques- tionnaires w e r e filled out by users as they 1 W o o d , A m y . " C a l i f o r n i a Divides Its Catalogue." Library Journal 6 3 : 723-26, Oct. 1, 1938. 2 T h e examinations were given by Jens Nyholm, then assistant librarian, University of California. B y A M Y W O O D N Y H O L M Its came into the library, but f o r the most part, the test was given to assembled classes. I n f o r m a t i o n was wanted f r o m students w h o w e r e not heavy users of the library, as w e l l as f r o m those w h o were. T h e professional librarians w e r e also in- cluded in the study. Students in the school of librarianship w e r e considered among the employees of the university library in tabu- lating answers f r o m the g r o u p called "librarians." T h i s group of answers, therefore, represents the reactions of a group of trained librarians rather than those of the California library staff solely. Questions Used T h e test itself consisted of six questions, phrased simply, with diagrams and illustra- tive examples. Briefly summarized, the questions were as f o l l o w s : 1. W e r e you aware that the university has a divided and not a dictionary catalog? 2. D o you find this divided catalog easier or more difficult to use than a dictionary catalog? Does it save time or take time? 3. D o you use the subject or the author- title catalog more frequently? 4. W e r e you aware, and if so, is it helpful, that the university has placed some duplicate subject cards in the author-title catalog, namely, subject cards for biographies? 5. D o you hesitate as to which catalog to approach, and have you heard complaints on this score? 6. W e r e you aware that the university has refiled its catalog according to a more strictly alphabetical scheme? D o you prefer this to the conventional system of filing? T h e first t w o questions w e r e the im- portant ones. A f t e r the exacting labor of breaking the catalog in t w o parts, h o w many users w e r e aware of the division ? H o w many f o u n d the change w o r t h w h i l e ? T h e f o l l o w i n g table summarizes the reac- tions of the patrons ( b y g r o u p s ) to the ques- tions on a percentage basis. Question 6 has been divided into t w o parts. In the discus- students provide some answer to this ques- tion. H a d the examinations been given earlier, the figures f a v o r i n g the change w o u l d not have been as high as the reports show. A final factor to be considered is the chance personalities represented in the g r o u p tested. A s the w o r k progressed on the analysis of the questionnaires, it be- T A B L E RESPONSES OF 1 , 0 0 0 USERS TO V A R I O U S ASPECTS OF THE D I V I D E D CATALOG (IN P E R C E N T ) Users (in per cent) Responses All Classes Librarians Faculty Graduates Under- graduates i . Unaware of the divided catalog IS 0 9 7 19 2. In favor of the divided catalog 74 6 0 54 6 8 78 3- Prefer use of author-catalog over subject catalog 6 I 65 77 4 8 6 1 4- Favor biography cards in author- title catalog 44 65 50 5 ° 4 0 5- Hesitate as to which catalog to ap- proach 45 7 4 0 45 5 ° 6 . Unaware of changes in filing code 49 0 5 ° 27 58 7- Favor new filing code 8 2 6 3 77 6 2 8 7 sion which f o l l o w s references are made to this table. B e f o r e discussing the returns on the questionnaire, it may be w e l l to indicate the factors w h i c h relate to the dependa- bility of the answers. T a b u l a t i o n of the returns was carefully done by t w o persons. Both of these tabulators w e r e interested in providing an impartial answer to the ques- tion of the efficiency of the divided catalog. A n o t h e r matter of significance related to the time the test was given. Some li- brarians w e r e of the opinion that the test was given too late, and that the ideal time w o u l d have been soon after the division was effected, so that students w h o had used the old catalog could react more t h o u g h t f u l l y to the n e w catalog. T h e comments of the came evident that the personality of the users was a dominant factor in adapta- bility to the n e w catalog. T h e under- graduate w h o w r o t e : " N e i t h e r is easier. It depends upon a person's adaptability h o w soon he w i l l be able to use either c a t a l o g , " represents the median group. A t one extreme is the adaptable student w h o w r o t e : " H o w could it be easier?" and at the other, the unadaptable, w h o replied: " I t is too complicated, takes too much t i m e . " Awareness of the Division A s shown in the table, undergraduates represented the largest g r o u p of users w h o w e r e not aware of the division of the catalog. F o r a university the size of C a l i - 196 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES fornia, perhaps 19 per cent of the under- graduates, or almost one in every five, is within the range of expectation. It was found that many undergraduates did not even use the library. O n the basis of the sample, it was estimated that one out of every seven of the total university popula- tion was not aware of the division of the catalog. O n e librarian n o t e d : " T h e public does not seem to realize there are t w o catalogs. I find them looking f o r subject cards in the author file, and vice versa." In Favor of the Division N o w , after the expensive division, h o w many f o u n d that it expedited searching and saved time? A s noted in the table, three out of every f o u r , o r 74 per cent, f o u n d the divided catalog easier to use and ap- proved of it. D a t a indicated that the step had been a desirable one. Since the first t w o questions w e r e re- garded as fundamental, it may be w e l l to consider them in m o r e detail before turning to the other aspects of the study. T h e exhaustive considerations of whether the user's mind w o u l d react in this or that exact w a y , of whether this or that nicety in filing was m o r e important, of whether students w o u l d look in this or that exact place, gradually appeared quite useless. T h e y were merely the opinions of reference librarians and catalogers saying w h a t they themselves w o u l d or did do. A s the study of the papers continued, it became obvious that the majority of the students were voting f o r a system that gave them a sub- ject approach they had not realized the dictionary catalog had contained before. T h e y thought that thousands and thou- sands of completely n e w subject cards had been made f o r them. F e w showed the slightest conception that it was strictly an inside j o b of division and reassembling. A n d they liked it because the trays w e r e not so full, and that they had f e w e r cards to ( i n their o w n w o r d s ) " t h u m b , " " p l o w , " " w a d e , " " h u n t , " " f u m b l e , " " f i l e , " " l e a f , " " p i c k " and " p o k e " through. It is difficult to believe this situation existed unless one actually reads excerpts f r o m the student reports. T h i r t y odd examples have been selected f o r illustration of this important aspect of the study. T h e f o l l o w i n g quotations are taken f r o m reports of graduate students: " I t is a great help if you don't k n o w the b o o k written on a certain subject to be able to go to the subject catalog and find a list of t h e m . " " N e w subject catalog is one of the best parts of the library, because it doesn't require that you have a specific author o r title in m i n d . " " W h e n writing a comprehensive term paper on India w i t h o u t having a book list to refer to, the subject catalog gave me a list of books on that subject. W i t h o u t the subject catalog I w o u l d have had to spend many m o r e hours on hunting books written about India, and w o u l d probably have not found all that w e r e available." " I n the case of a term paper, w h e r e you have a subject to w o r k on, but no definite references, the sub- ject file is a great help." " W h e n w r i t i n g a paper w i t h o u t specific references in mind, one may l o o k in the subject catalog and find appropriate books (since one cannot b r o w s e among books in the particular section to find ones which are g o o d ) . " Undergraduates T h e f o l l o w i n g quotations are f r o m undergraduate students: " B e c a u s e I often have a subject to look up that I have no idea of any book on, the sub- ject catalog is invaluable." " O f t e n t i m e s l o o k - ing f o r subject material and do not k n o w titles o r author under which to look. A l s o seldom have time to collect such i n f o r m a t i o n m y s e l f . " " I w a s w r i t i n g a paper on G r e e k education and saved a great deal of time by using the subject catalog when I didn't k n o w w h a t books to read." " I t isn't necessary to k n o w authors or the titles of books to go through the subject catalog f o r each book. T h e y w i l l all be under the subject division." JULY, 1948 197 " I f you are w o r k i n g on a term paper, by using the subject catalog you can find all the books on the one subject. If a dictionary c a t a l o g w e r e used there w o u l d n ' t be such a complete selection given on the one s u b j e c t . " " T h e subject file helps in finding references on subject matter f o r t e r m papers, etc., f o r which no bibliography is given." " W h e n writing a term paper you can l o o k in the subject catalog and find references you w o u l d not have been able t o locate under separate titles." " O f t e n in research w o r k the title o r author is not k n o w n . I t w o u l d be almost impossible to find the reference material in a dictionary catalog. T h e subject catalog is very helpful in this respect." " I n collecting data f o r term papers, I find the subject catalog most helpful with every book, article, etc., listed under the specific topic which I am at the time w r i t i n g o n . " " T h e subject c a t a l o g saves one f r o m l o o k i n g f o r separate books under separate titles and authors in the author-title c a t a l o g . " " M a n y times you may w a n t to find several books about a subject, w h e n you k n o w neither the author, nor the title. In this case, you can look in the subject c a t a l o g and find the i n f o r - mation w a n t e d immediately." " W h e n looking up a subject such as the M o n r o e D o c t r i n e , if nothing is k n o w n about the leading historians of the subject, this can easily be f o u n d by looking in the subject c a t a l o g under the specific topic. H o w e v e r , this research w o u l d take much longer in the dictionary catalog because the books w o u l d be filed alphabetically instead of being g r o u p e d together under specific topics." " A t times one wants books in general under a specific topic, but doesn't remember names o r authors." " R e f e r e n c e s to available source material filed together under subject matter need not be tracked d o w n individually. I frequently find much source material which I didn't realize is available, and could not have f o u n d if entries had not been placed in the subject file." " I n the dictionary type of catalog, the subject file is generally n e g - lected, and incomplete." Frequency of Use of the Two Parts S i x t y - o n e p e r c e n t o f the g r o u p re- s p o n d e d that the a u t h o r - t i t l e c a t a l o g w a s used t o g r e a t e r e x t e n t than the s u b j e c t c a t a - l o g . F a c u l t y m e m b e r s s h o w e d m o r e use o f the a u t h o r - t i t l e c a t a l o g t h a n any o t h e r g r o u p . E v e n the g r a d u a t e g r o u p , w h i c h s h o w e d a p r e f e r e n c e o f 4 8 p e r c e n t f o r the a u t h o r - t i t l e c a t a l o g i n d i c a t e d g r e a t e r use o f this c a t a l o g , since 10 per c e n t r e p o r t e d e q u a l use o f the t w o parts. O n e c o n s t a n t c o m p l a i n t arising f r o m the s e p a r a t i o n o f the s u b j e c t c a t a l o g m a y g i v e s o m e cause f o r r e f l e c t i o n . T h e r e t u r n s s h o w that s o m e o f the l a b o r - s a v i n g d e v i c e s o f c a t a l o g e r s are q u e s t i o n a b l e . M a n y l i - braries, w h e n t y p i n g their c a r d s , use an a b b r e v i a t e d f o r m f o r a d d e d entries a n d s u b j e c t s . W h e n r e f e r e n c e is m a d e t o a n - o t h e r c a t a l o g at a distance as results in a d i v i d e d c a t a l o g , the s a v i n g in t i m e o f t y p - i n g , h o w e v e r , b e c o m e s a d u b i o u s p r a c t i c e . L a c k o f entries f o r p u b l i c a t i o n s b y o r - g a n i z a t i o n s is a n o t h e r cause f o r c o m p l a i n t s . A s o n e user r e p o r t s : " M a t e r i a l by an organization (e.g. C . I . A . ) doesn't usually get a subject entry under the organization n a m e , " o r " T h e subject catalog contains entries only f o r material about an agency of the government, w h e r e a s their o w n reports in the author-title catalog are the best material about t h e m . " A librarian re- p o r t e d : "Students consider the w o r d subject to mean any topic which they have been as- signed. A s a consequence they are inclined to look in the subject c a t a l o g f o r c o r p o r a t e bodies. In this w a y the descriptivp material is f o u n d , but not the material written by the agency." T h e t h i r d m a j o r s o u r c e f o r c o m p l a i n t c o n c e r n i n g the s u b j e c t c a t a l o g w a s the existence o f c a t c h titles s e r v i n g as s u b j e c t s in the a u t h o r - t i t l e c a t a l o g . A g a i n , it is n o t o n l y the l i b r a r i a n s w h o are a w a r e o f this flaw in the d i v i s i o n . A p r o f e s s o r s t a t e s : " I n the field of filtration, I searched f o r books and articles: they w e r e not to be f o u n d in the subject catalog, but w e r e in the a u t h o r - title c a t a l o g . " A n o t h e r writes, not quite understanding, but a w a r e that something is 198 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES w r o n g : " F o r a person used to the dictionary catalog, a certain amount of time is lost remembering that this is divided and re- membering that the line between subject and added entry is sometimes a fine o n e . " A n undergraduate w r i t e s : " T h e books are m o r e difficult to find in the subject catalog because I ' v e o f t e n had to look in both the systems to find a b o o k . " T h e librarians, of course, are only t o o w e l l a w a r e of this. " Q u i t e frequently the f e w title cards begin- ning with the key w o r d will make a student think he has found the subject cards, and all the material here on a s u b j e c t . " A n o t h e r w a r n s : " W e k n o w that c a t c h - w o r d titles of subject value exist in the author-title catalog, so w e have to use the t w o catalogs always so as not to miss material." A n d the catalogers c o m p l a i n e d : " I n cataloging, w e must try to substitute subjects f r o m a frequently inade- quate list f o r c a t c h - w o r d title, which otherwise is a natural and easy solution." The Professors Cause a Surprise Impressed w i t h this use and this aware- ness, remembering the gratitude w i t h which the undergraduate was discovering the subject catalog n o w that it stood alone, the normal reaction is to decide that more time, more effort and more care should be put into subject w o r k . It is somewhat dis- turbing, therefore, when professorial opin- ions are examined. T h e first one states b l u n t l y : " I don't feel that it is a special help to have both. A n author-title catalog w o u l d be s u f - ficient." " T h e division is confusing until one realizes that the subject catalog is valueless and ignores it completely." A n o t h e r states: " I use the subject catalog so little . . . " " U s - ually I have a definite title o r author to refer t o . " T h e prize, though, is the indifference expressed as f o l l o w s : " A s I remember it, the subject catalog does not interfere in any w a y with my using the author-title c a t a l o g . " Duplicate Cards for Biographies In the division of the catalog all the cards f o r biographical w o r k s w e r e dupli- cated and appear in both the subject and author-title units. T h i s involved considera- ble w o r k , so m o r e than a little curiosity was present in examining the opinions of the users. O f the total group only 4 4 per cent f o u n d this duplication helpful. T h e favora- ble replies f r o m librarians w e r e highest, and this is probably related to awareness, since 52 per cent of the undergradutes w e r e unaware of the existence of the duplication. T h e importance of this matter is evident when one considers that one of the factors behind the division was the reduction of the size of the catalog, which was becoming so large as to impede rapid consultation. If hundreds of cards had to be duplicated, it is apparent that part of the gain is balanced by an expensive disadvantage. Which Catalog to Approach f A s shown in the table, 45 per cent of the total group has n o trouble in approaching the correct catalog. Undergraduates had the most difficulty in making the distinction between the catalogs, and librarians the least. T h i s finding is consistent w i t h w h a t might be expected on the basis of the experience of the users. It is significant to cite the remark of one librarian: " C a n only repeat that the divided catalog means much more w o r k f o r the catalog depart- ment : duplicate entries, special statistics, double checking." Students had more difficulty because they w e r e not sure of the contents of the t w o c a t a l o g s ; frequently they did not recognize the difference between a " s u b j e c t c a t a l o g " and any other catalog. O n e said: " I have been w o n d e r i n g if books are repeated in the t w o catalogs or if different books are listed in each c a t a l o g . " T h e w o r d i n g of Question 5 provided the students w i t h an opportunity to express themselves on the library service in general. Complaints irrelevant to the card catalogs were of course made. It was clear, h o w - JULY, 1948 199 ever, that students did not avail themselves of the instructional program of the library, w h i c h includes tours, handbooks, and bulle- tin boards, as w e l l as informational serv- ices. In Favor of the New Filing Code A t the time the catalog was divided, a n e w filing code had been w o r k e d out whereby a g o o d many of the conventional filing rules had been dropped in favor of a system as strictly alphabetical as possible. A l t h o u g h all the librarians k n e w of this change, almost half of the total tested w e r e unaware of the filing reorganization (see t a b l e ) . A m o n g the minority w h o w e r e disposed to f a v o r the old rules w e r e librarians and graduate students. Both of these groups considered the n e w rules as separating items w h i c h logically should stand together. T h o s e in favor of the n e w rules indicated that straight A - Z filing was m o r e c o n - sistent with the approach of the user, espe- cially the undergraduate, rather than that of the librarian. T h e catalog remains complicated, h o w - ever. A s one undergraduate w r o t e : " I can't make any statement as to time saved, or ease experienced, because I never noticed any difference in filing. I just keep l o o k i n g f o r the subject until I find i t . " Despite difficulty in use, however, it may be c o n - cluded that the m o r e strictly alphabetical filing code is f o u n d to be functionally su- perior to the conventional one. Summary T h e findings f o r the divided catalog should be examined cautiously; first, because the vote in favor of it was l o w e r ( 7 4 per cent f o r the entire group and as l o w as 54 per cent f o r the f a c u l t y ) ; second, because a great number of the undergraduates voted f o r it under the mistaken idea that it gave them f o r the first time a subject approach to the c o l l e c t i o n ; and third, be- cause the complaints w e r e more serious in that they came f r o m the unskilled people of the group, people w h o could not help themselves. T h e complaints of the under- graduate students indicated their inability to understand the n e w catalog and use it effectively. It should be stated that complaints came f r o m the skilled users also, particularly the catalogers, but on an entirely different basis, raising an entirely different problem. T h e i r complaints were concerning the con- siderable increase in operating costs. O n e of the reference librarians confirmed this f r o m another aspect by answering the examination w i t h t w o terse sentences: " D i - vided catalog 50 per cent slower. Filing 25 per cent faster." Despite the seriousness of the complaints, the evidence supports a divided catalog f o r a large university population. O n e reason is the sheer bulk of the cards. A greater reason is that many undergraduates are made aware, f o r the first time, of the sub- ject catalog approach w h i c h seems to them a n e w and remarkable thing. N o w , supporters of the dictionary cata- log may w e l l argue that this is an unsound and unfair reason to be used in support of a divided catalog. It is. But until the time comes w h e n adequate instruction in library techniques is introduced into our great uni- versity libraries by able and alert reference librarians, any change w h i c h makes stu- dents more aware of the resources at their disposal must be considered valuable. T o interpret this as meaning that the divided catalog makes it possible f o r students to use the catalog w i t h o u t help w o u l d be to entertain an entirely false conception, h o w - ever, f o r there is evidence that 22 per cent of the undergraduates experience great difficulty and confusion in its use. A n ironic touch was contained in another reason in support of the divided catalog. 200 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES M a n y of the professors were glad to have subject cards removed from the author and title section, not because it made them aware of the subject approach, but because separa- tion made it possible for them to ignore it. Seventy-seven per cent of them signified they used the author-title catalog almost exclusively. N o w , a thinking librarian cannot see in all this simply a victory for the divided catalog, but much more seriously, a defeat for the dictionary catalog. Apparently university catalogers should have resisted change when the first bright ideas for dis- carding the old classed catalogs were intro- duced. A l l that should have been done, apparently, was to type appropriate alpha- betical subjects on the classed catalog cards, making such additional subjects as might be deemed necessary, and leaving them in their separate cases. It would seem from this study that an earlier university public disliked the classed catalog, not because it had authors and subjects in t w o separate places, but because it was arranged by classification numbers which were too diffi- cult for the ordinary student to understand. W e have seen the influence of person- ality on the student votes. Is it too much to wonder if the type of personality that is always intrigued with a new approach, without sober consideration for every factor for and against it, influenced ad- ministrators to change f r o m the classed catalog to the dictionary catalog (with the telling argument of " n o more confusion— all in one p l a c e " ) when that change may not have best served the needs of the great university libraries? D i d catalogers resist both changes in the style of catalog because they were the resistant type of personality we have seen in the students, or rather was it that their staffs were always so pitifully meagre, their supplies so small, the de- mands on them so great, that they could not afford to throw themselves wholeheartedly into temporary experimentation? T h e great need would seem to be for an increasing number of trained people w h o will investigate, without bias and without exerting or responding to pressure within or without the library, the exact reactions of the library user, not what librarians think he thinks. T h e public has been seen as a many-voiced body, and as our libraries g r o w larger and larger we will be able less and less to make changes f o r any but the most pronounced need. California w o u l d seem to have done a distinct service to the profession in experimenting with its cata- log at this stage, and most of all in permit- ting its findings to be open for other li- baries to study in the light of their own needs and pressure. Research Assistantship T h e U n i v e r s i t y of Illinois L i b r a r y S c h o o l invites applications f o r a h a l f - t i m e research assistantship in testing and m e a s u r e m e n t . T h e position w h i c h calls f o r 20 hours of w o r k per w e e k carries a stipend of $ 1 4 4 0 f o r eleven m o n t h s and w i l l be subject to r e - n e w a l . T h e assistantship w i l l be open to h o l d e r s of the first degree in library science w h o wish to pursue a p r o g r a m of study l e a d - ing to an advanced degree in library science. A p p l i c a n t s must, t h e r e f o r e , meet the entrance requirements of the library s c h o o l . T h e h o l d e r of the appointment w i l l be permitted to c a r r y half the f u l l - t i m e school p r o g r a m . N o special experience o r academic equip- ment is needed although courses in educational psychology, educational o r psychological test- ing, and statistical m e t h o d w o u l d be u s e f u l . T h e assistantship is available immediately o r on Sept. 1, 1948. A p p l i c a t i o n s should be addressed to the director, U n i v e r s i t y of I l - linois L i b r a r y School, U r b a n a , 111. JULY, 1948 201