The Decline of the Printed Catalogue in Britain

In the nineteenth century British public library catalogues were invariably printed, and sold in the form of a book. They were usually dictionary catalogues, with author, title and subject entries interfiled in a single alphabetical sequence. During the 1890s controversy began to rage regarding the benefits of such catalogues, and gradually classified catalogues began to appear alongside them. By the end of the nineteenth century other physical forms, cards or slips, were appearing, initially as supplements to printed catalogues and then replacing them. After 1918 the increased cost of printing accelerated their decline, so that by the late 1930s printing was practically reserved for lists of new accessions. A very few authorities continued with printed catalogues after 1945, and there was a brief resurgence in the 1960s due to computerization. The appearance of the online catalogue in the 1980s ultimately spelt the end of all other physical forms.