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lisawhelpley's review against another edition
4.0
Really interesting! The pictures are fun but the text of this book was fascinating for those who love libraries. From standardizing the size of index cards used to digitization, this was just long enough to keep the reader interested.
spiky50's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully produced, with a fairly short history of the card catalog in the US. Also included are a number of pictures of early editions of well known books together with their LOC catalog cards. Having used card catalogs for many years, it was delightful to revisit the memories of thumbing through the cards in the sturdy oak drawers. I just wish that there had been more information on the actual process of cataloging.
angeliqueazul's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
2.5
The design of this book is gorgeous. However, the writing left something to be desired... the concluding paragraphs were absolutely wild in terms of book history facts ("as quills are no longer pressed into wet clay" - um, what?).
Both the title and the blurb makes it seem like this book is a general history of the card catalog, whereas the book is actually 90-95% focused on the card catalog as it relates to the history of the Library of Congress. It was very interesting to learn about the history of the LoC and its catalog, because it had a central role in the development of card catalogs in libraries across the US. However, I would have liked there to be a bit more contextualization (only here and there do we get short mentions about Europe, Asia or the Middle East).
Also, this book is a very quick read because most of the pages show book covers and (mostly) corresponding catalog cards. Unfortunately, the books were chosen based on significance to the American literature canon. I think this is a missed opportunity: I wish that someone had taken the time to look for interesting cards in the card catalog of the LoC to include cards in the book that have notes, or that reveal changes in standards and sentiments over time. Also, none of the cards were explained and we do not get an explanation on how a card catalog is used, which makes this not a very good introduction to the subject matter.
Who is this book for? A lay person might marvel at the pretty pictures but if they have never used a card catalog, they will not learn much; whereas a librarian or researcher will come away dissatisfied by the style over substance approach of this book.
Interesting but disappointing, would not recommend.
Both the title and the blurb makes it seem like this book is a general history of the card catalog, whereas the book is actually 90-95% focused on the card catalog as it relates to the history of the Library of Congress. It was very interesting to learn about the history of the LoC and its catalog, because it had a central role in the development of card catalogs in libraries across the US. However, I would have liked there to be a bit more contextualization (only here and there do we get short mentions about Europe, Asia or the Middle East).
Also, this book is a very quick read because most of the pages show book covers and (mostly) corresponding catalog cards. Unfortunately, the books were chosen based on significance to the American literature canon. I think this is a missed opportunity: I wish that someone had taken the time to look for interesting cards in the card catalog of the LoC to include cards in the book that have notes, or that reveal changes in standards and sentiments over time. Also, none of the cards were explained and we do not get an explanation on how a card catalog is used, which makes this not a very good introduction to the subject matter.
Who is this book for? A lay person might marvel at the pretty pictures but if they have never used a card catalog, they will not learn much; whereas a librarian or researcher will come away dissatisfied by the style over substance approach of this book.
Interesting but disappointing, would not recommend.
sybrasays's review against another edition
4.0
This book was full of fabulous images and a detailed history of card cataloging, mainly within the U.S. Library of Congress. The pictures are by far my favorite part of this book, especially the pages with an original book cover on the left page and the catalog card on the right page.
broncoannee's review against another edition
Good and interesting read, particularly for library nerds. Only problem: Mentions (photos) of books only added more to my tbr list. #booknerdproblems
jennifermreads's review against another edition
4.0
"A library without a catalog is as a ship without a rudder." -- 1897 Report of the LibrarianA fascinating, brief volume on the origins of the card catalogue, cataloguing itself, and the Library of Congress. Each chapter contained six-to-twelve pages of prose followed by a varied number of double-page spreads highlighting collection pieces with their corresponding catalogue cards.
While the history was intriguing and presented in a readable-not-textbook format, I was disappointed that no context was given as to the inclusion of the selected images & cards. They seemed to have been picked at random and were included without explanation as to the notations on the cards. Yes, some images did have additional information given in the captions. But any additional information did not connect the image to the preceding chapter nor offer insight as to the contents on the card itself.
But, despite the lack of context for the images, this is a book-with-books. So have your reading list handy because you will surely be reminded of a classic you have long meant to read—or learn of one you had not heard of. For me, I was reminded I have not yet read [b:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn|14891|A Tree Grows in Brooklyn|Betty Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327883484l/14891._SY75_.jpg|833257] and I had not heard of [b:The Member of the Wedding|330244|The Member of the Wedding|Carson McCullers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403187223l/330244._SY75_.jpg|604941], [b:The Slant Book|2058305|The Slant Book (Peter Newell Children's Books)|Peter Newell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1364139372l/2058305._SY75_.jpg|2063484], or [b:The Fire Next Time|464260|The Fire Next Time|James Baldwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1657560861l/464260._SY75_.jpg|1129041], all of which I immediately put on hold at my local library.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
RATING: 4 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
Please note that I did not "read" the entire book as it is more of a reference and coffee table book. It is one you will pick up a lot but difficult to read front to back. This is one I would like to buy.
(Review Not on Blog)
Please note that I did not "read" the entire book as it is more of a reference and coffee table book. It is one you will pick up a lot but difficult to read front to back. This is one I would like to buy.
cdcook2's review against another edition
4.0
The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures is a well-written introduction to the basic concepts of library cataloging and bibliographic control. The author does a masterful job of condensing the history of cataloging from ancient times to the present for general readers. But who is the author? The book’s cover and title page prominently display “The Library of Congress” in the author position above “Foreword by Carla Hayden.” Likewise, the copyright page and Cataloging-in-Publication data give authorship credit to The Library of Congress. Once we dig deeper and read the introduction signed by Peter Devereaux, we gather that he must be the author. Our suspicions are confirmed, finally, by Devereaux’s acknowledgments at the end of the book. I find this treatment of the book’s actual author to be questionable. I do realize he must have written the book as part of his job duties at the Library of Congress, but I still feel that he deserves more prominent billing.
The concept behind this book is similar to an exhibition catalog from a library or art museum. Explanatory text on the history and function of card catalogs is interspersed with lavish illustrations, in this case mostly book covers accompanied by sometimes corresponding catalog cards. I say sometimes because the cards selected do not always match the book pictured next to them. This is acceptable but it would have been better if the author pointed this out in every case, not just some cases. Consistency is, after all, a cornerstone of library cataloging.
Some of the cards depicted seem to be copyright file cards or authority file cards, neither of which are explained in the text. In fact, most of the cards are not described at all even though the book’s design would have allowed for it. What does the ink stamp “Condemned” on the card for Jack London’s Call of the Wild (shown on page 133) mean? We are left to wonder. The card on page 191—which is a See reference card—refers to Carson McCullers with a male pronoun but is corrected in pencil to a female pronoun. This is an intriguing detail in the history of the card catalog, especially given the importance of her sexuality to McCullers’ biography and work. Many of the cards depicted leave the reader wanting to know more. In a rare case of the author providing more detail in a caption about a Carol M. Highsmith photograph on page 181, the photograph itself is actually missing from the book. This is an unfortunate oversight that hopefully will be corrected in later printings.
Lastly, a pet peeve. There are quotations throughout the book that are uncited. We can only assume that they may be found in one of the ten books listed in the short bibliography and then we’ll have to dig for them.
Overall, I enjoyed reading The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures and even had difficulty putting it down a few times. I wish the book were manufactured in the United States given that it is a federally-sanctioned publication but I understand the economics faced by Chronicle Books in the modern, global publishing environment. Book lovers, library lovers, and lovers of organization will enjoy this book.
http://cdcook.org/blog/blog/2017/04/22/review-of-the-card-catalog-books-cards-and-literary-treasures/
The concept behind this book is similar to an exhibition catalog from a library or art museum. Explanatory text on the history and function of card catalogs is interspersed with lavish illustrations, in this case mostly book covers accompanied by sometimes corresponding catalog cards. I say sometimes because the cards selected do not always match the book pictured next to them. This is acceptable but it would have been better if the author pointed this out in every case, not just some cases. Consistency is, after all, a cornerstone of library cataloging.
Some of the cards depicted seem to be copyright file cards or authority file cards, neither of which are explained in the text. In fact, most of the cards are not described at all even though the book’s design would have allowed for it. What does the ink stamp “Condemned” on the card for Jack London’s Call of the Wild (shown on page 133) mean? We are left to wonder. The card on page 191—which is a See reference card—refers to Carson McCullers with a male pronoun but is corrected in pencil to a female pronoun. This is an intriguing detail in the history of the card catalog, especially given the importance of her sexuality to McCullers’ biography and work. Many of the cards depicted leave the reader wanting to know more. In a rare case of the author providing more detail in a caption about a Carol M. Highsmith photograph on page 181, the photograph itself is actually missing from the book. This is an unfortunate oversight that hopefully will be corrected in later printings.
Lastly, a pet peeve. There are quotations throughout the book that are uncited. We can only assume that they may be found in one of the ten books listed in the short bibliography and then we’ll have to dig for them.
Overall, I enjoyed reading The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures and even had difficulty putting it down a few times. I wish the book were manufactured in the United States given that it is a federally-sanctioned publication but I understand the economics faced by Chronicle Books in the modern, global publishing environment. Book lovers, library lovers, and lovers of organization will enjoy this book.
http://cdcook.org/blog/blog/2017/04/22/review-of-the-card-catalog-books-cards-and-literary-treasures/
foxmoon's review against another edition
5.0
One of the coolest books that I own. The cover is sturdy and the square shape is so cute and unique. If you are a book lover at all, this compilation is a treasure. There are beautiful full-color images of books, cards, and related memorabilia but there is a wealth (and not an excess) of information, too. The Card Catalog has been thoughtfully put together it is absolutely my new essential coffee table book.