Which of the following is/are the Non-Conventional/Modern Forms of Catalog

(A). Bound register / Ledger form 

(B). Visible index form

(C). Microform catalogue 

(D). Loose-leaf form

The Correct answer is B and C.

Key Points

• Conventional Forms:
  • Bound register / Ledger form
  • Printed book form
  • Sheaf or Loose-leaf form, and
  • Card form 
• Non-Conventional/Modern Forms:
  • Visible index form
  • Microform catalogue
  • Machine-readable catalogue 

Additional Information

• Bound Register/Ledger Form:
  • In the bound register or ledger form, library entries are manually written in a bound register, with pages organized alphabetically.
  • Each entry includes basic information such as author, title, edition, accession number, and class number.
  • Separate registers may be maintained for authors, titles, or subjects.
• Sheaf or Loose-Leaf Form:
  • The sheaf or loose-leaf catalogue consists of individual slips placed in a loose-leaf binder, making it easy to add or remove entries.
  • Each slip contains one or more entries, and new slips can be inserted or removed without disturbing the existing order.
  • This format allows flexibility and can be used to maintain an updated catalogue.
  • Typically, each volume contains 500–600 leaves and is stored on special shelves.
• Visible Index Form:
  • This type of catalogue is used mainly in business and industrial libraries.
  • It consists of strips mounted on a frame or cards held in a hinged structure, with the headings visible.
  • Cards are housed in a steel cabinet (e.g., Kardex), often used for maintaining current periodical records in Indian libraries.
  • However, Kardex is not ideal for full library catalogues.
• Microform Catalogue:
  • Microform catalogues condense entries onto film or fiche, which cannot be read without a special reader that magnifies the images.
  • Microform catalogues are commonly used in large libraries for extensive data storage.
  • Microfilm is typically housed in a cassette, while microfiche is a transparent card format, offering direct access to individual frames, unlike microfilm, which requires serial searching.