Abstract :
Rare book cataloging codes and practices have been shaped
by a constant interplay between the tradition of descriptive bibliography
and the evolution of library cataloging codes. At the same time, technological
changes, such as the emergence of bibliographic databases and online
catalogs, have led to promises of increased flexibility and usability in records
for rare books. This article will focus on the development of modern
Anglo-American rare book cataloging, highlighting special access points
that often appear to exist outside the mainstream of library cataloging. By
focusing on the treatment of several “hallmarks” of rare book records in
codes published during the second half of the twentieth century, the development
of rare book cataloging and its relationship to the traditions of
bibliography and general library emerge. [Article copies available for a fee
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