A library is a growing organism, it follows that a library catalogue will keep growing the physical form of the library

catalogue has accordingly undergone many changes. Librarian has to decide what form of catalogue is suitable for his library and is convenient for the use of his clientele.

There are two forms of library catalogue,

1) Physical forms/external forms ; and 2) Inner forms /internal forms

The external form or the physical forms of a catalogue refers to the manner in which the catalogue is presented. In other words, the physical form of the catalogue is the outline and physical shape in which a catalogue is presented for use. The change in the form of documents from clay tablets in ancient times to printed forms in early nineteenth century, in addition to 20th century microforms and non print forms has influenced the physical forms of catalogue accordingly.

Whatever physical forms of a catalogue may have, It should have the following features, It must be easy to use. It must be easy to keep up-to-date. It should enable browsing on scanning over a number of entries at a time. Multiple copies must be easily produced. It must occupy as little space as possible. It should provide multiple access tools.

The physical forms of catalogue from distant past to the present, may be broadly arranged in the following categories.,
1) Conventional form or traditional form 2) Non-conventional or modern form

Book or register form

Guard book form

Sheaf form
Card form

In this from, the entries of documents of a library are written by land in a bound register or ledger, pages are set apart for different letters of the alphabets. These alphabets are arranged alphabetically. Minimum information about the document such as author, title, edition, accession number and class number is given for each book. There may be a separate register for author/title/subjects.

 It is simple and easy to handle or consult. Now-a-days multiple copies can be produced

due to Xeroxing facilities. Xerox copies of these catalogues can be placed at different locations in libraries. Even today small public school and college libraries have their catalogues in their forms. The printed catalogues of large libraries are helpful in book selection, classification, cataloguing etc. for other libraries.

 It is not flexible.
Entries for new books added cannot always

be inserted at their proper places as the out space is filled shortly. It is not up-to-date. Hence, new updated registers are to be prepared continuously.

Guard book form is a catalogue which in entries are mode on slips of paper maintained in the required sequence on the blank leaves of large guard books.

 It is easy to use and scan.

It is easy to guide.

It is feasible to produce multiple copies.

It permits insertion of new entries,

easily to keep up-to-date.

 To compile a guard book catalogue is a

time consuming job. Withdraws are a problem. Ina growing collection it becomes out of data very soon.

form of catalogue is one in which slips of papers are put into a loose-leaf binder and bound by some mechanical device into a volume. New slips can be inserted in appropriate places without disturbing the existing order of arrangement of entries.

A sheaf

 It is adjustable and portable which makes it

easy to consult from any part of the library. Its flexible nature renders it convenient to insert or delete entries as and when required. In can be kept updated without much differently. It is more compact and occupies less space:

 Generally one slip is used to record the

particulars of one document only. This leads to wastage of space on slips, which are larger in size.
Loss of slips due to mishandling by readers.

In this form, the bibliographical elements of every document are recorded on a single card. This method of representing every document on a single card is known as the unit card principle. In this form, A card catalogue are all of uniform standard. The card size ( 5 3 or 12.5 7.5 cm ) are used for each entry, which are then arranged in any desired order in cabinet drawers specifically made for this purpose.

 It is flexible in keeping it constantly

updated. The users and the library staff can handle it with ease. The card can be made more beneficial for the readers by using sufficient number of guiders with it.

 The card cabinet occupies much space as

such it creates the problem of space. It is not portable and so it cannot be consulted like book form, at every place. In busy library when as single user monopolizes whole tray or sections of the cabinet, it kills the time of other readers.