New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-19
r1RRARJEs AND CATALOG UES.

Tho Astor Library is an institution when
has been exposed for many years 10 c"p.,ou'
and ignorant criticism. 1t is a unique coiioo-
tion for which Americans have reason 10 DC
grateful tn its founder. Yet because IL was es-
tablished for a specific purpose and meets the
reouire ments of specialists and students OF ill.,
orature and history rather than promotes the
convenience of general readers, it is frequently
d;sn,raped and seldom appreciated as it de-
serves. On this account we are giad 10 ica'n
that systematic effort is making to render liiiS
literary storehouse accessible to the puoiic ny
means of an enlarged catalogue. Dr. Cossweii'
the first superintendent of the library, began III
1857 ard completed in 1866 an aphaoeticai
LIST of titles and authors in five Volumes an IN
dex of subjects comprising 16O pages being IN
cluded in the supplement AS the COLLECTION
which was then indexed, embraced about one
half Of the volumes now on the shelves OF the
| Astor Library, the old catalogue has ceased to
have any practical value A new one Is
| ,roeptlv needed. and we confidently expect that
| when If is once supplied it will reveal stores OF
literary lore and materials for history and
| hocronhv the existence of which has never
been suspected.
word of caution to the managers OF that
| library ought to bo added on the subject OIL IN
dex-making. This is no longer the simple ana
| straightforward process it was when their hrst
catalogue was published Indexing has become
| n literary art which only few of the librarians
| of the country have succeeded in mastering. III
the managers of the Aston Library are merely
nrenaring to complete DR.. COgswePs work
within the lines of the original plan, they need
TO he reminded that method of catalosulng
which was good of its kind twenty years ago Is
now hopelessly behind the times There are
only three public libraries in the country when
are thoroughly and scientifically innexeu'
These are in Boston, Brooklyn and Baltimore
The New-Yorb librarians have been content
heretofore to be outstripped IN this branch Oh
literary art by their associates IN other CUES.
Their shortcomings and lack of energy are diS-
creditable to them, and we trust that In this new
work of cataloguing the Aston Librarya marked
advance will be made upon their previous
achievements.
The catalogue of the Peabody Institute, Bal
timorc, which is now in course OF publicatlOn' II
a perfect specimen of index making. Not only
| arc the titles and authors names included III
the general list, but topics and class headings
as WE'LL interwOycn with one another Wlthil
the meshes OF single alphabetical order. Not
only are titles enumerated, but the contents
of tho volumes are analysed, and the topical
headings contain references not only to books
Int to chapters. and not only to chapters but
also to articles within the entire range OF mod
ern periodical literature. If the library ltsel1
he regarded as an encyclopedia on a large scale
this catalogue is key which enables students
and literary workmcn to gain immediate access
to its pages and to make an intelligent choice o.
sources of information. This catalogue repro
duces the general method adopted by Mr.. Noye
in indexing the Brooklyn Library, with ono i'm
portant modifcation-tLe titles and topics arr
no; brought together in class divisions, but in
troduced wherever they individually belong il
the general alphabet. With these admirable
models before them, we hope that the manageI
of the Aston Library will bestlr themselves an'
produce an index that will do ample justice t
the collection under their charge and compare
favorably with the Brooklyn and Baltimore
| al