An important part of the preparation for research work consists in learning how to use the resources of libraries. It is important because all research inevitably involves the use of the book, pamphlet, periodical, and documentary materials in libraries. This applies to studies based upon original data gathered in a field study aswell as to those based entirely upon documentary sources.In both types of studies there is the same need for using certain basic kinds of published materials. On the one hand, general sourcematerials have to be investigated. Obviously, no research project canbe undertaken without this preliminary orientation. Nor should one be undertaken without knowledge of the research that has alreadybeen done in the field. It provides further orientation to the problem,and at the same time eliminates the possibility of unnecessary duplication of effort. In addition, valuable infonnation on research techniques may be gained from reports of previous research.
In studies based upon original data gathered in the field,the use of library materials is seldom limited tothis preliminary purpose.
The specific needs that may have to be met by data alreadycollected and available in a library collectiOn are numerousand varied. They
Literature Search Through the Use of Library 169 may be of importance-the infonnation necessary to make a selection of a representative community for a sociological study; or the needs may be peripheral-the definition of a sociological term or the publication date of a book that is to be listed in a bibliography.
In selecting a topic for research, the student need not confine himself to considering only those problems which require field investigation. Not all research has to be of this kind in order to be significant; sound research studies can be developed from the materials available in library collections. An example is the historical study, which has to depend upon published and manuscript materials for its data. A biographical dictionary, such as the Who Who in India, provides enough information for a meaningful study of the question of social mobility. There are many economic, political, and social statistics gathered by agencies, both governmental and private, which can serve as the raw data for analysis of a specific problem. A demographic study, for example, could be made on the basis of the different types of population statistics gathered and published by such agencies. A synthesis of the findings of research studies can be a useful kind of study, particularly when it draws upon the research of several disciplines and relates them to the same social phenomenon. Content analysis studies represent yet another type of research which can be based entirely upon materials available in a library collection. The analysis of the characteristics of the content of communication has been used for a variety of purposes, from that of exposing propaganda techniques to that of measuring the readability of materials.
Ability to do library research begins with an understanding of the ways in which libraries organize their collections and with a knowledge of basic bibliographic and reference materials. The general procedure followed in doing library research is the same in any library because all libraries organize their collections on the same general principles and provide similar resources for research. This means that they all have a system of subject classification, a card catalogue, and certain bibliographic and reference materials. There are local variations, of course, in the arrangement and location of
170
certain types of materials, and in the extent and quality of the research materials that are provided. Therefore, orientation to the peculiarities of these kinds in the library being used is an essential preliminary to the efficient use of its resources. In spite of these variations, however, the same general procedure is followed and certain basic bibliographic and reference tools are commonly used infinding materials in libraries.
CARD CATALOGUE
In general, the first source to check for finding materials in a library is the library's card catalogue, it is an index which lists all the publications in the library collection, by author, by subject, and often by title. These three types of headings represent the ways in which one may need to look for publications. Does the library have any materials on this subject, or by this author? Does it have this book by this author? Does it have a book with this title?
The catalogue is arranged like a dictionary, with the cards filed alphabetically according to the first word on the card. The first word may be the name of the author, the subject heading, or the title of the publication. This kind of arrangement brings together in the catalogue the cards for all the books by a specific author, and the cards for all the publication in the library on a given subject. All the works of an author are filed alphabetically by title under his surname. When the title begins with an article, the second word is used for filing purposes. Under a given subject, publications are listed alphabetically according to author.
To find a publication by author in the card catalogue, it is advisable and often essential to know the given names as well as the surname of the author. There may be several authors with identical or similar names, and it sometimes happens that some of them have written books in the same subject field. The name 'Sharma' appears in the card catalogue as often as it does in the telephone directory of a large metropolitan area. Unless 'Sharma' can be identified more specifically, he will not be found easily. In addition, there should be enough infonnation about the title of the publication to distinguish it from titles of other books in the library written by the same author.
LiteraJure Search Through the Use of Library 171
If the information on the author's name and title is incomplete, it may be easier to find the publication under its subject heading.
In looking up materials by subject, it is necessary to look under the heading which describes the subject most specifically.
Public administration is a subject in the field of political science, but materials on it are listed under the heading "Public Administration,"
not under the heading "Political Science." A subject for which there are many books is sub-divided to indicate its specific aspects. Thus, a book concerned only with the question of agriculture, Primitive society is listed under the heading "Agriculture, Primitive," not under
"Agriculture"; and a book on the colonial period of Indian history is listed under "India History, Colonial Period."
There are two types of cross-reference cards filed inthe catalogue to assist the catalogue user in finding the heading under which materials on a subject are listed. One is a "see" card, which refers from a heading that is not used for a subject to one that is. A card reading
Primitive Society
see
Society, Primitive
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5.1: Sample card
172
Indicates that the materials in the library on the subject are listed under the second heading indicated. A second type of cross- reference card is the "see also" reference. It is always filed behind all the other cards on a given subject to direct the user to headings under which the materials on related subjects are listed. After the last reference listed under the heading Political Science, see also Elections, Political Conventions, Political Parties" (and other headings under which the library has listed materials that are related in subject
content).
The information appearing on the face of the cards identifies specifically each publication in the library by author, title, place
of
publication, publisher, date of publication, number of pages, andother distinguishing characteristics. This information may be helpful in the selection of publications which may best meet a particular need.
The publication date is a useful index to the recency of information contained in a book; the number ofpages sometimes is an indication of the comprehensiveness of treatment; the name of the author or the name of the publisher may indicate the authoritativeness of the treatment of a subject or the special point of view which may be expressed in the publication. A book published by the National Association of Manufacturers, for example, would probably have a different approach to a subject than one published by the Congress
of Industrial Organizations.
In addition to identifying a publication, the catalogue card supplies the information needed to locate it. It does this by giving the "call number" which appears in the upper left corner of the card. This number consists of (1) a classification symbol, which is the top line of the number and designates the subject of a publication (572 in the illustration); and (2) a "Cutter number" which is the second line and designates the author or title (M25 I inthe illustration).
The classification symbol is derived from the particular scheme of subject classification used by a library. It may consist of numbers, or letters, or a combination of the two, depending onthe classification system used.
Literature Search Through the Use of Library 173 The Dewey decimal classification system, which is used by most libraries, has numbers only. The Colon Classification Scheme, another system used by Indian libraries, has both letters and numbers to designate subject classes. The purpose of using a classification system as the basis for arranging materials is to bring publications on one subject together in one location and near publications on related subjects. How this is achieved is illustrated on the next page following brief outline of classes in the Dewey system.
The Cutter number consists of the first letter of the author's name, and a number which is a code for the combinationof litters in the name. If there is no author, the Cutter number is derived from the title of the publication. This number serves to alphabetize publications within a subject classification and to bring together within each subject classification all the books of one author and all the volumes of a periodical. All the volumes of Harper magazine, for example, would have the same Cutter number, H295, as well as an identical classification number.
The whole call number is the key to the location of a publication on the library shelves because no two publications can ever be assigned the same combination of symbols. Books within a subject classification are differentiated by the Cutter number, and books with identical classification and Cutter numbers are differentiated by additional symbols to indicate volume or edition.