THE RARE BOOK SOCIETY : CATALOGUING FOR BOOKSELLERS

THE BRITISH
RARE BOOK SOCIETY

8 CECIL COURT • LONDON WC2N 4HE

info@rarebooksociety.org

CATALOGUING FOR BOOKSELLERS

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The ability to catalogue a book - to describe it and to identify it accurately and completely - is a prerequisite skill for those hoping to sell books through traditional catalogues or over the internet. The aim of this course is to take applicants step-by-step to a full professional standard in cataloguing books for sale. While not prescriptive in nature, offering instead a practical variety of appropriate solutions to commonly encountered problems, it outlines the thinking behind what is deemed proper and acceptable in a catalogue entry. It reflects on current library practice, as well as on full-scale bibliographical description, drawing points of comparison and taking lessons from both.

Badge of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (International)

The Rare Book Society was founded by members of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (International) - and the Association enthusiastically endorses the programme.

Particular consideration is given to the proper rendition of :

  • The author's name, including the treatment of works of multiple or corporate authorship; books published anonymously or pseudonymously; the treatment of hyphenated names, names with prefixes, or names only given in part; the treatment of adaptations and translations, and more
  • The title and sub-title, with the treatment of books without formal title-page, books with parallel titles, books with titles in non-standard text, and more
  • The place of publication, especially where this is unknown or otherwise problematic
  • The publisher's name and requisite imprint details, with consideration of more difficult examples
  • The date of publication, especially where this is unknown or otherwise problematic
  • The edition statement, with consideration of issues, states, impressions, reprints and revisions
  • The physical description of the book, including size, format, collation and pagination
  • The recording of illustrations and other non-text matter
  • The binding or casing of the book, with guidelines for the most commonly encountered forms
  • The description of condition, with detailed examination of the most commonly encountered descriptive terms
  • The explanatory or supplementary notes on author, content or any other matter you may wish to accompany your description
  • The recording of provenance and marks of previous ownership
  • The noting of bibliographical references and sources

    • The course is broken up into six separate units, each of which will include some kind of assignment, piece of coursework, or element of active participation - and each of which must be successfully completed before moving on to the next unit. There will be a final test at the end to ensure that the lessons have been satisfactorily assimilated. Any help you may need will be available either from a Rare Book Society administrator or direct from the writer of the course by e-mail correspondence.

    The course can be taken in your own time, and at your own speed - although there is an overall limit of twelve months for the successful completion of the full course. The cost of the course is £220, payable in two halves, the first before starting the course and the second at the completion of the second unit. This is to ensure that although no refunds can be given, anyone deciding that the course is not entirely to their taste may withdraw without the obligation of paying the remainder of the fee.

    The course will be delivered to you by means of password access to hidden areas of the website. To see how this works, simply use the password - interested - to access the details of how to apply for this course.

    Those who already have signed up for the course and have been issued with a password should click on the following:

  • Cataloguing for Booksellers : Part One
  • Cataloguing for Booksellers : Part Two
  • Cataloguing for Booksellers : Part Three
  • Cataloguing for Booksellers : Part Four
  • Cataloguing for Booksellers : Part Five
  • Cataloguing for Booksellers : Part Six

    To access some image files (no password required) click on:
  • Title Pages
  • Condition

    • This course has been compiled by Laurence Worms of Ash Rare Books, a bookseller of over thirty years' experience. He is a former Hon. Sec. of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (International), and represented the antiquarian book trade on the (British) National Book Committee from 1993 to 2002. He is a former member of the Council of the Bibliographical Society and continues to serve on the Council of the London Topographical Society. Recent published work includes the contribution of over a dozen "lives" to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and a major essay for the most recent volume of The Cambridge History of the Book in Britain.

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