The chief function of a bibliography is to help the users in locating the required information source quickly. Some of the functions of a bibliography are listed below:
a) It is a systematic guide to the literature of the subject.
b) It locates a title in a given subject and identifies its bibliographical details (author, publisher, date and place of publication, etc.)
c) It serves as a selection tool in acquiring materials for the library.
d) It helps in obtaining information on the complete works of an individual author.
e) It saves the time and efforts of researchers as it helps in selecting relevant and specific documents from the large universe of documents.
f) It provides direction to researcher by indicating the areas where total research in a subject areas stands and its progress,
g) It is useful for carrying out retrospective search for the purposes of research.
2) Name the branches of bibliography you are familiar with.
The five types of bibliographies most popularly known are:
Systematic or enumerative
3) Compare enumerative bibliography with descriptive bibliography.
An enumerative bibliography covers both primary as well as secondary works. It de-scribes any specific document irrespective of the fact whether it is a true representation of the edition or not. It also serves as the often used reference tool for research scholars. On the other hand, a descriptive bibliography covers only primary works and their latest editions, if any. It always looks to an ideal copy of the book for its description. It does not have much importance in the present day context due to standard practices followed in the production of books.
4) List the various kinds of subject bibliographies.
Various kinds of subject bibliographies are :
Subject Indexes and abstracting services
5) Give two examples each of indexing and abstracting services you are familiar with.
Examples of Indexing Services:
Index Medicus, 1960-
Applied Science and Technology Index, 1958-
Examples of Abstracting Services:
Chemical Abstracts, 1907-
Biological Abstracts, 1927
Indian Science Abstracts, 1965-
6) What are the uses of national bibliography?
Some of the uses of a national bibliography are:
It helps to inform the users about the published literature of a country.
The librarian receives assistance in their cataloguing and classification work.
It serves as the book selection tool for librarians, booksellers and users.
It acts as a guide to book trade.
Special subject bibliographies can be compiled from national bibliographies.
It helps in the bibliographic control of a country's publication output.
7) List different types of trade bibliographies.
Various types of trade bibliographies are:
Lists of second hand books
Lists of individual publishers and booksellers
International trade bibliographies
Lists of all the works in print in a country at a particular point of time.
8) Give a brief account of IFLA's UBC programme.
The Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC) programme sponsored by IFLA in 1974 is based on the recognition of the fact that (a) effective bibliographic control must begin within individual countries i.e., every country should bring out its National Bibliography and (b) that the exchange of bibliographic information between them is facilitated if there is international agreement on bibliographical description. The UBC programme has since been merged with IFLA's another programme, namely the International MARC and is presently known as UBCIMP.
9) What is the function of Bibliography of Bibliographies?
These are lists of bibliographies to help users in choosing and in tracing bibliographies. The bibliographic control of bibliographies presents many difficulties and the bibliography of bibliographies helps to overcome these.
Author Bibliography : An author bibliography is a complete list of all the works or writings of an author. It also includes lists of all documents written about an author.
Bibliographic Description : The description of a work of literary or musical composition giving particulars of authorship and others who have contributed to the presentation of the text, title, edition,
date, particulars of publication.
Bibliography of Bibliographies : These are lists of bibliographies to help users in choosing bibliographies.
Catalogue : A catalogue is an orderly list of items in a library, or some distinct part of it or of the
stocks of a group of libraries called the Union Catalogue.
Index : An alphabetical list of names of authors, places, persons, subjects, topics, etc., with
indication to exact location.
National Bibliography : It is a list of books or works published in a country or about a country or in the language of a country.
Retrospective Bibliography : A bibliography which lists books published in previous years as distinct from a current bibliography which records books recently published.
Select Bibliography : This lists only some specially selected material on a subject or a topic to meet the needs of special category of people.
Union Catalogue : This is a catalogue of holdings of a group of libraries and is published to aid library cooperation by inter-lending or resource sharing.
Source: IGNOU Study Material