Cataloging for Document Retrieval at Florida Atlantic University

INCLUDED in the cataloging of library materials at Florida Atlantic University is a procedure which involves the coding of specific information for the purpose of later retrieval of these materials. This coding is done on the same transmittal sheet that is used for the descriptive cataloging of materials for the computer-produced book catalog. As is indicated in the form reproduced here, three fortyspace columns are utilized for the coding of the desired information. The entire procedure may be described quite accurately as an expansion of the collation and imprint of a document. The reason for the forty-space columns instead of the eighty-space columns of the typical IBM data processing card is that the length of each column was determined somewhat by the availability of space on the transmittal sheet. Also, future expansion of the procedure will be possible without a complete reformatting of the tran~mittal sheet. Some explanation, for the use of the term "document" in this article might be in order. The ·reader will realize that the coding areas on the transmittal form include many elements not ordinarily associated with a document. First, for lack of a better term, "document" is used. Second, the retrieval discussed in this article includes types of materials other than the typical document. The library at Florida Atlantic University is an integral part of the Learning Resources Di-