Library and Information Science

Many indexes are being prepared by machine, and most of them are developing successfully. Some of them, however, seem to be suffering from poor support.

These indexes can not be evaluated indiscriminately because they vary in form, subject field, nationality and local situation. In order to seek the most fundamental method of evaluation, the writer takes up three important cataloging rules and discusses their relation with keyword indexing and the function of catalogs, which is taken as the basis of keyword indexing. Further, some significant points in those rules with present keyword indexing method are examined.

Among other things, the writer tries to point out the common characteristics among Panizzi's “Index of matters,” Cutter's “Title entries” and the concept of keywords appeared in titles, and the so-called non-conventional indexing system.

It is needless to say that it is important to recognize that today's mechanized indexing procedure is the product of endeavour to solve the problem of volume and up-to-dateness. At the same time, in case the output is printed and distributed among users, it is urged to carry out strictly objective and critical study of its value to users.