Course: Master of Arts in Library Science
School: University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
Subject Area: Cataloging-Rare Books
Year of Graduation: 2003
Abstract
The general concern of this study is to present an intensive and complete Catalogue of the very early books which now compromise the rare book collection of the University and, every now and then, would cite important notes about each book under investigation, how these books reached the UST Library and their importance to the growth of the University.
This study includes an analysis of the important and rare collection of the seventeenth century in the printed books of the University of Santo Thomas with a total of 1.070 titles in 1,514 volumes. The researcher focused the investigation on books which she believes might have been used as textbooks during the first century of the University's existence, that is, ca. 1611-1711.
The seventeenth century collection of the University of Santo Thomas Library' majority of which are Latin, some are Spain and few in French and German, is hereby presented in a Catalogue. Complete bibliographic information of each title are cited; a descriptive analysis as to physical condition plus other important features on the book; the mark/s. If there is any, such as ex-libris, ownership marks and/or the different library stamps used by the UST Library from the time its existence; and a brief description of the contents of the book. A corresponding number is assigned to each entry/title as point of reference. Likewise, an index or authors, titles and subjects and a separate index for printers are provided. A separate chapter on the Ownership Marks has been included to allow the researcher to make further study in order to explore and analyze the different seals or marks of ownership. A printed catalog, especially if it is descriptive, is an important aid to researcher and serves a large number of users, The description of a book in a catalogue often determines the possibility and extent of a book's usefulness.
These books which have been stored for the last fifty years in the Rare Books section of the University of Santo Thomas Library are now accessible and can easily and conveniently be retrieved through this Catalogue.
