Tim has a great piece on his visit to the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Cool photos, too. Tim was the architect of the SGML search engine first used by the Oxford English Dictionary, so he’s been thinking for a long time about how you organize information digitally.

The Bodleian was endowed by Sir Thomas Bodley — Greek scholar, promoter of Hebrew studies, spy — to replace the library that was destroyed in 1549. (Sir Tom sold his plate to raise money to finish the last building.) He insisted that the new catalog be arranged by author. Thomas James, the first librarian, almost complied: The library’s catalog, in 1605, was divided into four subjects, within which books were listed alphabetically by author. The books, however, were arranged on the actual shelves by size. The second catalog, in 1620, was alphabetical by author. (Here’s a source or three.)

So, for fifteen years a catalog was useful for browsing for books you did not know existed. After that, the catalog reverted to being a tool for inventorying stock and as a look-up table for librarians fulfilling requests for particular books. (Or so I understand it. Correct me, please!) [Tags: EverythingIsMiscellaneous TimBray bodleian libraries]

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