Library Card Catalog

A library card catalog is a system used to organize and store information about a library’s collection of books, periodicals, and other materials. The card catalog typically contains cards that are arranged alphabetically by author or title. Each card contains information about a particular item in the library’s collection, such as its title, author, and call number.

The library card catalog was invented in the 19th century by Melvil Dewey, who also created the Dewey Decimal Classification system. The card catalog was a significant improvement over previous methods of storing and retrieving information about library materials, which were often inefficient and time-consuming. The card catalog remained the primary means of accessing library materials until the late 20th century, when computerized databases began to supersede it.