Trade Bibliographies

 

Definition

The ALA Glossary defines a trade bibliography as 'a list of books in print or for sale, compiled by a book publisher, a book seller, or a group of such agencies. Collectively, the mass of such bibliographies'. Similarly, Harrod's follows as 'a list of the books in print published in a country and frequently of books published abroad, for which the home publishers are agents'.

 

Strengths and Weaknesses

 

In terms of providing a list of current books in print, trade bibliographies are valuable to collection development. In terms of an evaluative tool that discriminates between the useful and the inconsequential, this tool is less effective as no selection is involved. Because of the tool's Ôreal world' practical orientation, the value of trade bibliographies giving the collection development librarian Ôprices' and Ôpublishers' and Ôin-print' statistics cannot be underestimated. On the other hand, if one does not have a list and is beginning the process of collection development for a specific topic, this tool may prove less useful. To make a caveat, it is possible to read between the lines and use this tool selectively to make evaluations. If a book is reprinted or a book is coming out in paperback year after year, one may regard the book as important enough to have been republished or at the least having some market appeal. Because these trade bibliographies are commercially oriented to what is currently on the market, one should be wary though about simply scanning down lists.