ABSTRACT
When the OCLC online system first began operation in 1971, cataloging was a little known calling outside the library world, and its practitioners freely adapted its principles to fit their particular setting. The adaptations extended to all areas of the field. The catalogers at the Harvard Law Library added an extra half space above and below the collation line on catalog cards “so it would pop out at you.” No other reason was ever given. The public catalog at Harvard Law was filed in “logical order” and then alphabetically within the logical sequences. The “logical order” reflected the structure of Anglo-American legal bibliography and was apparent to the law school faculty, but not necessarily to law students. After the catalog was filmed, library staff found it impossible to refile many of the guidecards because there was no apparent order without them.
