Before embarking on bibliographical work the compiler must define his purpose and make up his mind whether his objective is

• 1. the determination of authentic texts and their place in the stream of published documents, e.g. the publication of a literary form;

• 2. the study of the methods of publication, e.g. the output of a certain locality or person

• 3. the evaluation of some of the material of study, e.g. the best books on a subject.

Having determined his objective the compiler must consider the steps to be taken to reach it. The processes involved, as described by Gaselee are

• 1. Collection, i.e. the gathering (or at least locating) of the material to be studied;

• 2. Enumeration, or placing the items side by side, physically if possible, but if not, on paper;

• 3. Description of each separate item;

• 4. Analysis, or the elucidation of the points brought to light by the description;

• 5. Conclusion, or the determination of the significance, literary or historical, of the results reached by the preceding steps.

The sources of information for a compiler are: Bibliographies of bibliographies; General bibliographies; Library catalogues; National catalogues; Sale catalogues; Special bibliographies, e.g. forms of national literature: plays, romances, etc; Indexes to periodicals; Reference works; Periodicals and their indexes; Year's works, etc; Bibliographies in treatises on the subject. Consult the catalogues of local libraries; correspond with private owners and booksellers, and finally, advertise.

List the items on slips 3” × 5”, 20 × 25cm(Cole), arrange them temporarily in author order and note their locations, or the book from which reference is taken, on your working list. The completion of the working list and the determination of the material which is to form the subject matter of the bibliography constitute together the “Enumeration” or the second stage in bibliographical compilation. It will often be found useful to use punched cards.