How Do You Spell AUTHOR CATALOG?
Pronunciation: [ˈɔːθə kˈatɐlˌɒɡ] (IPA) 
Pronunciation: [ˈɔːθə kˈatɐlˌɒɡ] (IPA)
An author catalog, also referred to as an author index or author catalogue, is a comprehensive listing of books, articles, or other publications organized alphabetically by the names of the authors. It is a crucial component of library catalogs and scholarly databases that facilitates and enhances the searchability and accessibility of published works based on their authors.
In an author catalog, each entry typically contains the name of the author or authors responsible for the publication, followed by the titles of their works in chronological or alphabetical order. Additionally, the entry may include pertinent information such as the publication date, edition, publisher, and relevant subject categories. This metadata assists users in identifying and locating specific works by a particular author or researching the breadth of an author's work.
Author catalogs are particularly valuable to researchers, scholars, and avid readers who wish to explore the works of a specific author or trace the evolution of their publications over time. By providing a comprehensive overview of an author's contributions, an author catalog allows users to easily identify and access relevant texts, saving them time and effort in their pursuit of information.
With the advent of digital libraries and online databases, author catalogs have become increasingly dynamic and interactive, offering advanced search functionalities and hyperlinked references for intricate navigation. Such enhancements enable users to explore beyond individual authors and delve into related works or authors within the same field or topic, fostering interdisciplinary research and knowledge acquisition.
The word "author catalog" comes from the combination of two different etymologies.
The term "author" originated from the Old French word "autor" in the 14th century, derived from the Latin word "auctor", which means "author, originator, creator". It was primarily used in reference to the writer of a book or the creator of an idea.
The word "catalog" has its roots in the Greek term "katalogos", which means "a register, to list, to count". In ancient Greece, a "katalogos" referred to a list of names, goods, or possessions. The term was later adopted into Latin as "catalogus" and then into Old French as "catalogue" before entering the English language in the 15th century.
