Page:A Bibliography on Thirukkural.pdf/22



Bibliography is the art and Science of books. It also deals with the making” of books and of the records which give us sufficient information of the "making” of books.

Bibliography examines and records both manuscripts and printed books. The record of a book points out the place of print, the date of publication, the author's name and its main title. "In olden days it was difficult to collect records of printed books and manuscripts. But in modern times the National Libraries all over the world enable us to collect plenty of information regarding printed materials. This is made possible because the modern Copy Right acts and other laws enforce publishers to send copies of printed books to the National Libraries. Yet the advance of Science in modern times has resulted in the publication of a very large number of periodicals, journals, memoirs etc. which cannot be completely and separately recorded in catalogues. This is to be done in course of time. Thus it will be seen that bibliography is a growing Science.