Directories as Tertiary Information Source

Directories as Tertiary Information Sources: Complete LIS Study Notes

Comprehensive study material curated for UGC NET / JRF, SET, KVS, NVS, DSSSB, and State PSC Librarian examinations, synthesized from eGyanKosh (IGNOU BLIS/MLIS), e-PG Pathshala, and standard reference evaluation frameworks.

1. Conceptual Definition and Theoretical Grounding

In Library and Information Science, a Directory is an alphabetical, geographical, or classified list of individuals, organizations, institutions, manufacturers, publishers, or professional bodies. It typically provides names, addresses, affiliations, administrative personnel, contact details, functions, and historical data.

According to Denis Grogan (1973/1982) in his tripartite division of documentary sources (Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary), directories are categorized strictly under Tertiary Information Sources. Their primary purpose is not to provide original investigative findings or subject analysis, but rather to compile, digest, and serve as pointers/gateways to primary and secondary documents, human experts, and corporate entities.

Key Difference for Competitive Exams: While C. W. Hanson (1971) recognized only two tiers (Primary and Secondary), placing directories within the secondary group, Denis Grogan explicitly isolated them into the Tertiary tier alongside Yearbooks, Almanacs, Handbooks, Guides to Literature, and Bibliographies of Bibliographies.

2. Functional Typologies of Directories

Category	Scope & Coverage	Core Reference Examples
Institutional / Academic Directories	Details on universities, colleges, learned societies, research institutes, faculties, and executive bodies.	The World of Learning (Europa Publications); Commonwealth Universities Yearbook (ACU).
Professional & Library Directories	Surveys of libraries, documentation hubs, archives, information centres, key staff, collection sizes, and budgets.	American Library Directory (R. R. Bowker / Information Today); World Guide to Libraries (De Gruyter Saur).
Periodicals / Serials Directories	Comprehensive bibliographic checklists of serial publications, indexing data, formats, and vendor details.	Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory (R. R. Bowker, now ProQuest / Ulrichsweb).
Trade, Commercial & Industrial Directories	Lists of manufacturing plants, industrial enterprises, business firms, products, trade names, and executives.	Kelly's Directory; Thomas Register of American Manufacturers; Kothari's Industrial Directory of India.
Telephone & Telecommunication Directories	Subscriber lists, postal codes, yellow pages, classified business and residential contacts.	National telecom postal guides; Yellow Pages & White Pages.
Research in Progress / Scientific Directories	Inventory of research establishments, scientists, laboratories, ongoing R&D mandates, and funding lines.	Directory of Scientific Research Institutions in India (INSDOC / CSIR-NIScPR).

3. Chronological Master Registry of Famous Directories

This master register organizes the most frequently tested directories across UGC NET, KVS, NVS, and state librarian exams in chronological order of their founding.

Title & Foundation Year	Founding / Parent Organisation	Frequency	Scope, Function & Historical Amendments
Kelly's Directory Launched: 1837	Frederic Festus Kelly / Kelly's Directories Ltd. (UK)	Annual (Historical)	One of the earliest comprehensive city, trade, and postal directories of London and UK counties. Migrated to commercial database directories and business registries.
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers Launched: 1898	Harvey Mark Thomas / Thomas Publishing Company (USA)	Annual (Print ceased 2006)	Multi-volume industrial purchasing directory covering North American manufacturers. Ceased print in 2006; transitioned fully online into ThomasNet.
American Library Directory (ALD) Launched: 1923	R. R. Bowker (Later acquired by Information Today, Inc.)	Annual (Formerly Biennial)	Comprehensive directory detailing public, academic, special, and government libraries across the US and Canada. Includes budgets, personnel, automation systems, and holdings.
Ulrich's Periodicals Directory Launched: 1932	Carolyn F. Ulrich / R. R. Bowker (Now ProQuest)	Annual (Print) / Continuously updated (Web)	Originally titled Periodicals Directory: A Classified Guide to a Selected List of Current Foreign and Domestic. Name changed to Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory in 1965 (11th ed.). Acquired by ProQuest; accessed primarily as Ulrichsweb.
The World of Learning Launched: 1947	Europa Publications (Now Routledge / Taylor & Francis)	Annual	The premier international directory of higher education and learned culture. Catalogs universities, colleges, libraries, museums, research institutes, learned societies, and international bodies across 200+ countries. Available in print and as an online subscription database (worldoflearning.com).
Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers Launched: 1963	Gale Research (Now Gale / Cengage Learning)	Annual (2 Volumes)	Profiles subject-specific, corporate, law, medical, and governmental information centres globally. Includes details on special collections, databases, and key staff.
World Guide to Libraries (Internationales Bibliotheks-Handbuch) Launched: 1966	K. G. Saur Verlag (Now Walter de Gruyter)	Biennial / Irregular	Global directory of national, academic, and general research libraries in over 150 countries with collections typically exceeding 30,000 volumes.
Universities Handbook: India Launched: 1927	Inter-University Board of India (Now Association of Indian Universities - AIU)	Biennial / Regular Revisions	Detailed directory of higher education in India: universities, institutes of national importance, Deemed Universities, courses offered, faculty names, and library infrastructure.
Directory of Scientific Research Institutions in India Launched: 1969	INSDOC (Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre, now CSIR-NIScPR)	Irregular / Periodic Compilations	Provides administrative profiles, research mandates, heads of departments, laboratories, publications, and library facilities of R&D institutions and CSIR labs across India.
Directory of Public Libraries in India Launched: 1986	Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF), Kolkata	Periodic	Authoritative national inventory listing state central libraries, divisional libraries, district libraries, and grant-in-aid public libraries throughout India.

4. Structural Anatomy and Internal Organization

Most standard reference directories follow a distinct structural hierarchy to facilitate fast ready-reference retrieval:

• Preliminary Sections: User guide, scope definitions, criteria for inclusion, table of abbreviations, and country/state classification charts.
• Main Text Corpus: Arranged geographically (country → state → city, as in The World of Learning), alphabetically by parent body, or by subject classification (as in Ulrich's using broad topic headings).
• Entry Profile Structure: Institutional name, legal status, postal address, telecommunication endpoints (URL, email, telephone), founding date, executive leadership/librarian, departments, library holding size, and official publications.
• Auxiliary Indices: Crucial back-of-the-book search access points, including Institutional Name Index, Subject Index, Personal Name Index, and Former Name Cross-References.

5. Evaluation Criteria for Directories (Librarian's Checklist)

Reference librarians and selection committees evaluate directories using standardized parameters:

1. Authority: Reputation of the publisher (e.g., Europa Publications, Gale, Bowker, AIU, CSIR) and accuracy of institutional questionnaires.
2. Scope & Coverage: Geographic reach (International, National, Local), subject constraints, inclusion thresholds (e.g., collection size limits), and degree of completeness.
3. Currency and Frequency: Frequency of revisions (Annual, Biennial) and update procedures (questionnaires, electronic confirmation) to eliminate defunct addresses and deceased personnel.
4. Arrangement & Indexing: Presence of multi-access indices (Alphabetical, Geographical, Subject, Personnel).
5. Format and Transition: Availability of interactive online interfaces (e.g., Ulrichsweb, World of Learning Online) with IP/proxy authentication and export options.

6. Direct UGC NET, KVS & NVS Exam Points

• Classification Level: Denis Grogan explicitly categorized Directories under Tertiary Sources of Information. (Frequently asked question across UGC NET and SET).
• The World of Learning: First published in 1947 by Europa Publications (London), updated annually. Useful for identifying foreign universities, academies, and international learned organizations.
• American Library Directory: First published in 1923 by R. R. Bowker. It is an annual directory of libraries in the USA and Canada.
• Ulrich's Evolution: First published in 1932 by Carolyn F. Ulrich; became Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory in 1965; now managed digitally by ProQuest as Ulrichsweb.
• Universities Handbook: Published by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi (established initially as the Inter-University Board in 1925).
• Directory vs. Yearbook: A Directory focuses strictly on lists of persons, organizations, and addresses; a Yearbook records and reviews the events, statistical developments, and progress of the past year.