Catalogues and Bibliographies:
There are a number of commercial organisations like publishers, booksellers, distributors and printers whose main activity is to bring out publications about publications with a business motive. These publications are brought out at periodic intervals, i.e., regular periodicity, and' while some of these are priced publications, some are sent free to institutions and individuals either on request or in anticipation of a demand. Their coverage may be national and/or inter-national. Some of the best examples are:
Book Trade Periodicals
Cumulative Book Index: A World List of Books in English Language. 1898 - (Monthly with quarterly, half-yearly and annual cumulations) Fl. W. Wilson, New York. Being one of the comprehensive book selection tools and the production cost being consider-ably high, it is not available on a regular subscription basis, but subscription is charged on a service basis.
American Book Publishing Record. (Monthly, covers American Publications). R.R. Booker, New York. Cumulated annually, with entries arranged subject-wise. Useful for preparing ad hoc bibliographies.