Indexes are the results of queries previously undertaken according to particular criteria. The query ‘Find all persons named in titles, order them alphabetically and group the references according to roles’ yields the index of people, just as the query ‘Find all quotes in second quires and list in ascending alphabetical order’ calls up the index of second quires.

Of the eleven existing indexes, three — work catalogues, location marks and bibliography — are maintained by hand. The other eight are derived from the work catalogues and reflect the current processing status of these documents, inclusive of all mistakes and typographical errors.

The indexes are organised in ascending order; the index of GW numbers according to their positions in the Union Catalogue, all others alphabetically. Here, entry words in bold or spaced type serve a special function. As part of the ordering process, they appear at the head of the text in question. The entry words are transcribed according to the ‘Prussian Instructions’.

Example: For the work titled Higden, Ranulphus: The description of England. 1498  the following entry word has been generated: higden ranulphus higden ranulphus the description of england 1498 .

The alphabetical list at the start of each index is a sequence of links to the first entry word beginning with the letter in question.

As a rule, an index entry will be followed by a list of hyperlinks. Clicking on one of these links calls up a document and focuses the display on a particular part of that document. The help commands for each individual index give information on the document that has been called up, and what the display is focussed on.

Work Catalogues

GW Numbers

Personal Names

Printers (Offices)

Titles

Short Titles

Incipits

Second Quires

Location Marks

Holdings

Bibliography