Books are catalogued in print. Before the publication of books, the China Map Library catalogued books according to the proofs and worksheets provided by the publishing house. Then, the publishing house printed these cataloging data on the back of the title page and published them together with the books.

CIP has the following functions:

1, the standard and high-quality cataloging data can be used in bookstores, libraries and other book circulation institutions, which greatly reduces the difficulty of cataloging, reduces repeated cataloging activities and improves the efficiency of book management.

2. Books can be publicized. Through cataloging data in print, publishing houses or book management departments, various bibliographies can be published, such as new book newsletters and national new bibliographies.

3. Cataloging with international standards, integrating bibliographic information with international standards, and participating in international exchanges.