"Unknown Author" or "Unidentified Author" or ...

It seems like it should be a simple question.

I am using a book that is available on Archive.org as a source for multiple citations. I am having trouble deciding on how to identify the author. The link to the book of interest is https://archive.org/details/catalogueofoffic00washrich

After studying the title page, the last paragraph of the Preface, and EE 12.12 and 12.13, I am still confused on how to identify the author. Archive.org says the author is Washington and Lee University, which I can understand. But I could also postulate leaving it blank, "Board of Trustees," "Committee," or even using some of the names lised in the final paragraph of the preface.

How do you suggest I identify the author of this work?

Thanks,
Tom

Submitted byEEon Wed, 12/21/2016 - 08:45

Tom, in cases such as this, it usually helps to look for the work in two major catalogs: the Library of Congress (catalog.loc.gov) and WorldCat.org.

You won't go wrong, in this case, following the example of Archive.org.  Or you could identify the author/creator as "Board of Trustees, Washington and Lee University." "Board of Trustees" or "Committee," used alone, would be so generic as to be problematic in some situations.