Library Vocabulary

Abstract

A brief summary or description of the principal ideas of a book, article, or other document.

A brief note, usually no longer than two or three sentences, accompanying a reference or citation in a bibliography which describes or explains the scope and content of the work cited. In a critical annotation, the commentary is evaluative.

A list of source materials or references used in the preparation of a text.

Use of the connectors AND, OR, and NOT to combine concepts involved in research and in conjunction with computerized literature searching. Also called logical operators.

Software programs which provide access to files on the WWW. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are the two most common browsers.

A combination of letters and numbers placed on the spine of a book to locate it in the library.

A tool used to learn what a library owns and where it is located. A standard format is used to describe books, journals, audiovisual holdings, etc. Most catalogs are now online or computerized.

The process of checking books and other materials in and out of a library. Also refers to the total number of items checked out of a library by borrowers during a specified period of time, and to the number of times an item is checked out during a fixed period of time, usually a year.

A reference supplying all information needed to identify and locate a publication, including author, title, name of journal (if the citation is to an article) or publisher (if to a book), or Internet address or URL (if to a website), and date. The form of the citation depends on the style required: Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA).

Used by libraries to arrange materials by subject. Dewey Decimal System and Library of Congress Classification System are the most frequently used classification systems.

A listing of words or terms which must be used as subject headings or descriptors in a particular database.

A term used in catalogs, thesauri and indexes to lead you from one heading or entry to another. Usually prefaced by the words: See, See also (SA), Use, Use for (UF), Broader Term (BT), Narrower Term (NT).

A large, regularly updated store of digitized information (citations, abstracts, full-text, images, etc.) on a particular subject or in a specific field, consisting of records of uniform format, organized for ease and speed of search and retrieval. Most library databases are periodical indexes or abstracting services leased annually, with access limited by licensing agreement to registered borrowers.

Words or phrases assigned to books and articles to index these items by topic. Also called subject headings.

A book published in electronic format.

Journal published in electronic format.

The entire text of an article which has been entered or scanned into a database.

The "cover" page of a Web site.

An alphabetical listing of the contents of a book, journal, or collection. Also, a listing of citations organized by subject.

When a book or other item needed by a registered borrower is checked out or unavailable for some other reason, or not owned by the library, the patron may request t hat it be borrowed form another library.

A global network of computer networks which links information through computers connected by cables and other links.

A periodical containing scholarly articles.

A periodical containing general interest articles.

The Boolean operator NOT is used to exclude words or phrases from a search. Python NOT Monty finds information on the snake but excludes information on the group Monty Python.

Aacronym for Online Public Access Catalog. A computerized catalog. SCCC's OPAC is called BLISS.

The OR operator broadens a search by including any of the terms. Examples: cinema OR film OR movie OR moving picture OR documentary.

A magazine, newspaper, scholarly journal, or serial which is published on a regular schedule: daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc.

Refers to a scholarly journal article or other work which has been submitted to a process of evaluation (peer review) by one or more experts in the subject, known as a referees, to determine whether it is worthy of publication. Synonymous with refereed.

Periodical indexes list articles by subject which have appeared in specified journals, magazines, or newspapers. They generally list author, title, name of periodical, volume, pages and date of publication. Indexes which include abstracts contain summaries of the articles.

A separately published supplement bound in limp or paper covers for insertion in a pocket inside the cover of a book. Used to update law books and for maps and music scores.

Copying or closely imitating the work of another writer or composer for the purpose of passing the results off as original work. In most colleges and universities, instructors impose penalties on students who plagiarize the works of others. To avoid plagiarism, it is wise to paraphrase or quote, then cite the original source in a footnote or endnote.

A first-hand report by a writer, scientist, artist, musician or observer. Examples include a diary, an eyewitness account, an autobiography, a lab report, a painting, an original musical score or a court transcript.

Library books such as dictionaries and encyclopedias which are shelved together in a special location called the reference stacks. Reference books may not be checked out because they are needed by reference librarians to answer questions from library patrons. Their location is usually indicated by the symbol "R" or "Ref" preceding the call number in the catalog record and on the spine label.

When a library patron has a question about how to find specific information or how to use the library for research, he (or she) may contact the reference desk in person, by phone, or in some libraries via e-mail. In most libraries in the United States, the reference desk is staffed by a professionally trained librarian during the hours that the library is open.

Materials owned by an academic library which are given a shorter loan period (one-hour, three-hour, overnight, 3-day, etc.) for a limited period of time (one term or semester) usually at the request of the instructor, to provide access to all students enrolled in a specific course. Items on closed reserve must be used inside the library.

A computer system designed to help the user search for information on the World Wide Web by typing keywords (examples: Google, Altavista, Hotbot, Lycos, etc.).

A document which interprets or analyzes a primary source. It is something written or reported about someone else's work.

Words or phrases assigned to books and articles to index these items by topic. Determining the correct headings (also called descriptors) for a specific database or catalog is important for effective research. See also Controlled Vocabulary and Thesaurus.

A list of all subject headings or descriptors used in a particular database, catalog, or index. The thesaurus for most library catalogs is called the Library of Congress Subject Headings. Also, a list of synonyms.

In a search, the ability to enter the first part of a keyword, insert a symbol and retrieve all possible endings of that word. For example, child* retrieves child, children, childhood, etc.

Uniform Resource Locators. The distinct address of a web site.

In periodicals, all the issues published during a specific calendar year (or other publishing period) are usually bound in one or more volumes, numbered sequentially on the spine, beginning with number one for the first year in which the title was published. Multi-volume reference works are usually numbered on the spine and on the title page.

World-Wide Web or "The Web" - an "area" of the Internet using multimedia and hypertext links to communicate information.