Glossary of library terms
- Abstract
- An objective summary of a document, book, or journal.
- Access point
- A heading that may be used in a catalogue to find further information on an item.
Some common access points include author, title, and subject headings.
- Adobe® Reader®
- A free software application used to view PDF files, used in many
full-text electronic journals.
Download the reader.
- Annotation
- A subjective evaluation of a piece of work.
- Annual
- A serial publication issued once a year.
- Archives
- A collection of historic material. More ... about how to
get material from the library Archives ...
- Audiovisual material
- Non-book items such as audio and video cassettes, and compact discs (CDs).
- Authentication
- The process of identifying an individual on a computer, usually based on a username
and password. More ... about authenticating for remote access ...
- Author search
- To search for an article or book by a particular author in a catalogue or database.
- Barcode
- A 14-digit number on the back of a patron's library card. This number can be used to
access electronic resources off site.
- Bi-annual
- A serial publication issued twice a year.
- Bi-monthly
- A serial publication issued every two months.
- Bi-weekly
- A serial publication issued every two weeks.
- Bibliographic record (Bib record)
- A record that describes an item in a collection or database. It includes
call number, author, title, publication information, pagination,
subject headings, etc.
- Biennial
- A serial publication issued every two years.
- Boolean searching
- Uses three basic Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to link concepts in database searching.
- AND retrieves items in which both terms are found.
- OR retrieves items in which either term is found.
- NOT retrieves items in which the first term is present but the second term is not.
- Call number
- A unique identifying number given to each item in the library. The call number groups items
together by subject. The RCH Library Service uses the Dewey Decimal
Classification.
- Catalogue
- A list of library holdings. Each record includes descriptive
information about the work (author, title, extra notes, etc.) as well as assignment of
subject headings and call numbers.
Search the library
catalogue now.
- Check out
- The process of borrowing material from the library.
- Checked in
- A note next to an item in the catalogue meaning the item is currently in the library.
- Citation
- Information such as author, title, pagination, and dates which identifies a book, journal
article, or other format. Sufficient information is included to locate the original item.
- Cited article
- An article referenced in another publication.
- Cited author
- An author whose publication has been referenced in another work.
- Classification
- The arrangement of knowledge into specific groups or systems. The RCH library uses
Dewey Decimal Classification.
- Closed entry
- A record in the journals list which has both a starting date and closing date. This means
the title is not a current subscription, and new issues are no longer being received.
For example: v.1 (1920) - v.40 (1960).
- Continued by
- Term used in the journals lists to indicate a title's new name, with a link to the new title.
See also: Formerly.
- Copyright
- Laws which protect an individual's published work(s) so it cannot be misused by
others. More ... about copyright ...
- Corporate author
- An organization (a business, government agency, institution, etc.) considered to be
the author of a work.
- Cross-reference
- Instructions that point to related information listed under different terms. For
example: BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL (See: BMJ)
- Cumulative index
- An index in which several previously published indexes are
combined into one book.
- Database
- An organised collection of records, for example: Medline. Sometimes all the
information required is found in the database record or via Full Text links. Sometimes
the information must be taken and used to search other resources such as the library's
online journals list to retrieve full text.
- Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)
- Classification system which divides knowledge into ten main classes (000-999); named
for its inventor, Melvil Dewey, and its use of decimals for subdivisions.
- Display area
- Area of the library where new books, journals, and other material are displayed for
one week before being shelved permanently. Books on display may not be borrowed, but may
have a hold placed on them.
- Due date
- The date that a borrowed item is due to be returned to the library. If the item is
required longer it may be renewed. If the library requests that the
item be returned earlier than the due date because it is needed by someone else, this is
called a recall.
- EBP
- Evidence-based practice
- EBSCO
- Database vendor, offering full text journal articles online. Also a vendor for
journal subscriptions.
- Edition
- All copies of a title issued by the same publisher on the same date.
- Expert Search filter
- A series of search statements designed by an expert that refine your search, and reduce the results by omitting irrlevant articles. More ... about how to use Expert Search filters ...
- Fact Sheets
- Library publications giving hints and tips on using the library services. Pick one
up from the library, or read online.
- FAQ
- Frequently Asked Questions. Many sites provide an
FAQ to provide
information to newcomers.
- Field
- In a database, the part of a record reserved for a particular type of data. For
example, in a library catalogue, author, title, ISBN, subject headings, etc. are all
fields.
- Frequency
- The interval at which a serial is published.
- Formerly
- Term used in the journals lists to indicate a title's previous name, with a link to
the previous title. See also: Continued by.
- Full text
- The entire content of an item, such a journal article or book, is available in
electronic format. See Fact Sheet no.9 "Accessing
online journals and books".
- Hit
- Item(s) identified or retrieved in a catalogue or database search.
- Hold
- A request that an item be kept for a patron until they can
pick it up. The requesting patron will be notified when it becomes available. Holds may
be placed on items which are currently on loan to other patrons. Holds may not be placed
on items currently in the library (exception: Display items).
- Holdings
- All the materials in various formats owned by the library.
More... about the holdings of this library ...
- In print
- Still being published, and therefore available for purchase from the publisher or
dealer.
- In transit
- The status of an item while en route between libraries.
- Index
- [1] A list of citations to journal articles and/or books arranged by subject, author,
or title. Indexes may be in print format, electronic format, or both.
- [2] A list of subjects covered in a book, usually published at the end of the book.
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
- A cooperative arrangement between libraries which allows users to order copies of
materials, usually journal articles or books, of material which is not held by the user's
library. More... about the Interlibrary Loan service ...
- Irregular
- A serial publication issued at no fixed frequency.
- ISBN
- International Standard Book Number; a unique ten digit number assigned to every
printed book. More... about ISBN ...
- ISSN
- International Standard Serial Number; a unique eight digit number assigned to every
serial publication. More... about ISSN ...
- Issue
- A unit in a volume. For example: 26(5) = volume 26, issue 5.
- Keyword
- A significant word in the title, abstract or text of a work.
- Keyword searching
- Using a word or combination of words to search an electronic resource (CD-ROM,
online catalog, database). Keyword looks for words in titles, subject headings, and
contents notes. Keywords do not have to be standardised subject
headings.
- Library Update
- Document produced each week by the Library Service detailing recent additions to the
library's collections. Available online, in print at the library,
or via email (subscribe/unsubscribe online).
- License agreement
- An agreement between vendor/publisher and the library defining use of a product, usually
online resources.
- Literature search
- A systematic search of one or more databases for material on a specific subject.
Literature search requests can be submitted online, or
contact library staff to arrange an assisted search in the
library. The library also conducts free Literature Search
Training.
- Merged into
- A note on the journals list indicating that two titles have been assimilated into one.
Resistance is futile.
- Monograph
- A non-serial work, complete in one part or set, usually on a narrowly defined single topic.
- Monograph series
- Monographs issued as part of a titled series, at either regular or irregular intervals.
- Online
- A general term for when one computer is interacting directly and simultaneously with
another computer. Many sources of information are available online.
- Online database
- An electronic database of full text documents or citations and abstracts which can be
searched over the Internet.
- Open entry
- A record on the journals list for a journal title held which has a start date but no
closing date. This means the title is a current subscription, with new issues being
received regularly. For example: v.25 (1950) -
- Ovid
- Database vendor, specialising in science, technology and medical information. The
library uses the Ovid interface to access Medline, part of its
database collection. Search Ovid Medline.
- Patron
- A library user.
- Patron record
- An electronic record held in a database that contains information about a library
borrower.
- PDF
- "Portable Document Format". Secure, standard document format, read
by Adobe Reader. Preserves the look of the original document.
- Peer reviewed
- The process where journal articles are reviewed by an expert panel before being
accepted for publication.
- Recall
- To request that an item be returned earlier than the due date
because it is needed by another patron.
- Record(s)
- The result(s) retrieved after entering a search in a database or catalogue.
Also: Patron record.
- Reference
- A service provided by libraries to assist patrons in the retrieval of information
and the use of information resources. See also citation.
- Reference collection
- A separate location for encyclopaedias, handbooks, guides, directories, dictionaries,
etc. These items are not for loan so that they will always be available for use in the
library.
- Remote Patron Authentication (RPA), or remote access
- A method allowing library users to view protected sources off-site.
More... about remote access ...
- Reprint
- Printed copy of material prepared by the publisher (as opposed to photocopies)
which has been published before.
- Renew
- To extend the due date of the item(s) patrons have checked out.
- Review article
- Summary of the state-of-the-art of a particular topic's literature.
- Search statement
- An individual search consisting of one term or phrase, or several terms linked
with Boolean operators.
- Search strategy
- A systematic process used to find the most relevant information on a topic.
See a sample Medline search.
- Semiannual
- A serial publication issued twice a year.
- Semimonthly
- A serial publication issued twice a month.
- Serial
- A publication that is issued in parts indefinitely over time; includes journals,
periodicals, magazines, annual reports, etc.
- Subject headings
- A controlled vocabulary assigned by an indexer. Subject headings are used in
catalogues and databases to group together items by subject.
- Subject search
- To seek information by topic, as opposed to author or title.
- Title search
- To search for an item by title, generally from an alphabetical listing.
- Truncate
- To shorten or cut off part of a keyword. The keyword is shortened so that it
will match with all terms starting with the same stem, e.g. librar* will match with
library, libraries, librarian, librarianship, etc.
- Update
- See Library Update
- Volume
- [1] a unit in a set or series.
- [2] a single bibliographic unit, i.e. a book.
- [3] a bound periodical containing several issues.
- Zap
- Slang term meaning to sensitise or desensitise material using the library's
electronic detection system.
These pages have been crafted for printing, so appear different from what you see on screen.
See http://www.rch.org.au/library/accessibility.htm