Hypertext Glossary of Library Terminology

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A

abstract

Brief summary of the content or essence of a book, article, speech, report, dissertation, etc.

abstracting service

An indexing service which provides both a citation and an abstract for each book or article listed.

Acquisitions

Department within the Library responsible for ordering and purchasing new materials.

acronym

A word formed from the first (or first few) letters of several words; for example ALA, from American Library Association .

almanac

An annual publication containing astronomical data, weather forecasts, maps, dates, and tables of other useful information.

In the Library, the current edition of The World Almanac & Book of Facts is kept on the Ready Reference shelf behind the Reference Desk . Older editions can be found in the Reference Stacks under the the call number: Ref AY67.N5.W7.

annotation

A critical or explanatory note, usually included in a bibliographical reference or citation.

annual

Published once a year, every year.

anthology

Collection of stories, plays, and/or poems, selected by an editor. Works included are listed in the Table of Contents at the beginning of the collected work.

atlas

A book of maps.

Some atlases are thematic, for example: The Times Atlas of World Exploration.

author

In an AUTHOR Search in the Voyager online catalog, the term "author" is used in its broadest sense to include coauthor, editor, playwright, director, composer, performer, etc.

autobiography

Account of one's life written by oneself. See also: biography.

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bibliography

List of references at the end of a book or article. Long bibliographies may be published separately in book form.

Style manuals for various bibliographical formats (APA, MLA, etc.) are available on the Ready Reference shelf behind Reference Desk . Style sheets which summarize the main points of APA and MLA citation format are available on Web.

biennial

Published every two years.

bimonthly

Published every two months.

biography

Account of a person's life, written by another. The person who writes a biography is the "biographer." The person written about is known as the "biographee." See also: autobiography.

BIP

An acronym which stands for Books in Print, a multi-volume reference set which indexes (by author, title, and subject) books currently available for purchase.. BIP also includes a directory of publishers in a separate volume.

book drop

Inside book drops are located at each end of the Circulation Desk on the Second floor.

Boolean searching

Example: violence or conflict or aggression

Example: violence and television or just: violence television

Example: television not video

Example: television and (violence or aggression) or just: television (violence or aggression)

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call number

Example: PN 2035.H336 1991

card catalog

CD-ROM

Stands for "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory." A laserdisc medium for publishing and storing information in digital format, similar to audio compact disks.

change machine

Located on second floor of the Library near referece area. Takes $1.00 bills only. Photocopiers and reader/printer machines (for copying microfilm and microfiche) take quarters and/or dimes.

chapter

Any of the main divisions of a book or other written work. Chapters are usually listed in the Table of Contents in the frontmatter at the beginning of a book.

checkout period

Items in the circulating collection may be checked out of the Library for a fixed period of time. In the Libraries:

Items (except reserves) may be renewed, unless a hold has been placed by another person. Fines are charged for items returned after the due date unless they have been renewed.

chronology

circulating collection

Books and other materials which may be checked out by registered borrowers. Books with call numbers..

Videos and juvenile literature are shelved on first floor of the Library. Music scores and LPs can be found in the ITC musicroom

Circulation Desk

Located on the second floor of the Library, the Circulation Desk is where books and other materials are checked in and out of the Library. There are two indoor book drops, one at each end of the Circulation Desk.

Items placed on reserve are available at the Circulation Desk. To renew items, or place a hold on an item checked out to someone else, please ask at the Circulation Desk.

citation

A written reference to a specific work (book, article, report, musical composition, etc.) by a particular author or creator.

Citation format varies from one publication to another. Your professor may specify a particular citation style for a research paper. Please see APA and MLA style manuals on Ready Reference shelf behind Reference Desk.

collected work

A book of works by different authors (essays, stories, poems, plays), selected for publication by an editor. See also: anthology.

compact disk

Conference Room

Classroom located on first floor of the Library. When not in use for library instruction or meetings, it may be used for group study.

copyright

The legal right granted to an author, editor, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work.

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database

A continuously updated file of related information, abstracts, or references on a particular subject, arranged for ease and speed of search/retrieval on a computer. Most library databases are periodical indexes.

descriptor

Some computerized databases, for example ERIC and PsycLit, have their own list of published subject headings called "descriptors." In the electronic record which lists a specific work, the descriptors assigned to the work appear in the DE field.

diary

dictionary

Book of alphabetically listed words in a language, which provides generally accepted definitions, etymologies, pronunciations, and other information.

Dictionary of Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary of American Slang Dictionary of Literary Terms

directory

In the Library, most directories are shelved in the reference collection

display rack

dissertation

documentary

download

due date

When library materials are checked out of the Library at the Circulation Desk, each item is stamped with the date by which it must be returned to the Library. Fines are charged for items returned after the due date, unless the item has been renewed. Lost items are billed to the borrower. See also: overdue.

dust jacket

Paper cover on the outside of a hardcover book. The inside flap often provides description or commentary on the book's contents. The back flap often provides biographical information about the author, and sometimes the illustrator. The ISBN is almost always printed on the back of the dust jacket (usually in the lower right-hand corner), along with brief excerpts from reviews of the book.

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edition

Some books (particularly reference books) are revised and republished. The new version is often called the "revised" or "second" edition. Subsequent revisions are numbered sequentially. The latest edition is the most current, but older editions may contain useful information deleted from later editions.

editor

Person who selects and prepares the works of other writers for publication, by selection, arrangement, and annotation. Some collected works (and most periodicals) have more than one editor.

editorial page

Page (or pages) of a newspaper, usually found at the end of the news section, with brief articles explicitly stating the views of the editor or publisher on one or more political or social issues. May also include articles written by syndicated columnists, letters to the editor, and political cartoons.

e-mail

Sometimes spelled "email." An abbreviation which stands for "electronic mail." At WCSU, students, faculty, and staff may apply for a free VAXMail account which allows the user to communicate with indidivuals throughout the world who are connected to the Internet.

encyclopedia

A book or set of books which contains information about topics arranged in alphabetical order. Multi-volume encyclopedias often include an index in the last volume.

end paper

A folded sheet of paper, one half of which is pasted to the inside of either cover of a book, the other half forming the first (or last) page of the book. Also called the end leaf. Maps are often printed on the end papers of a book.

ERIC

Stands for Educational Resource Information Center, a federally-funded clearinghouse which publishes an index with abstracts to journal articles and unpublished research reports in education and related fields.

etymology

Some dictionaries specialize in etymology. Examples:

The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology and The Oxford English Dictionary

excerpt

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false drop

An irrelevant record retrieved in a WORDS (or keyWORD) search. False drops occur when keyword(s) have more than one meaning.

For example, a WORDS search in the online catalog on the term "aids" will retrieve not only information about HIV infection, but also about hearing aids, teaching aids, and band-aids. To correct this problem, the word "disease" could be included in the WORDS search to make it more specific.

fiction

Literary works which portray imaginary characters and events (especially novels and stories). See also: nonfiction.

In the Libraries, fiction is shelved by Library of Congress call number. Please use the online catalog to look up the call number of the item you need before going to the stacks to locate it. Juvenile fiction is shelved by Dewey Decimal Classification on first floor of Carlson Library.

fines

Most libraries charge a small fee for each day (or hour) a circulating item is kept past its due date. The Clarion University Libraries charge:

Ten cents per day for books Ten cents per day for audio compact disks Ten cents per day for videocassettes and curriculum materials Tem cents per hour for reserves

All items (except reserves) may be renewed on the due date for an additional checkout period, unless a hold has been placed by another person.

flyleaf

footnote

frontispiece

Illustration facing the first page or title page of a book, or division within a book.

frontmatter

Material which precedes the text in a book, including the title page, Table of Contents, list of illustrations, and preface or introduction. Pages are usually numbered with Roman, not Arabic, numerals.

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gazetteer

Dictionary or index of geographical names with locations.

glossary

Short list of words related to a specific topic, with brief definitions, often placed at the end of a book, or at the beginning of a long entry in an encyclopedia.

government documents

Publications of U.S. Federal government, including hearings, reports, treaties, periodicals (i.e. Monthly Labor Review), and statistics (U.S. Census)..

GPO

U.S. Government Printing Office. Agency responsible for print the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications located on second floor in reference collection.

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handbook

Compact reference book which provides useful information on a specific subject. Statistical information is often provided in handbooks.

Example: Statistical Handbook on the American Family

hardcopy

Printed material, as opposed to information in microform or in digital (computerized) format.

hold

If the book or video you need is checked out, you may request at the Circulation Desk that a "hold" be placed on the item. The person who checked it out will not be permitted to renew it, and you will be next in line to check it out after it has been returned.

holdings

All the materials (print and nonprint) owned by a library. All Clarion University Libraries "holdings" are listed in the Voyager online catalog,. For periodical subscriptions, be sure to fill in the circle beside "Journal Title" to check for Periodical or Serials.

If the STATUS column gives a due date, someone else has the item checked out. You may place a hold on the item and be next in line to check it out.

HTML

An acronym which stands for "HyperText Markup Language." Most documents available on the World Wide Web are written in HTML. To see the HTML code for the document you are presently reading, click on "View" in the toolbar of your Web browser and then select "Document source" from the drop-down menu.

http://

An Internet address prefix which stands for "HyperText Transfer Protocol." HTTP is the language used by the Internet to access information available electronically on the World Wide Web.

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illustration

In a book, illustrations are often listed at the beginning in the frontmatter. Photographs may be grouped together in one or several sections within a book. Maps may appear on the end papers.

index

Alphabetized list of names, places, and topics treated in a printed work which gives the page number(s) on which each topic is discussed. Usually located at the end of a book, or in the last volume of a multi-volume work.

Interlibrary Loan

If the book you need is not available via the online catalog, or if the Clarion University Libraries do not subscribe to the periodical you need, you may fill out a printed request form at the Reference Desk to borrow the item from another library.

Internet

Fiber-optic computer network which connects computers all over the world, enabling computer users to communicate via e-mail, find information on the World Wide Web, and access remote computer systems such as library catalogs. The Internet began as a project of the U.S. Department of Defense. It now has millions of users worldwide.

ISBN

International Standard Book Number. Unique ten-digit publisher's I.D. number for a specific edition of a book. Usually printed on the reverse side of the title page, and on the back of the dust jacket, or cover of a book published in softcover.

ISSN

International Standard Serial Number. Unique eight-digit number which identifies a specific serial title.

issue

All the copies of a specific periodical published on the same date. A subscription entitles the subscriber to receive one copy of each issue. In libraries, all the issues of a periodical published during the same calendar year are bound together in a single annual volume.

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journal

Scholarly periodical devoted to a specific field or subfield of knowledge. Usually published quarterly. Most journal articles are more than five pages long and include a bibliography or list of works cited. Journal articles usually include a paragraph at the beginning, called an abstract, which summarizes the main points of the article.

juvenile collection

Books written for children. In the Library, children's books are located on the first floor. Fiction and nonfiction are shelved by Dewey Decimal call number.

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keyword(s)

The online catalog (and most online databases) includes a WORDS search option which allows users to type keywords describing their topic, in any order. The system will retrieve all the records containing the WORDS typed. See also: Boolean searching.

NOTE: A keyWORD or WORDS search does not take into account the meaning of terms used for searching. If a keyword has more than one meaning, irrelevant records ("false drops") may be retrieved.

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library hours

To find the hours of the Clarion Univerity Libraries, select "Information & Services" at the Clarion University Libraries Home Page at this Internet address:

library instruction

Professors sometimes bring their classes to the library for instruction in library research methods. Instruction sessions are usually held in the Instruction room on the second floor of the Library.

Library of Congress Subject Heading (LCSH)

Word or phrase assigned by the Library of Congress to a book or nonprint item to indicate what it is about.

In an "S" (SUBJECT Heading) search in the online catalog, you must type an official Library of Congress subject heading for your topic. The complete list of Library of Congress Subject Headings is published in a multi-volume set of large red books available on the table near the Reference Desk.

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magazine

Popular or general interest periodical. Often includes color graphics and advertising. Usually printed on glossy paper. Articles are short (1-3 pages) and usually written by paid staff writers. Most popular magazines are published weekly or monthly.

masthead

A box or section printed in each issue of a newspaper or magazine, giving the publishers, owners, and editors; the address and phone number(s) of the offices; subscription rates; etc.

media

Nonprint materials such as films, filmstrips, videocassettes, audio compact disks, audiocassettes, and LPs (vinyl).

memoirs

microfiche

ERIC documents are available on microfiche in the gray filing cabinets in the periodicals room, filed numerically by 6-digit ED number. Back issues of some periodicals are available on microfiche in the gray filing cabinets on Second floor filed alphabetically by periodical title.

Reader/printer machines are available on fourth floor for making copies of microfiche. The machines take coins (ten cents per page). The change machine in the second floor Reference area takes $1.00 bills only.

microfilm

Microfilm backfiles of periodicals are stored alphabetically by periodical title in the gray filing cabinets on second floor of Library. Reader/printer machines are available on second floor for making copies of microfilm. The machines take coins (ten cents per page). The change machine in the second floor Reference area takes $1.00 bills only.

microform

Film medium for storage of miniaturized text images. Includes both microfilm and microfiche.

Reader/printer machines are available on second floor of Library for making copies of microfilm and microfiche. The machines take coins (ten cents per page). The change machine in the second floor Referecne area takes $1.00 bills only.

monograph

Book or treatise written about a specific subject. See also: nonfiction.

monthly

Published once a month, or twelve times per year. Many popular magazines are published monthly.

Music Listening Room

Small room on first floor of Carlson Library. Registered students may check out the key to the Music Listening Room at the Instruction Technologies Center Circulation Desk.

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Netscape

A software program for browsing sites on the World Wide Web (WWW). Access to Netscape or Microsoft Explorer is available on PCs in the Library.

newspaper

A publication printed and distributed daily or weekly containing news, opinions, advertising, and other items of general interest. Usually printed on newsprint.

The Clarion University Libraries subscribe to several major national newspapers, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Current 2-3 months are on paper; backfiles are on microfilm on second floor of Library. Newspaper indexes are in Reference Area.

noncirculating

Some library materials may not be checked out. Noncirculating materials in the Clarion University Libraries include reference books, butler collections, and periodical indexes.

nonfiction

Works portraying events which actually occurred and/or characters who actually existed. Shelved by Library of Congress call number. See also: fiction.

nonprint

Materials published in a format other than print on paper, including microfilm and microfiche, audiocassettes, compact disks, films, videocassettes, and digitized information such as computer files.

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obituary

Notice of someone's death, usually published in a newspaper or magazine. Often includes a brief biography of the deceased.

online

OPAC

An acronym which stands for "Online Public Access Catalog." A computer catalog of the books and other materials owned by a library. In the Clarion University Libraries, the OPAC is called Voyager.

overdue

An item from the circulating collection which has been kept by the borrower past its due date. The Libraries charge fines for overdue materials. Overdue charges can be avoided by renewing an item on its due date. Please call the Circulation Desk at 226-2301.

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P

periodical

Publication issued in softcover more than once, usually at regular intervals. Includes newspapers, newsletters, magazines, and journals. Sold at newsstands and by subscription. Libraries usually bind all the issues published during a specific calendar year in a single volume.

A directory titled Ulrich's International Periodical Directory is available in the Reference room.

In the Carlson library, most periodicals are shelved alphabetically by title on the second floor. Backfiles may be available on microfiche or microfilm in gray filing cabinets on second floor. Periodicals may be checked out overnight, if the item is older then ten years it can be checkout for 7 days. Photocopiers are available on second floors (ten cents per page).

periodical index

Cumulative listing of periodical articles, alphabetically by subject and by author's last name. Most periodical indexes are devoted to a specific field (i.e. psychology) or type of periodical (i.e. newspapers).

In the Clarion University Libraries, periodical indexes are available in print, on CD-ROM, and via Internet. To select the most appropriate periodical index for your topic, please ask the librarian at the Reference Desk for assistance.

photocopiers

Available for student use at the Clarion University Libraries , on the second floor. Use coins (ten cents per page). The change machine in the second floor study area takes $1.00 bills only.

preface

Preliminary or introductory statement at the beginning of a book or article which discusses its scope, purpose, plan, background, etc. Sometimes written by a person other than the author.

pseudonym

A fictitous name, especially one assumed by an author. Also called a pen name.

Example: Samuel Clemens used the pseudonym Mark Twain for some of his best-known works.

publication date

Year in which a book was published. The publication date can usually be found on the back (verso) of the title page.

For periodicals, the publication date is the month and year (or month/day/year) in which a specific issue was published. The publication date can usually be found on the front cover and on the title page of a periodical.

publisher

Company (or person) which prepares and issues print or nonprint material for public distribution and/or sale.

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quarterly

Published four times a year, usually in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Most scholarly journals are published quarterly.

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reader/printers

Machines for enlarging, viewing, and making copies of microfiche and microfilm. Located on second floor of the Library. Use coins (ten cents per page). The change machine in the second floor reference area takes $1.00 bills only.

Ready Reference

Shelves behind the Reference Desk which house reference books in high demand, such as Guinness book of Record, American Heritage Dictionary, The World Almanac & Book of Facts, Statistical Abstract of the U.S., and style manuals.

reference book

Books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and directories which are used to find specific information. Most reference books are shelved by Library of Congress call number in the reference stacks

Reference books may not be checked out because they are needed on a daily basis to answer questions at the Reference Desk. Please use the photocopiers for making copies of information in reference books.

reference collection

Books such as dictionaries and encyclopedias which are used to find authoritative information. In the Library, the reference collection is located on the second floor. Reference materials are shelved in Library of Congress call number order and may not be checked out (please make photocopies).

Reference Desk

When you have a question about how to use the Library, please come to the Reference Desk, located on the second floor center in the Library. The Desk is staffed by a professional librarian during most hours the Library is open. Forms for requesting Interlibrary Loan are available at the Reference Desk.

reference stacks

Shelves in the W.E.B Dubois room where reference books are shelved by Library of Congress call number. Periodical indexes are shelved separately on index tables, and general encyclopedias are shelved beneath clock . See also: Ready Reference.

renew

Borrowers may check an item out for a second checkout period by coming to the Circulation Desk, or by calling Circulation at 226-2301 on the due date. A bar-coded ID card is required for renewals.

If another person has placed a hold on the item, it may not be renewed. Fines are charged for items kept past their due date, unless they have been renewed.

reserves

Materials made available by professors for a limited borrowing period (Two-hour, or overnight). "Closed" reserves must be used in the Library.

Reserves are listed in the online catalog by name of professor and by course. They are available at the Circulation Desk.

reshelving carts

Carts where recently returned books and periodicals are stored prior to being reshelved. If you cannot find the volume of the periodical you need on the shelf, be sure to check the reshelving .

review

A critical discussion or article, published in a newspaper or magazine, dealing with a recent book, play, concert, etc.

To find book reviews, use Book Review Digest in Reference Area. For film reviews, see Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature under heading "Motion picture reviews-- Single works."

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semimonthly

Published twice each month.

serial

Same thing as a periodical. In the Clarion University Libraries Serials List, the word "Serials" means a print subscription is available. Be sure to check holdings (years owned).

SIC code

An acronym which stands for "Standard Industrial Classification," a system of four-digit product codes developed by the Statistical Policy Division of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. SIC codes are used in many business reference books to indicate the types of products and services which are provided by specific commercial enterprises.

softcover

A publication bound with a paper cover. Synonymous with "paperback." Most periodicals are published in softcover.

stacks

Public areas where books and periodicals are shelved. Some libraries have "closed" stacks which are not open to the public. In the Libraries, books are shelved in Library of Congress call number order. See also: reference stacks.

stand-alone

Refers to a computer which is not connected to a network. In the Libraries, most periodical indexes on CD-ROM are installed as stand-alone systems on personal computers (PCs).

stopword

In a WORDS (or keyWORD) search, short words which occur very frequently may be excluded. Each electronic database has its own list of stopwords.

Examples: a, an, for, of, on, the, to, with

style manual

Guide which provides formats for typing footnotes and bibliographies. Style manuals are available on the Ready Reference shelf behind the Reference Desk.

Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, and Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

subscription

The right to receive a periodical for a fixed period of time in exchange for payment of a fixed sum. Most subscriptions are delivered by mail and renewed annually.

subtitle

Portion of a work's title following the semicolon or colon.

For example, in the title Real Estate: An Introduction, the words An Introduction constitute the subtitle.

SuDocs number

Government documents are assigned a different system of call numbers by the U.S. Superintendent of Documents. In the Carlson Library, the government documents are integrated in the regular collection and are giving Library of Congress Subject headings. However, SuDocs numbers begin with letters of the alphabet.

Example: HE 20.30:112/1 (SuDocs number for January 1997 issue of Public Health Reports)

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Table of Contents

List of chapters or topics covered (with page numbers) in the front of a book, following the title page.

In an anthology, the Table of Contents lists the titles of the works (stories, poems, plays, essays) selected for inclusion by the editor.

thesaurus

Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors , Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, Thesaurus of Sociological Indexing Terms

title

A work published under many different titles is often cataloged under a well-known or "uniform" title (example: Bible). Some titles include a subtitle following a colon or semicolon. Translations sometimes have an alternate title in the original language.

title page

Page in the front of a book which gives the complete title, the name of the author(s) or editor(s), name of translator, publisher, and place of publication. Publication date and ISBN are usually printed on the back (verso) of the title page.

translation

A work which has been put into the words of another language. A person who translates a work from one language to another is its "translator." The name of the translator usually appears on the title page. Translations sometimes have an alternate title in the original language.

truncation

In a WORDS (or keyWORD) search, a word root followed by the truncation symbol will retrieve variant endings. Truncation is useful for retrieving both the singular and the plural forms of a word at the same time. See also: Boolean searching.

Example: theat* or drama*

tutorial

A manual designed to teach novices how to use a computer system, usually in a step-by-step way. Some databases include an online tutorial.

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URL

An acronym which stands for "Uniform Resource Locator." Each resource on the World Wide Web has its own address or URL. For example, the URL of the Clarion University Libraries Home Page is: http://www.clarion.edu/library/

In the above example, the first part of the URL (http://) indicates that the resource is a hypertext document. The second part of the URL shows the location of the document.

VAXMail

Clarion University students, faculty, and staff may apply to the Computing Services Department for an account on the VAX computer which supports the University's connection to the Internet. With a VAX account, users may communicate via e-mail with people throughout the world who are connected to the Internet.

verso

Back side of a book or page of a book (opposite of recto). Publication date and ISBN are usually given on reverse side of title page of a book.

videocassette

In the Carlson Library, the video collection is shelved the Instruction Technologies Center (ITC) in a separate section on the first floor. Please look up the call number first in the online catalog. Equipment for viewing videos is available in the basement of the Library. The fine for an overdue video is ten cents per day.

volume

For periodicals, all the issues published during a specific calendar year are usually bound in a single annual volume. Volumes are numbered sequentially, beginning with number one for the first year in which the periodical was published.

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Web browser

A sophisticated software program which allows the user to search for information available electronically on the World Wide Web.

At the present time, the most popular Web browsers are Netscape and Microsoft Explorer. Netscape and Microsoft Explorer is available in Reference Area of the Library.

weekly

Published once a week. Many popular magazines (and some newspapers) are published weekly.

World Wide Web

Global network of information available on computers connected to the Internet. Most Web pages are written in HTML script. To see the HTML code for the document you are presently reading, click on "View" in the toolbar of your Web browser and select "Document source" from the drop-down menu.

WWW

An acronym which stands for "World Wide Web."

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yearbook

A annual documentary, historical, or memorial publication containing information about the previous year. Yearbooks are usually shelved in the reference collection.

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Please send your comments to Basil Martin bmartin@mail.clarion.edu