Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

This term is used in two different ways: 1) A short summary of an article in a scholarly journals, usually appearing at the beginning of the article; and 2) A finding tool, like an index, used to locate articles in journals and magazines. The abstract will provide you with a citation to the article and give you a brief summary of that article.

The provision of guidance related to libraries, resources and the curriculum, in-service training for library personnel, and professional and technical library skills development.

Contains brief factual information on a broad range of subjects and is usually published annually. Typical information would be statistics, historical events, weather, geographical facts, awards, people, astronomy, economic facts, etc.

An essay or research report on a subject. Articles appear in magazines, journals, newspapers, and other sources such as encyclopedias.

Contains maps. Special subject atlases are also available on history, astronomy, archaeology, the environment, etc.

An inventory and or status report describing and analyzing current conditions, causes, and influential factors.

Generally, this refers to the writer of a book or an article. However, author more generally means the creator of materials, for example the composer of music. In the library catalog, directors, actors, or performers are also considered authors. Authors can be groups such as government agencies, a symposium, a company, or other organization that may use a group name rather than an individual's name.

Small label of close spaced bars that can be read by a computer. Bar codes on books and on your student identification ID cards are used to check out books from the library.

Provide information on real people, past and present. Resources may be in the form of dictionaries, encyclopedias, books, articles, etc.

1) List of items gathered together which will appear at the end of the research paper as a list of works cited. These materials are usually arranged alphabetically by author's last name. 2) A publication, frequently a reference book, that lists sources on a particular subject or person.

A place to bring books borrowed from the library back to the library. Large metal book return boxes are located outside the library.

Being able to take books from the library. It is the same as checkout.

Several issues, often a year's worth, of journals or magazines that are fastened together (bound) between hard covers which makes them look like books.

Computer network software than enables navigation, e.g., Netscape and Internet Explorer.

The identifying number given to each book acquired by the library. Every ITEM in the library, with very few exceptions, has a call number. Call numbers begin with letters which stand for a specific subject category and indicate the item's location on the shelf, much like an address identifies a building's location on the street.

The records for all library materials in a library's collection. Records contain bibliographic information such as author, title, publisher, date of publication, price, edition, and source of purchase. When several libraries share records for a common catalog, it's called a union catalog.

A disc for storing data, much like a computer's floppy disc only with a much larger capacity. CD-ROMs are sold both blank, ready for you to put data onto, and with information already on them. The CD-ROMs that the library owns already contain data, often the same sort of data you might find in books.

To borrow books from the library. Books can be checked out at the circulation service desk.

The service desk located in the library lobby, usually at the entrance. This is where you check out books, return books, renew books, pay fines, request searches for books, and update your library card.

A reference to, or information about, an item. Typically citations have three parts: author, title, and publication information. A list of citations is often referred to as a bibliography.

People in the local neighborhood and or the general public.

Thinking which exercises logic, judgment, and independent decision-making.

An electronic collection of information. A database may contain citations or it may have full text articles.

A system for using numbers to put materials on similar topics together on the shelves, dividing materials into 10 broad main classes (main categories), then subdividing the classes into smaller and smaller groups. The top number in the call number on the label of a book is a classification number.

Dictionaries list the words in a language alphabetically, giving definitions, pronunciation, and etymology (where the word came from). Special dictionaries may apply to a specific subject, and contain acronyms (letters which stand for an organization or abbreviation), slang, etc.

Information stored as numbers — ultimately as a sequence of 1s and 0s. The form in which all data is stored on a computer.

Directories give brief information about people, organizations, companies, or institutions. Information may include addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and web sites.

Requests materials not owned by UNLV such as photocopies of articles or books from other libraries. Requests must be made through the library catalog online form.

To copy onto a local computer files or data from a remote computer or computer system.

The date a book, video, etc. must be returned to the library.

Libraries which are no longer operational.

A special computer file, which contains the text (and/or graphics) of a printed book. The file may be read on a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), or an electronic device designed specifically for reading e-Books (e-Book Reader).

Electronic mail messages composed on computers and sent to other computer addresses over a network.

Journals that are available in digital format. The advantage of having the journal accessible via the Web is that more than one person can read it at once, you don't have to come into the library to read it, and the journal won't suffer damage from overuse.

The process by which the text in an e-Book file is rendered unreadable to everyone but the person who has paid for the e-Book.

An encyclopedia contains information about a broad range of topics or one special topic. Entries are generally longer than in a almanac, directory, or dictionary. Entries are in alphabetic order. General encyclopedias are multivolume with an index volume to help locate information on topics that do not have a separate entry (listing).

(in an encyclopedia) One article or listing in an alphabetic list of subjects. Not all information in an encyclopedia has its own entry, but instead may be covered in another entry (article) and accessed by using the index.

Generic, cross curricula learning outcomes.

In the not too distant past, indexes and catalogs provided by libraries would only list citation information (author, title, dates, etc.) for articles, books and other materials. Researchers would need to visit the library shelves in order to read the materials searched for. Increasingly we can use technology to link directly from online search results to the article or book in its entirety, or to the full text of the item.

A list of geographical places and locations.

Information about the geography of the world, counties, regions, states, or cities. Atlases contain maps and other geographical information. A list just of geographical places and locations is called a Gazetteer.

This refers to a location in the library and to the services and materials available in that location. This area is not limited to information about politics and the federal government. There is information produced by state and local governments, as well as materials from international organizations and foreign governments.

A reference guide is a book that lists, categorizes, explains, and recommends other reference sources.

This book generally pertains to a specific subject and contains quick facts, tables, statistical information, and may list organizations connected to the subject.

Holds and recalls may be placed on currently checked out books at the circulation service desk.

Items or materials owned by the library. For example periodical holdings refers to volumes, or issues, of a particular magazine or journal.

Set of books, or CD-ROM, or Web site that organizes citations to articles in journals or other sources. Access is usually provided by subject, title, and author. Online indexes may provide keyword access and may contain full-text of the listed articles.

Direct resources contain information. Indirect resources don't have the information but point you to the resources that do.

Items of knowledge, e.g., facts and accounts of events, which can be communicated, recorded, and or stored.

Borrowing from another library.

A single copy of a book, worksheet, video, or other form of media or documentation.

A journal is often a scholarly publication with longer articles contributed by professionals in a field and is more research oriented than a magazine. Many journals are published quarterly. Magazine often contain popular information, have more advertising, and are written largely by the magazine staff. Both magazines and journals are periodical publications (ongoing publications that come out periodically, such as newspapers, magazines, or journals).

A word or term contained within a database or directory of databases on which a user may "key." A keyword search will locate and list records containing the desired word.

This message appears in the status column on the library catalog screen and indicates for library use only. This typically refers to media resources materials, reference books or materials in special collections. These materials never check out but may be used in the library.

School ID or library card with a bar-code that is registered in the automated system and is used to check out library materials. Library cards are also used when ordering materials and for home access of the index pages on the library web site.

This is a database of all the items a particular library owns (such as books or videotapes). Catalogs are generally searchable by subjects, authors, and titles.

These are the words used when searching the library catalog by subject. These terms were devised by the Library of Congress and are used by Libraries to divide knowledge into related subject areas.

A collection of links and resources compiled by a library and designed to be viewed via a browser for the World Wide Web.

An open and inclusive approach to learning which is neither restricted to formal nor informal learning.

A distributed e-mail membership list, often provided on the Internet by special interest groups or professional associations. All members of a listserv may post messages to, or receive messages from, other members of the list.

Ability to read, to write, and to comprehend what is read. Information literacy is the ability to find and use appropriate information for a specific purpose.

The length of time library materials may be borrowed. The time period varies depending on the borrower's status.

Where an item is kept in the library. Location information is provided by library maps usually located in the lobby. Both location and call number are necessary to find an item in the library.

An ongoing publication (weekly or monthly) that contains articles written by journalists or freelance writers. These publications tend to be of general interest and will cover a variety of topics.

1) Material that is not in paper or in print format; videos, audio cassettes, and microforms are referred to as media items. 2) Media resources is a location within the library.

This word refers to different technologies used to film or copy a printed work in a much smaller size. Examples of micoforms are microfilm and microfiche. Newspapers, magazines, and journals are sometimes stored on microforms. You can make copies, on paper, from the microforms. Microforms is also a location in the library.

A device that connects remotely located computers. It converts the digital computer signals into analog signals that can be transmitted over telephone lines, while simultaneously converting analog data to digital signals that can be read by a computer.

Information presented or stored in a combination of different forms, using graphics, text sound, video, and animation.

An interconnected community of electronic communication devices, such as computers, through which various kinds of information may be shared.

An electronic system that stores the information about the holdings of a library.

Example from one library: Books can be renewed online for a maximum of two renewals. In order to renew a book online you must have a valid library card and no overdues or fines on your record.

Identify and use specialized service providers who are not part of the organization, in an attempt to provide efficient and quality services while simultaneously avoiding high overhead investment.

An item that has not been returned by the due date.

A request for a book to be delivered from a branch library or a community college library.

Any person who uses your library, the library services, or any of the library resources.

A publication that appears on a regular basis more than once a year; such as newspapers, magazines, or journals. Also called a serial.

Primary resources are the original resources. Secondary resources contain information about or leading to the primary resource. A novel would be a primary resource and a bibliography that listed novels would be a secondary resource.

Any book for which the copyright has expired — usually a book published before the 1920s. Public domain e-Books are generally encrypted at a lower level of security.

Reference service for questions that can be answered with brief, factual information. The ready reference collection in many libraries has a selection of resources that can answer a large number of reference questions that require a brief, factual answer.

This word refers to a location in the library and also the the services and books available at that location. At the the Reference Desk, there are librarians to help you with research and using the library. The library keeps reference materials apart from the regular collection. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and indexes are examples of reference materials. Reference items cannot be checked out.

A reference interview is the dialog between the user and the library staff member to establish the exact question and the scope of the question that the user is asking.

Answering research questions and helping people find useful information with library, community, or Internet resources.

To extend the date due for a book, the book is taken the circulation service desk, or renewed online.

Reserve materials are usually available for short loan periods such as two hours.

Learning through using and engaging with various resources.

All the materials in any format in a library's collection.

A device that converts images or text into digital data that can be stored on a computer.

A generic term denoting a school-based system devised to provide learners and teachers with access to collections of resources in print, visual, electronic, and other media.

Secondary resources contain information about or leading to the primary resources. Primary resources are the original resource. A novel would be a primary resource and bibliography that listed novels would be a secondary resource.

Serial publications are ongoing publications that come out periodically, such as newspapers, magazines, or journals. Also called a periodical.

A location in the library which contains particular collections such as a Native American collection, a menu collection, history of Southern Nevada, or a photographic collection.

The shelves that hold the books or periodicals. Book stacks is also a location within the library.

Contain numerical data, tables, charts, or graphs.

1) This message appears on the library catalog screens and indicates whether or not a book has been checked out. If the screen indicates not checked out, the book should be on the shelf. However, the book may be in use in the library by some one else or it may be on the waiting to be reshelved stack. 2) SAT's (status) refers to a person's standing as a library borrower, for example; student, staff, faculty, and community patron.

All services relating to a library model system, such as a mobile library system.

Anyone who uses your library, the library services, or any of the library resources.

Validity is the quality or reliability of a resource.

An electronic network offering immediate access to full-text documents and other information.

Usually, one book is one volume. Several issues of a journal or a magazine fastened together as a bound periodical are considered one volume.

Yearbooks are annual publications that pertain to the happenings of one specific year. A yearbook may be general, about all the happenings of one year, and is often published to supplement a general encyclopedia. Many professions also publish yearbooks with information about events, statistics, and people connected with the profession.