Librarians use a specialized language to describe their scholarly activities and practices. Listed below are some common library-related terms used throughout our Webpages and in the Library that will assist you in demystifying libraries and the research process.

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

A

Abstract An abstract is a brief summary of the essential points of a book, pamphlet, report, or article. Reading an abstract prior to pulling an article or a book,  is helpful in determining whether or not the document will be useful in your research

Anthology A collection of pieces by more than one author brought together as one work.

B

Bibliography A bibliography is a list of reference materials, or works cited, such as books and articles used for research. It is often located at the end of an article or book. "Bibliography" may also refer to a collection of information sources on a specific topic, such as books and periodical articles, that are published as a book.  

Book Defined by UNESCO in 1964, a book is a non-periodical printed publication of at least forty-nine pages, exclusive of cover pages. 

Boolean Searching Boolean searching is a method of combining search terms in a database to limit results using Boolean (logical) operators: AND, OR and NOT:

AND narrows a search, specifying that both search terms must be found in the record, though not necessarily in the same section.

OR broadens a search. Either search term must be found somewhere in the record.

NOT narrows a search. A record is retrieved only when the first term is present and not the second.

Bound Refers to several issues of a periodical which are joined together under one cover. 

C

Call Number A call number is made up of a series of letters, numbers or symbols that identifies an individual book or material and shows the order in which the item is stored on a shelf or in a collection of materials. The call number label is usually located on the spine of a book. Most university, college and academic libraries use the Library of Congress Classification System .

Catalog A database or listing of items (records) in a library collection. A Union Catalog enables searching the catalogs of multiple libraries. See Skyline or Prospector, below.

Check Out In order to borrow a book from the library for a certain period of time, you must take the book to the circulation desk and have it charged out with your ID card.

Circulation Desk The circulation desk is the place to check out, renew and return library materials.

Citation A citation is composed of author, article title, publication name, date, volume and pages  from journals, magazines, books or government documents. A citation is cited in a bibliography, using a specific style manual .

Author: Peters, Tom 
Title: Make work fun
Source: Executive Excellence volume 16 no. 2, (Feb 1999): p.9 (1 page) 

Controlled Vocabulary A controlled vocabulary is a set of standard terms used to describe the contents of items found in a database, and is useful for drawing together, under a single word or phrase, all the material that is available on a particular topic. For example, the words and phrases used by a subject specialist when creating subject headings for an article, document, or book for a specific index or catalog are subject headings. Articles listed in databases such as  PsycInfo and ERIC are given subject headings by their subject specialists, or indexers. These subject headings are then listed in a thesaurus designed for that database. This provides consistency in the chosen words and phrases as well as ensures better search results on many topics. 

Copyright Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works.

D

Database A database is a file or collection of bibliographic citations or records of materials stored electronically in a manner that can be searched, retrieved and manipulated.

Dictionary A work which defines the terms of a language, profession, discipline, or specialized area of knowledge. Terms are usually arranged in alphabetical order. ABRIDGED dictionaries limit themselves to the most commonly used words. UNABRIDGED dictionaries aim at a much higher level of completeness.  

Due Date The due date is the date before which library materials on loan should be returned or renewed. Materials not returned or renewed by designated due date are subject to fines or loss of borrowing privileges.  

E

Electronic Journals Sometimes referred to as ejournals. Electronic journals are full text or abstracts of journal articles available electronically on the Internet or CD-ROMs.

Encyclopedia A work containing factual articles on subjects in every field of knowledge, usually arranged alphabetically. A SUBJECT encyclopedia is a similar work on a single field of activity or a single subject. An encyclopedia can be one volume or many volumes, depending on the amount of material included.

F

Field A subdivision of the computer record used for a defined category or purpose. An example in a bibliographic record is the author field, where the name of the author is located. 

Full text The entire contents available of a book, government document, or an article from a  journal magazine or newspaper.

G

Government Publication A government publication is an official document issued by a government agency such as a city, county, state, or federal body. Government publications contain information covering a wide variety of subjects.  

H

Hits Results of a computer search or number of "pages" found.

Hold To reserve a book that has been checked out by another user. When the book is returned it will be put on the "hold" shelf at the Auraria Library Circulation Desk. You will be notified when the material becomes available.

HTML Hypertext Markup Language. A computer language behind all Web documents containing the text, images and links to other documents (such as sound, animation or movies). Web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape are programmed to interpret HTML for display. You may view the HTML code in Netscape by selecting "View" from the pull-down menu  then "Page Source." 

Hypertext Developed by Ted Nelson in the 1960s, a path, or link to other information and objects located on computers connected to the World Wide Web. George P. Landow (3) defines hypertext as "the use of the computer to transcend the linear, bounded and fixed qualities of the traditional written text." From Hypermedia and Literary Studies (Paul Delany and George P. Landow, eds.Cambridge, MA. MIT Press, 1991).

I

Index A list, in alphabetical or numerical order, of the topics, names, geographic places or authors that are treated or mentioned in a publication or group of publications; also contains references to the pages where the topics are discussed. Author, subject and title indexes are common; the type of index depends on the type of material covered in the publication. An index might be for a book, an encyclopedia, a group of periodicals, newspapers, government documents, or other item. Also, a search site that builds a database by indexing individual words from web pages to allow for keyword searching. Often larger and more comprehensive than catalog or directory sites.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Interlibrary loan is a library service allowing you to request books and journal articles not owned by Auraria Library by filling out the WebZap form available on the Library web page.

Internet The Internet is a global computer network that began as an academic and research network financed by the U.S. government. Also see ARPANET .

IP Address (Internet Protocol number or address). Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP address. 

J

Journal Journals report original research, discoveries, experimentation, reviews, or essays, and  are written by and for scholars and researchers in the field. Often published by academic or association presses, journals are peer reviewed by an editor or specialists in the field for accuracy.

K

Keyword Searching A type of search that looks for words in titles, contents notes, and abstracts. This is a useful search when your information is incomplete or uncertain. Different electronic systems call keyword searching by various names, such as "word" or "text searching."

L

Library of Congress Classification System (LCSH) Books and other materials in the Auraria Library are given subject headings from the Library of Congress Subject Headings. The Library of Congress Subject Headings  are the large red, multi-volumed books available for use at the Reference Desk. You may also search by Library of Congress Subject Headings within Skyline , Auraria Library's online catalog as well as click on a specific heading within Skyline to obtain more information. Also see Controlled Vocabulary.

Library Instruction Library instruction usually consists of a lecture, demonstration and hands-on practice. It is a service provided by faculty librarians and staff to show users how to use the library's resources efficiently.

Library Web Site The Auraria Library website is accessible at http://library.auraria.edu .  It provides information about Auraria Library including its resources and services.

Limits Filters applied to the results of an electronic search. Publication year or dates, additional search terms, and the written text's language are some common limits.  

Link A unit of connectivity in hypertext; URL imbedded in another document. Also called hypertext link.

Loan Period This term refers to the length of time library materials may be borrowed.

M

Magazine Magazines are usually news-oriented and articles are written and designed to entertain or persuade, often written by professional journalists or writers for a general audience. Articles rarely cite sources or contain a bibliography, and  are published by commercial, for-profit presses. Magazines are NOT peer reviewed.

Meta-site Search engine that submits a specified search simultaneously to many different search sites.

Microfiche File-card size sheets of film on which periodical articles and other documents have been reproduced in miniature. The contents of microfiche can be viewed and/or printed by inserting the sheet into a microfiche reader/printer. Microfiche is in alphabetical order in the microfiche cabinets located in the Periodicals Reading Room at Auraria Library.

Microfilm A spool of film on which periodical articles and other documents have been reproduced in miniature. The contents of microfilm can be viewed and/or printed by threading the spool onto a microfilm reader/printer. Microfilm is available at Auraria Library in the Periodicals Reading Room. You will need a call number to locate specific film.

Monograph Synonym for book.

N

O

Off-campus access When referring to the Library's online materials and databases, this means web access from outside the Auraria Campus computer systems. The computer labs at the satellite campuses in the Denver Metropolitan area (ie. Metro North or CCD's Lowry campus) are part of the Auraria Campus systems and can access the Library's proprietary material without adjustment.

Online Catalog See Skyline.

Overdue Overdue means the book checked out by you is late for return. It has not been returned to the library or renewed by the due date.  

P

PDF Portable Document Format or or .pdf or pdf file is the file format for Adobe Systems' Acrobat software. Many government publications are now published in .pdf and require Acrobat certain library databases such as JSTOR may also use .pdf to display and print articles. Viewing a PDF file requires Acrobat Reader, which is built into most browsers and can be downloaded free from Adobe.

Peer Review Peer review is the process of review by qualified outside known as "peers," (experts in the same field)  who identify manuscripts, research, proposals, grants and other work(s) that are worthy of publication. In the peer review process, authors submit their work to scholarly academic journals, who in turn, send manuscripts to an editorial board or similar group of peers to determine the article's acceptability, validity, reproducibility of results, grammar and scholarly use of theory.  Authors may then be asked to edit or revise before their work is accepted for publication. Also see "Refereed", below .

Periodicals Publications issued in successive parts at regular intervals, including journals, magazines and newspapers. Current periodicals are ones that have arrived recently within the last six months to two years and are shelved in the Periodicals Department . Bound periodicals are back issues which have been sent to the bindery, covered with a binding, and placed in the stacks within the Periodicals Department . See Serials, below.

Phrase Searching Method of keeping specific words together by grouping them with punctuation, usually double quotes -- for example, "chocolate chip cookies."

Primary Source Original manuscripts. contemporary records or documents used by a researcher in writing a book or article which would then form the secondary literature. Letters, photographs, interviews, government documents, historical records, and personal papers are some examples of primary sources. See Secondary Sources , below.

Prospector Prospector is a unified catalog of academic, public and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. Through Prospector you have access to books, sound recordings, films, videotapes and other materials held in Colorado libraries. With a single search you can identify and borrow materials from the collections and have them delivered to Auraria Library. Prospector is available through Skyline as a menu choice or directly on the Web at Prospector .

Q

R

Recall Recall is a service by which you can request a book that has already been checked out by another patron. When the book is returned to the library, it will be held for you and you will be notified.  

Record Unique unit of information contained in a database representing one article, book or report.

Refereed A publication that has been peer reviewed. This involves external assessment by at least one independent reviewer. In the case of a journal article or conference publication, the independent reviewer cannot be a member of the editorial board.  Also see Peer-Reviewed .

Reference Desk The reference desk is where you receive in-depth assistance from librarians in your library research. The desk is located near the reference collection on the first floor.

Reference Materials Reference materials are used frequently for general information regarding a process or a definition of a term, or background information on a subject. Types of reference materials may include encyclopedias, dictionaries, indexes, almanacs, handbooks, statistical directories, biographical handbooks and other related materials. These types of materials may not be checked out of the library.

Relevance The method by which search results are ranked. It differs among search engines but is usually based on the number of times search words appear, how high they are on the page, if they are in the title, etc.

Renew Renew is a service which allows you to extend the loan period for the book that you have checked out unless another user has recalled the book. You can renew your books online and check to see how many items you have checked out from the Library in Skyline .

Reserves Reserves is a library service that sets aside required reading/listening/viewing materials assigned by the professors for their students. You may check to see if your instructor has placed items on Reserve within Skyline .

S

Save/Download/Email Citations, full-text articles, and most other information that you retrieve from the Library's electronic resources can be downloaded/saved onto a formatted floppy disk for later use. Most of these resources can also be emailed to any email account. For details on how to download or email from specific sources, see Saving Articles And Web Pages To A Disk

Search Engine Search engines are huge databases of Web page files that have been assembled automatically by a machine. To create these databases, search engines use "scouts" termed "spiders" or "robots" (bots) to crawl through Net space from link to link, identifying pages. Sites with no links and metatags [undisplayed text in the HTML code of a Web page] Two types of search engines can be used to search the Net: 1.Individual::Individual search engines compile their own searchable databases on the web. Google is an example of an individual search engine;  and  2. Meta:: Meta search engines do not compile databases. Instead, they search the databases of multiple sets of individual engines simultaneously. Metacrawler is an example of a metasearch engine. At present, no one search engine searches the entire Internet. Here's a nice chart that illustrates the differences in search engines. 

Secondary Sources For librarians, bibliographic sources in which books, articles, and other primary sources are listed.  In other fields of inquiry, secondary sources refer to books and articles which are written using historical record material as sources.

Serial/Journal/Magazine/Periodical Serials, journals, magazines and periodicals are types of publications which are usually published weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually in successive order.Serials include Periodicals as well as annual publications, proceedings, and transactions.  

Skyline Skyline is Auraria Library's online catalog. Skyline is an electronic database listing all the materials owned by the Library. Library users can search for books, periodical titles, government documents, maps, and audio-visual materials held by the Library. Reserve materials and  circulation records may also be viewed. Skyline is available to anyone with Internet access.

Stacks Library shelves which hold books, government documents or periodicals are called the stacks. You need the Library of Congress call number of the material to locate it in the library stacks. You can find the call number of a book in Skyline .

Style Manuals Specialized handbooks that illustrate accepted forms for citing references in bibliographies, footnotes, endnotes and research works. Some style manuals are for general use. Others are published by professional associations as form guides for articles in journals in that field of knowledge and research.

Subject Headings Subject headings are those words or phrases, assigned to a document or book, that contain the intellectual subject of that resource. Subject headings are used when searching by a controlled vocabulary. The most commonly used subject headings in academic libraries are those devised by the Library of Congress Classification System.

SuDocs (Superintendent of Documents) Classification System A system of arranging federal government publications in an alpha/numerical order according to issuing government department (such as Agriculture Department, Commerce Department, etc.).

T

Telnet Internet service allowing one computer to log onto another, connecting as if not remote. 

Thesaurus Specialized periodical indexes use a controlled vocabulary (a standardized word or phrase list). A thesaurus is an alphabetical listing of the terms currently in use for that index. A thesaurus will also show relationships between synonyms or related terms, as well as hierarchical arrangements (broader terms, narrower terms).

Truncation The ability to retrieve records of search terms that share a common root. In each database, some sort of symbol (a colon, an asterisk, a dollar sign) is placed at the end of the group of letters forming the root search term. Use the longest root possible to increase the accuracy of your search. For example: librar* will find library, librarian, libraries, etc.

U

Union Catalog A database that contains the holdings of multiple libraries.  Examples are Prospector and ACLIN for Colorado libraries.

URL An acronym for "Uniform Resource Locator," the unique address of a resource on the Internet. World Wide Web URLs begin with  "http://."

V

Volume A number of issues of a periodical, usually a year. 

For example, the volume this article appears in is volume 62:

Journal of Environmental Health June 2000 v62 i10 p38 ("New Evidence Confirms That Earth's Surface Temperature Is Rising" )

W

WebZap WebZap is an electronic system for requesting books and journal articles which are not available as part of Auraria Library's collection. Users must complete a one time only user profile that is stored within the WebZap system that is available for future logins.

World Wide Web Also known as the Web. The Web is part of the Internet that uses a special language called HTML, or hypertext markup language, to create paths which lead to further objects and information.  For historical descriptions leading up to the Web, see W3C .

X

Y

Z

Zine(s) "Zines (pronounced "zeens") are cut-and-paste, sorry this is late, self-published magazines reproduced at Kinko's or on the sly at work and distributed through mail order and word of mouth. They touch on sex, music, politics, television, movies, work, food, whatever." From the Book of Zines .

Taken in part from : Rutgers University Libraries , Valparaiso University Libraries , Universityof Michigan and International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science .