Glossary
This glossary provides brief definitions of basic terms used in library and information sciences.
A multilingual glossary, which provides English-language definitions of approximately forty-five commonly used terms, is also available. The terms are listed in six languages: Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Enter the Glossary at entries beginning with:
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
Abstract. (1) A brief summary of the points in an article; (2) A source which compiles by subject, author, or title, articles in a selected group of periodicals and includes a summary of each article.
Article. A contribution written for publication in a journal, magazine, or newspaper. A source of contemporary information.
Audio-visual material. See Media.
Authority. An evaluative criteria which involves determining whether the author of an item has the appropriate credentials to make the statements or claims represented in the item.
Bibliography. A list of books, journal articles, etc. on a particular topic. Bibliographies can appear at the end of a book, journal, or encyclopedia article, or as a separate publication.
Boolean operator. See Operator.
Bound volume. Formed when issues of a periodical title are gathered together into a hardback volume.
Browser. A computer application that allows navigation of the world wide web. Browsers utilize client – server architecture and take advantage of hyperlinks. (See also Hypertext ; Client-Server Architecture ; World Wide Web).
Call Number. A combination of numbers and letters which is used to identify a particular book or item in the library's collection. Items are arranged on the shelves by call number.
Catalog. A database of records (usually a card file or an online database) representing books, journals, media, government documents, and other materials held in a particular library or location. Online catalogs can usually be searched by various methods, such as author, title, subject, call number, or keyword. Typically, they display the call number and location of the material, with descriptive details. (See also Online Catalog).
CD-ROM (Compact Disk - Read Only Memory). The medium on which an index or reference work may be stored and accessed through a computer.
Circulation. The circulation desk is the place in the library where you check out, renew, and return library materials. You may also place a hold, or report an item missing from the shelves.
Citation. A reference or footnote to a book, a magazine or journal article, or another source. It contains all the information necessary to identify and locate the work, including author, title, publisher, date, volume, issue number, and pages.
Client-Server. In computing, a network design ("architecture") that divides processing between clients and servers. A personal computer or workstation (client) provides the interface and performs some or all of the processing on requests it makes from another supplying computer (server), which maintains the database and processes the requests.
Controlled Vocabulary. Standardized terms used in searching a specific database. These terms may differ for each database. (See also Descriptor , Free-text ; Subject Heading).
Credibility. An evaluative criteria which involves questioning whether or not an author has the expertise to make the statement he/she is making.
Database. A collection of information, usually stored in an electronic format that can be searched by a computer.
Descriptor. A word that describes the subject of an article or book; used in many computer databases. (See also Controlled Vocabulary , Subject Heading).
Dewey Decimal Classification System. A method to classify and shelve items by using numbers and letters to represent subject content.
Dictionary. A source which provides word or term definitions and correct grammatical usage. Dictionaries may be either general or subject specific.
Directory. A listings of web sites separated into categories or topical areas. (See also Search Engine).
Download. (1) To transfer information from a computer to a computer disk; (2) to transfer information from one computer to another computer.
Encyclopedia. General information source which provides overview articles on various branches of knowledge. Encyclopedias may be general or subject-specific.
Evaluation. A critical assessment of an information source.
Field. A part of a record which represents one descriptive or identifying element (such as author, title, subject heading, etc.) for an item. (See also Record).
Free-text. A method of constructing a database which does not control or standardize terminology within the fields of a record. (See also Controlled Vocabulary; Keyword ; Subject Heading).
Handbook. General information source which provides quick reference for a given subject area. Handbooks are generally subject-specific.
Hold. A "hold" guarantees that a book checked out to another person will be saved for you when it is returned. A book that is currently checked out by another borrower may be recalled through the Libraries online catalog or at the Circulation or check-out desk. (See also Recall).
Holdings. The materials owned by a library; often refers to the specific dates and volumes of a periodical owned by the library.
Hyperlink. A predefined linkage between associated concepts or chunks of information, such as words or graphics in a document, that lead the reader to the related text when they are selected. (See also Hypertext).
Hypermedia. Various forms of information, such as text, graphics, video and voice, used as elements in a hypertext system.
Hypertext. The dynamic linking of associated concepts among and within documents, so that the reader can easily move from one concept to another related concept. An example could be any computerized document that can lead the reader to various related information through hyperlinks. (See also Hyperlink).
Icon. A small symbol on a computer screen that represents a computer operation or data file.
Index. (1) A list of names or topics usually found at the end of a publication, which directs you to the pages where the names or topics are discussed; (2) a printed or electronic publication which lists references to periodical articles or books by subject and/or author.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL). A service that allows you to borrow materials from other libraries through your own library.
Internet. The international network of computer networks which provides three basic services: (1) electronic mail, or e-mail, an online message service between computer users; (2) remote logon, which is the ability to connect to and use services on a computer at other sites; (3) file transfer protocol or FTP, which allows users to move files from one computer to another. (See also World Wide Web) .
Issue. Formed when journal or magazine articles are combined for publication.
Journal. A publication, issued on a regular basis, which contains scholarly research published as articles, papers, research reports, or technical reports. (See also Magazine ; Periodical).
Keyword. (1) A significant or memorable word or term in the title, abstract or text of an item that indicates its subject; (2) a type of search method which retrieves search terms from anywhere in the record. (See also Free-Text).
LCSH. See Library of Congress Subject Headings .
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). List of accepted subject terms used in many library catalogs and some indexes. (See also Subject Heading).
Link. See Hyperlink.
Local Area Network (LAN). A direct connection of computers by some type of cable. (See also Network).
Magazine. A publication, issued on a regular basis, containing popular articles, written and illustrated in a less technical manner than articles found in a journal. (See also Journal ; Periodical).
Media. In libraries, the term is used to describe material in a non-print format, such as slides, video, and music.
Menu. Refers to a list of options available in a computer application.
Microfiche. Photographically reduced images reproduced as small card-like pieces of film. (See also Microform).
Microfilm. Photographically reduced images of a printed page in reel to reel format. (See also Microform).
Microform. A reduced sized photographic reproduction of printed information on reel to reel film (microfilm), film cards (microfiche), or opaque pages that can be read with a microform reader/printer.
Modem. Computer hardware that connects our computer to other computers through a telephone line and appropriate software. (See also Network).
Mouse. A device that allows us to move and click the cursor on a computer screen for different functions.
Multimedia. A system of computer presentations which allows you to see and hear information through access to videotapes, and videodiscs.
Network. A communication system made up of computers which are connected. This arrangement allows information transfer from one computer to another in "real time". (See also Local Area Network (LAN); Wide Area Network (WAN)) .
Online. Pertaining to computer equipment connected to and interacting with a functioning computer system.
Online Catalog. A computerized database which usually can be searched by various search methods such as author, title, subject, or call number to find out what a library owns. Online catalogs will display the call number and the location of the material. (See also Catalog).
Operator (Boolean Operator). A search modifier used to refine the relationship between your search term(s). The three major operators are AND, OR and NOT.
Periodical. Material published regularly such as magazines, journals, and newspapers. (See also Serial).
Perspective. An evaluative criteria which considers the author's approach or point of view.
Recall. A request for the return of library material before the due date. A book that is currently checked out by another borrower may be recalled through the Libraries online catalog or at the Circulation or check-out desk. (See also Hold).
Record. The representation of a particular item in a database. A record is generally divided into various fields, each of which represents a type of information that describes or identifies that item. (See also Field).
Reference. (1) A service that provides assistance to information users to find needed information; (2) sometimes it refers to reference collections, such as encyclopedias, indexes, CD-ROM databases, handbooks, directories, etc.
Reliability. An evaluative criteria which involves questioning whether or not the facts presented in a work are accurate.
Remote Access. A phrase used to describe the connection of one computer to another computer located in different places.
Renewal. The process of extending the loan period of library materials.
Reserve. A library service that manages the circulation of course materials selected by instructors or professors.
Scope. An evaluative criteria which looks at what information is or is not included in a work.
Search Engine. Computer programs used in databases and on the Internet that search for records that match your request. In a catalog or index database, search engines search specified fields (author, title, subject headings, etc.) of each record in the database. On the web, the robots crawl about the web indexing sites, usually looking at URLs, text in the document, or the heading of the document. (See also Directory).
Search Operator. See Operator.
Search Statement / Search Query. Terms or phrases with operators that we enter into the online catalog or electronic index to search. (See also Keyword ; Controlled Vocabulary).
Serial. A library term for periodicals: items which are published regularly: such as magazines, journals, newspapers, yearbooks, etc. (See also Periodical).
Source. A general term used for library material that provides information.
Stacks. The shelving units where library collections are stored.
Subject Heading. A term or phrase used in indexes and library catalogs to group together materials on the same topic. (See also Descriptor ; Controlled Vocabulary).
Terminal. One station that is part of a computer system.
Thesaurus. (1) A list of categorized terms, such as synonyms and related words; (2) a listing of suject headings used in a particular database or other resource. (See also Descriptor , Subject Heading).
THOR (THe Online Resource). The Purdue University Libraries´ web site (http://www.lib.purdue.edu) containing links to information about books, periodicals, journal articles, audiovisual materials, and other items in the Purdue Libraries collections, as well as other libraries' collections, index databases, and world wide web sites.
Uniform Resource Locator. See URL.
Upload. To transfer information from a computer system or a microcomputer to another computer system or a larger computer system.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The string of characters that identifies a particular web site and serves as its "address." URLs may be entered in a web browser to retrieve a known site.
Volume. An item which contains the total collection of all sequential periodical issues over a given time period.
Web. See World Wide Web.
Web browser. See Browser.
Wide Area Network (WAN). Local area networks connected together by using telephones or other types of communications equipment. (See also Local Area Network/LAN).
World Wide Web. A network of information, as a part of the Internet, that includes text, graphic, sound and moving images. Also known as the Web, WWW, or W(3). It incorporates a variety of Internet tools into one method of access, such as the Web browsers Netscape or Internet Explorer. (See also Internet).
