How to use this glossary
Did you see word on the library's website that confused you? Use this guide to find words commonly used in the library.
Is there a word you found on the library's website that doesn't appear in this glossary? Contact Julie Huskey or Jennifer Castle for help or to have the term added to this list.
Glossary
This glossary is designed to introduce you to words/terminology commonly used in an academic library setting.
Click on the letters below to jump to that section of the alphabet:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z
Words in bold are glossary terms.
A
Abridged: Shortened or condensed while keeping the main content of the text
Abstract: A brief summary of a book or article.
Accession number: A unique number or combination of letters and numbers assigned to each record in a database.
Almanac: "1. A collection, usually annual, of statistics and facts, both current and retrospective. May be broad in geographical and subject coverage, or limited to a particular country or state or to a special subject. 2. An annual containing miscellaneous matter, such as a calendar, a list of astronomical events, planting tables, astrological predictions, and anecdotes" (Definition from Yale University Library)
Annotation: A short description or evaluation of a document.
Anthology: A collection of writings, usually having common characteristics such as subject matter, literary form or from one author.
Archives: A repository of documents and other materials of public or historical value; or, the unit that houses those materials.
Archival material: Documents and other materials deemed worthy to be kept permanently and as nearly as possible in their original form.
Article: A contribution written by one or more persons and published in a periodical or as part of a book, usually non-fiction.
Ask-A-Librarian: Allows library users to ask questions through email or live chat instead of visiting the library reference desk to ask in person. Also referred to as online, digital, or electronic reference. See: Chat reference.
Atlas: "A book or bound collection of maps, illustrations, etc.; Volume of maps, plates, engravings, tables, etc., which may be used to accompany a text; or it may be an independent publication." (Definition from Colorado State University Libraries)
Attachment: A separate file (e.g., text, spreadsheet, graphic, audio, video) sent with an email message.
Authentication: A security process that typically employs usernames and passwords to validate the identity of users before allowing them access to certain information.
Author: The person(s) or organization(s) that wrote or compiled a document. Looking for information under its author's name is one option in searching.
Autobiography: A written account of a person’s life written by said person.
Avon Williams Library: The library located in the Avon Williams (downtown) building, approximately three miles from the main campus.
B
Back matter: Pages that follow the main body of a book, such as an index or appendix.
Barcode: A 10- or 14-digit number and code located on the cover of a book, periodical or other item. Barcodes identify specific items and are used to charge, discharge, and renew items in the online computer system.
Bibliographic (catalog) record: A bibliographic record refers to all the information necessary to identify one item. This information usually includes at least the title, author, call number, publisher, and date of publication, sometimes a summary is included.
Bibliography: A list of sources of information (articles, books, and other materials) on a specific topic. Bibliographies can be found at an end of a book or article to refer to the resources used in writing the book or article, or to refer researchers to recommended further reading. Bibliographies can also be independent works that are annotated.
Biennial: Issued in alternate years. Thus, published once every two years. See: Semiannual.
Bimonthly: Issued in alternate months. Thus, published six times per year. See: Semimonthly.
Biweekly: Issued twice a month. Thus, published every two weeks. See: Semiweekly.
Binding: The front and back covers of a book that hold the pages together.
Biography: A written account of a person’s life by someone other than said person.
Blurb: A short description for publicity purposes, such as on a book jacket.
Book: A relatively lengthy work, often on a single topic. May be print or electronic.
Book review: An evaluation of a literary work and found in a periodical publication.
Boolean operators (terms): The words “and," “or," “not” used in keyword searching to broaden, narrow, or limit a search. Helpful in database searching.
Book stacks: Shelves in the library where materials—typically books—are stored. Books in the book stacks are normally arranged by call number (see definition). May be referred to simply as the “stacks.”
Bound periodical: Several issues of a periodical (magazine or journal) are often bound together as a single book for storage. Bound periodicals usually contain a full volume, or one year’s worth of issues, of the title.
Browse: To browse the shelves of a library is to look at items and see what appears useful or interesting, as opposed to searching in a database using keywords. Many online resources also incorporate browse functions that let you discover content without using a search box.
Browser: A software program that enables users to access Internet resources. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are all browsers.
C
Call number: An identification code assigned to a library collection item (book, video or audio recording, manuscript, periodical, musical score, etc.) that distinguishes one item from another and indicates its location in the library. Most academic libraries, including TSU Libraries, arrange their collections using the Library of Congress Classification System.
Catalog: A database (online or previously on paper cards) listing and describing the books, journals, government documents, audiovisual and other materials held by a library. Various search terms allow you to look for items in the catalog.
Cataloging: The process of making entries for a catalog and the processes involved in preparing a book for the shelf.
Cataloging librarian: Someone who has an MLIS or MLS degree whose primary responsibilities are to prepare bibliographic records to represent items acquired by the library and to provide efficient access and retrieval for catalog users.
Censorship: The restriction of production, distribution, circulation or sale of material considered politically, religiously, or morally objectionable.
Charged: When a book is checked out of the library, responsibility is given or charged to the user. The user can also be charged or required to pay for a book not returned to the library.
Chat: The ability to communicate with others, computer to computer, via typed messages.
Chat reference: Real-time service provided by librarians over the internet that allows you to ask questions from anywhere. TSU uses Ask-A-Librarian to provide this service.
Check in: The process of returning a borrowed library book to one of the library's book drops or to the circulation desk.
Check out: To borrow/rent/loan/issue an item from a library for a fixed period of time in order to read, listen to, or view it. Check-out periods vary by library. Items are checked out at the circulation desk.
Circulation desk: The service desk where books and other materials are lent to patrons. In the Brown-Daniel Library, the circulation desk is located next to the entrance, on the first floor.
Citation: A citation is a standardized description of an item (book, article, video or audio recording, etc.) containing sufficient information necessary to locate the item.
Citation style: A standardized system for citing materials used when writing books or papers. Citation styles are often created by professional organizations such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) or publishers such as the University of Chicago Press (Chicago Manual of Style).
Cite: The act of indicating the source of information. Authors cite their sources for two important reasons: 1. To give credit to the originator of an idea or research they wish to discuss, and 2. to allow readers to locate the source of the information and read it in context.
Collection: A number of books and/or other items on one subject, or of one kind, or collected by a person or organization.
Collection management: The department in the library responsible for the acquisition, cataloging and processing of all library materials.
Controlled vocabulary: Standardized terms used in searching a specific database. Also see: Descriptors, Subject heading.
.com: Part of an Internet address that indicates that it is going to a company or industry website.
Concordance: An alphabetical listing of topics, subjects, passages, or words in an important book (the Bible, or the complete works of Shakespeare).with references to the passage in which they occur.
Copyright: The exclusive legal right to control the production, use, and sale of copies of a literary, musical, or artistic work
Copyright law: Laws which protect the copyright holder from infringement of their work and their right to publish and sell that work.
Course management system (CMS): Integrated online applications that allow users to view and complete class materials and post messages, which facilitate discussion beyond the classroom. Also known as "Course Management Software.” See also: “Learning Management System.”
Course reserve: "A selection of books, articles, videotapes, or other materials that instructors want students to read or view for a particular course. Print reserve materials are usually kept in one area of the library and circulate for only a short period of time." See also: Electronic reserve.
Critical thinking: Using reason to interpret, analyze, evaluate, and explain an idea.
Critique (criticism): A critical analysis of a literary work.
Cross reference: A term used in catalogs, thesauruses, reference books, and indexes to lead you from one form of entry to another (e.g., American poets see Poets--American).
Currency: Measure of how up-to-date material is. See also: Timeliness.
D
Data: A general term for information.
Database: An organized collection of information. Commonly, the term “databases” refers to electronic or computer databases.
Default: The choice selected by the computer when the user has made no choice, usually the first screen that comes up in an operation.
Descriptor: A word that describes the subject of an article or book; used in many computer databases.
Diary: A daily record of the writers thoughts and experiences. It also refers to the book in which that record is kept.
Discharge: Checking in of a book that was loaned and returned. The catalog shows the time and day of discharge but it may take a day or more for the book to be returned to the shelf.
Discovery layer: The app that searches almost everything that the library has access to. It is not as precise as some other forms of searching, but it usually returns more results.
Dissertation: An extended written treatment of a subject (like a book) submitted by a graduate student as a requirement for a doctorate.
Document: A printed paper that provides information or evidence of some kind. Often used by historians, biographers, and others as a basis for their own writing.
DOI: Acronym for Digital Object Identifier. It is a unique alphanumeric string assigned by the publisher to a digital object. Example: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.07.003
Download: 1. To transfer information from a computer to a program or storage device to be viewed at a later date. 2. To transfer information from one computer to another computer using a modem.
Due Date: Date which library materials are due to be returned to the library.
E
E-book (or Electronic book): An electronic version of a book that can be read on a computer or mobile device.
Edition: The whole number of copies of a work issued from one setting of type.
Editor: A person or group responsible for compiling the writings of others into a single information source. Looking for information under its editor's name is one option in searching.
.edu: Part of an Internet address that indicates that it is going to an educational institution's website.
Embargo: Period during which articles in a periodical are not available in full-text online; usually the three, six, or 12 most recent months. Some theses/dissertations may also be embargoed for periods of one to three years.
Electronic reserve (or E-reserve): An electronic version of a course reserve that is read on a computer display screen. See also: Course reserve.
Encyclopedia: A work containing information on all branches of knowledge or treating comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge (such as history or chemistry). Often has entries or articles arranged alphabetically.
Entry: The record of a book in a catalog that describes the item and gives its location.
Essay: A short literary composition, usually analytical or interpretive in nature, dealing with a certain theme or topic.
Etymology: The origin of a word.
F
Fair use: Part of the Copyright Law which allows use of some materials under certain conditions.
Flash drive: A small portable device for storing computerized information. A flash drive, sometimes called a thumb drive, can plug into the USB (Universal Serial Bus) port of any computer and store electronic information. See also: Thumb drive.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions.
Fiction: A made up, imaginary literary composition.
Field: The space in an entry devoted to one or more related data elements (ex. title field, author field or call number field).
Footnotes: References to works cited, listed individually at the bottom of the pages of a paper, an article, or a book chapter in which they occur.
Format: The general makeup or arrangement of a book, magazine, etc. (includes size, shape, binding, paper or electronic, etc.)
Forward: The introductory remarks at the beginning of a book.
Full-text: A complete electronic copy of a resource, usually an article, viewed on a computer display screen. The term "full-text" is often used to refer to the electronic version of an article or book that is also published in print.
G
Gazetteer: An alphabetically arranged list of information about geographical terms.
Genre/Form: Differs from subject headings in describing what an item is, rather than what it is about. For example, Form is defined as a characteristic of works with a particular format and/or purpose. A "short" is a particular form, for example, as is "animation." Genre refers to categories of works that are characterized by similar plots, themes, settings, situations, and characters. Examples of genres are westerns and thrillers. In the term Horror films "horror" is the genre and "films" is the form.
Geographic Information System (GIS): A framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing data. Working with GIS involves using specialized software to display, analyze, and organize information, often using maps or other visual displays, in addition to helping manage data.
Glossary: An alphabetical list of terms specialized to a field of knowledge with definitions or explanations.
.gov: Part of an Internet address that indicates that it is going to a government website.
Government Documents: Materials published by government agencies including local, state, and national governments. Items are shelved with a Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) classification number.
Granularity: The idea that information exists in packages of varying sizes often nested within one another. For example: Book > Chapter > Section > Paragraph > Sentence > Word > Alpha-Numeric Character.
H
Handbook: Concise reference book which provides useful factual information on a specific subject or subjects, organized for easy access by practitioners. Synonymous with "manual."
Hardware: The physical and electronic components of a computer system, such as the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Hardware works in conjunction with software.
Hold: A request by a user to a library that a book checked out to another person be saved for that user when it is returned. “Holds” can generally be placed on any regularly circulating library materials through an in-person or online circulation desk.
Holdings: The materials owned by a library.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The computer language used to create documents on the World Wide Web so that they are readable by web browsers.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): Internet address prefix which, when followed by a colon and two slashes, enables one to access information available electronically on the World Wide Web. Note: a web address is called a "URL." See: Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
Hyperlink: An image or a portion of text which a Web user can click to jump to another document or page on the Web. Textual hyperlinks are often underlined and appear as a different color than the majority of the text on a Web page.
I
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—that directs you to the pages where those names or topics are discussed within the publication. 2. A printed or electronic publication that provides references to periodical articles or books by their subject, author, or other search terms.
Information: Anything that "informs" the mind of a human or the sensory system of another organism. For humans and other higher animals, information is that which puts form into, or generates form in, the mind. In a simple hierarchy, symbols constitute data, data are the raw materials of information, information in context is knowledge, and knowledge is the basis of wisdom.
In Process: Location of a book that has been ordered but may or may not have been received. It has not been cataloged and made ready for the shelf.
Instant messaging/Direct messaging (IM/DM): An Internet-based service allowing real-time, text communication between two or more users. Instant messaging is also known as chat, especially when more than two people are communicating.
Intellectual property: WIPO defines it as follows: "Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. Intellectual property is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs." World Intellectual Property Organization .
Interlibrary Loan (ILL): A service provided by libraries to give patrons access to materials available in other libraries. See also: Document delivery.
Internet: A worldwide network of computer networks that allows for the transmission and exchange of files. The World Wide Web is part of the Internet.
ISBN: International Standard Book Number given to every book or edition of a book before publication to identify the publisher, title, edition, and volume.
ISSN: International Standard Serial Number given to identify serial publications.
Issue: A specific publication, complete in itself, of a serial or periodical. Usually indicated in a citation as “n” (number) or “i” (issue) and an issue number.
J
Journal: A professional or academic periodical usually issued monthly or quarterly which contains scholarly articles, reports, research, and/or papers. See also: Periodical.
Journal title: The name of a journal. Journal title is one common search term.
Juvenile book: A book for children or young adults.
K
Keywords: Significant words that appear anywhere in the bibliographic record for an item. Selecting terms for a “keyword search” can be challenging. Good choices for keyword searches are the topic words or synonyms of the topic, major elements of the topic and can be combined using in a search query using Boolean terms.
Keyword searching: A search made up of keywords and Boolean terms. When used in the context of searching, the researcher chooses keywords rather than using the controlled vocabulary of the system.
Known Item Search: A search for an item or article when you have some or all of the citation information.
L
Learning management system: See Course management system.
LibGuide™: A webpage dedicated to a specific subject or course; it may include a list of recommended materials, research tips, and/or definitions.
Library classrooms: The two classrooms, Rooms 315 and 317, on the third floor of the Brown-Daniel Library, used for library instruction and other meetings.
Library of Congress Classification: A book arrangement system created by the Library of Congress and adopted by roughly 75 percent of academic libraries in the U.S. to organize their book collections. An example of a Library of Congress call number is "F459.C35 S43 2002" for Camp Nelson, Kentucky: A Civil War History. LCC is used to arrange most materials at the TSU libraries.
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): The controlled vocabulary used for indexing records by many libraries and bibliographies and utilities. Example: The record for Union Cavalry in the Civil War by Stephen Z. Starr has the following LCSH:
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Campaigns
United States. Army. Cavalry – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
License restrictions: Terms of a contract which limit use of a resource. Vendors sell the library access to databases and other resources. Those vendors impose restrictions on who may use the resources and under what conditions. For example, contracts typically allow the library to provide access to current TSU faculty, students, and staff, but prohibit us from offering access to alumni or the general public.
Limits/limiters: Options used in (electronic) searching that restrict your results to only information resources meeting certain other, non-subject-related, criteria. Limiting by date or type of publication is often a useful search tactic.
Link: See Hyperlink.
Literature Review: A written survey of progress in a particular field over a given period of time
Literature Search: A systematic and exhaustive search for published material on a specific problem or subject. Often required for research projects.
Loan Desk: See Circulation desk.
Loan period: The period of time which is allowed for the use of library materials.
M
Magazine: A publication, issued on a regular basis, containing popular articles, written and illustrated in a less technical manner than the articles found in a journal.
Maker Space: A laboratory, located on the second floor of the Brown-Daniel Library, that offers access to, and training in, technologies such as animation and 3-D printing.
Manuscript: A letter, document, or book written by hand not printed. Also applies to an author's copy of a work, whether written or typewritten, that is used for typesetting.
Media: Used in computer data storage devices.
Media Centers: Located on the main campus (in the Learning Resource Center building) and in the Avon Williams building, the Media Centers lend audiovisual equipment, record campus events, and provide access to recorded materials such as feature film DVDs.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): Standards list of words or groups of words under which books and other material on a subject are entered in a catalog. These are used to provide consistent access to medical resources and are helpful when searching the online catalog; used in online catalogs, the PubMed database, and other related medical databases.
Memoir: A first person commentary on one's life, times, and experiences.
Menu: Choices and commands that are displayed on the screen and can be selected by the user.
Metadata: Information that describes a document or other entity. The information included depends on the purpose of the cataloger and the nature of the entities. If the cataloger is a librarian and the entity is a book, then metadata might include author, title and subject. If the cataloger is a botanist and the entity is a flower, then the metadata might include color, size, genus and species
Microform/microfilm: A means of archiving printed documents, especially periodicals. A printed document is photographed and the image is reduced and printed on a transparent film, which can then be read by a machine. The Brown-Daniel Library has one state-of-the-art microform reader, located on the second floor, and a number of newspapers and journals in the format.
Monograph: A separate treatise on a single subject or class of subjects, or on one person, usually detailed in treatment but not extensive in scope and often containing bibliographies.
Mouse: A device that allows the user to move and click the cursor on a computer screen for different functions.
Multimedia: Any information resource that presents information using more than one media (print, picture, audio, or video).
N
Natural language search: A means of searching an electronic database using terms generated by the searcher, rather than controlled vocabulary. See: Keyword searching.
Network: A system of individual computers which are linked electronically, allowing each machine to share the resources of the others.
Non-Circulating: Items in the library that cannot be checked out (ex. encyclopedias, theses, dissertations, and journals in most cases).
Nonfiction: Literature that is true, based on fact.
Novel: A long, fictitious story presenting characters, settings and events in an organized manner.
Newspaper: A publication containing information about varied topics that are pertinent to general information, a geographic area, or a specific subject matter (i.e. business, culture, education). Often published daily.
O
Obituary: A notice of the death of a person.
Objective / Objectivity: Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions when representing facts; impartial.
Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC): "A computerized database that can be searched in various ways—such as by keyword, author, title, subject, or call number—to find out what resources a library owns. OPAC’s will supply listings of the title, call number, author, location, and description of any items matching one's search. Also referred to as “library catalog” or “online catalog.” You can search TSU's OPAC (or TSU Libraries' Catalog) here.
.org: Part of an Internet address that indicates that it is going to the website of an organization.
Overdue book: A library book which has not been returned to the library by the due date.
Oversize: Books that are larger than most and which are shelved separately from regular sized books. Technically oversized books have a height greater than 27 cm and width greater than 26 cm.
P
Paraphrase: Giving the meaning of a piece of literature in different words or another form.
Patron: Term often used for a library user.
PDF: A file format developed by Adobe Acrobat® that allows files to be transmitted from one computer to another while retaining their original appearance both on-screen and when printed. An acronym for Portable Document Format.
Peer reviewed: A level of scholarship. Peer reviewed articles have been evaluated by several researchers or subject specialist in the academic community prior to accepting it for publication.
Periodical: A publication that appears on a continuous and predictable schedule. Examples include newspapers (daily or weekly), magazines, and journals. See also: Serial.
Permalink: A link that will return you to the same page every time you click the link.
Plagiarism: The use of another person’s words, ideas, or research without crediting the source. Passing off another person’s work as one’s own. Good note-taking and knowledge of citation styles can prevent inadvertent plagiarism.
Popular sources: Primary or secondary sources which are not academic and meant to sell or entertain, or to provide basic information on a topic, such as some websites, magazines, or blogs.
Preface: Introductory remarks by the author of a book, found at the front of the book before the main text.
Primary research: Original research. Advanced research. Primary research is an attempt to create new/original/novel knowledge, to contribute to the cumulative knowledge of humanity. The knowledge is not just new to the researcher; it is new to the world. The researcher teaches others. Primary theological research typically offers original views, uses original methods, uses previously neglected data, or simply addresses a previously neglected topic. Primary research involves publication and subsequent peer review to assess the value of the research. This is the way a contribution is made and human knowledge advances.
Primary sources and original works: Sources that represent original thinking, report on discoveries or events, or share new information. Usually these represent the first formal appearance of original research. Primary sources include statistical data, manuscripts, surveys, speeches, biographies/autobiographies, diaries, oral histories, interviews, works or art and literature, research reports, theses/dissertations, government documents, computer programs, or other original documents (birth certificates, trial transcripts…) etc.
Print: The written symbols of a language as portrayed on paper. Information sources may be either print or electronic.
Proxy server: An Internet server that acts as a “go-between” for a computer on a local network (secure system) and the open Web. Often checks to determine “right of access” to the secure environment and speeds up requests by caching frequently accessed Web pages. Can also act as a firewall.
Proximity operators: In addition to logical operators (aka Boolean logic) you can query some databases based upon the location and placement of text in relation to other text. Examples of proximity operators:
dogs w/p cats = the words 'dogs' and 'cats' within the same paragraph
dogs pre/n cats = 'dogs' precedes 'cats' by not more than "n" words
Publication - Professional: Any publication which is produced or published by an organization of professionals in a field. These are usually refereed.
Publication - Refereed: A publication which contains articles that have been reviewed by other professionals (peers) in the field and accepted for publication.
Publication - Scholarly: A publication that contains articles by scholars or researchers in a field. Professional and refereed publications could be included with these.
Publisher: An entity or company that produces and issues books, journals, newspapers, or other publications.
Q
Qualitative data: Information that characterizes, but does not measure. Qualitative data is not numeric and is often subjective. Researchers use qualitative data to look for motivation and points of view. The data is often collected from essay questions, focus groups, interviews, case studies, portfolios, and “open-ended” questions, using a small sample or even a single case. Responses are not easily analyzed.
Quantitative data: Information that measures, but does not characterize. Quantitative data is numeric, statistically reliable, and objective. Researchers use quantitative data to look for facts and causes. The data is collected from "closed" questions, multiple choice tests, true/false questions, and scales, using a large sample. Quantitative data is easily analyzed using software.
QR code: Abbreviation for Quick Response code. A two-dimensional bar code that is made of small squares in a unique pattern. QR codes allow users to connect to additional resources through mobile devices.
R
Rare book: Valuable book which so difficult to find that it seldom appears for sale. Most libraries keep their rare books in special collections to which access is restricted.
Recall: A request for the return of library material before the due date.
Record: The complete collection of related data found in an electronic catalog or index which describes a single book or article in that database.
Refereed: A level of scholarship. Refereed articles have been evaluated by at least one area specialist prior to acceptance for publication. See Peer reviewed journal.
Reference: The area of the library that contains aids for finding information.
Reference collection: Books in the library which provide facts or summaries of topics (such as encyclopedias) or provide a list of resources on a topic (such as indexes or bibliographies). The Brown-Daniel Library’s reference collection is located on the second floor; some of our databases, such as Oxford Reference Premium, also feature reference works.
Reference: 1. A service that helps people find needed information. 2. Sometimes "reference" refers to reference collections, such as encyclopedias, indexes, handbooks, directories, etc. 3. A citation to a work is also known as a reference.
Reference desk: The service desk where library users can get assistance with the research process, searching article databases, evaluating information, citing sources, and other issues.
Reference librarian: Specialists in the field of information retrieval. Generally they have a Master's degree in library science, and many have other graduate degrees as well. They are available at reference desks to help you find the information you are looking for.
Relevant/Relevancy: An evaluation criteria used to determine how applicable the information is for the purpose of your paper, speech, presentation, etc.
Remote access: The ability to access and use digital information from a location off-site from where the information is physically located.
Renew/Renewal: A lengthening (or extension) of the loan period for library materials.
Request: To place a hold on an item means to reserve it. An item that is checked out may have a hold placed on it by another patron who wishes to use it. When the item is returned, the library will contact the patron who is waiting so they may check that item out.
Reserve: A selection of specific books, articles or other material set aside by professors for use by students in particular classes. TSU Libraries’ reserves are located at the circulation desks. See also: Course reserve, Electronic reserve.
Resource Type: The format in which a particular resource is available. For example: print book, ebook, journal, article, dissertations & theses, newspaper article, review, DVD, microform, government document, etc.
Review: An article or report that comments on the merits or faults of a book, play, motion picture, etc.
S
Scholarly: See Peer reviewed.
Search engines: Programs that search for significant words in pages stored in its database. Some search engines are programmed to search a single web site or database. Meta-searchers are capable of searching multiple search engines at one time. Search engines are proprietary. This means that not all search engines are the same
Search statement/Search query: Words entered into the search box of a database or search engine when looking for information. Words relating to an information source's author, editor, title, subject heading or keyword serve as search terms. Search terms can be combined by using Boolean operators and can also be used with limits/limiters.
Secondary research. Heuristic research. Learning. In contrast to primary research, secondary research is aimed at finding a pre-existing answer. The researcher learns from others. Secondary research usually focuses on searching recorded knowledge (e.g., published stuff) but also embraces searching un-recorded knowledge (e.g., knowledge possessed by living experts). Most student research papers are secondary research. Primary and secondary research have many features in common. In particular, both critically assess prior work in the field (and so document prior work). Both require the researcher to think for himself. Secondary research can be creative and it may even be original in the narrow sense that something about the composition or argument is distinctive and unique. But secondary research does not make a cumulative contribution to human knowledge; it is not integrated into the "canon" and others do not build on it. See also: Research and Primary research.
Secondary sources: Materials such as books and journal articles that analyze primary sources. Secondary sources usually provide evaluation or interpretation of data or evidence found in original research or documents such as historical manuscripts or memoirs.
Self-checkout: Machines for self-service checkout of library materials located near the entrance of the Brown-Daniel Library.
Semiannual: Issued twice a year. Thus, published once every six months. See: Biennial.
Semimonthly: Issued twice a month. Thus, published once every two weeks. See: Bimonthly.
Semiweekly: Issued twice a week. See: Biweekly.
Serial: A work published in parts over time, usually on a regular schedule, with each part having a date and/or a number. Examples: magazines, academic journals, annual directories. All periodicals are serials.
Series: Volumes usually related to each other in subject matter, issued successively, and having a collective series title.
Scope: The range or content of a specific work, which indicates what information is included and what is excluded
Search statement/Search string: Words entered into the search box of a database or search engine when looking for information.
Secondary sources: Usually studies by other researchers. They describe, analyze, and/or evaluate information found in primary sources. By repackaging information, secondary sources make information more accessible. A few examples of secondary sources are books, journal and magazine articles, literature reviews, dictionaries, handbooks, periodical indexes, etc.
Shelve: To shelve books is to place them at the correct spot on library shelves. When books have been in use, they need to be reshelved. At the TSU libraries, we ask you to let us reshelve your book for you. Just leave them on any of the tables.
Software: The programs installed on and used by the components of a computer system (or, hardware).
Special Collections: At TSU, a collection of “African American books, digital resources, bibliography of the Afro-American Culture & History Conference, official publications, student publications, brochures, minutes, photographs, and other materials relating to the University." It is located on the third floor of the Brown-Daniel Library. Most larger libraries have a Special Collections unit; it includes items of institutional history, as well as items in a few areas important to the institution.
Spine: The part of a bound book that connects the front and back covers. It usually contains the title and author of the book, and in a library, often has the call number label at the bottom.
Stacks: An informal term used to refer to the areas of the library where materials are shelved. See Book stacks.
Style manual: An information source providing guidelines for people who are writing research papers. A style manual outlines specific formats for arranging research papers and citing the sources that are used in writing the paper. See Citation. Also see our Citation Guide.
Subject headings/Subject terms: A standardized word or phrase describing a topic or concept. Also called descriptors or controlled vocabulary. The Library of Congress Subject Headings list is often used in academic library catalogs. See also: Controlled vocabulary, Descriptors.
Subscription database: A database for which a library or other organization pays a subscription fee to have access to the materials in the database.
Superintendent of Documents number (SuDoc Number): Group of letters and numbers that is assigned to a government document. Government documents do not have Dewey Decimal call numbers; they have "SuDoc" numbers. An example of a SuDoc number is "C 3.134/2:C 83/2/2000" for County and City Data Book. "SuDoc" is short for "Superintendent of Documents," the main publisher for the U.S. government.
Synopsis: Brief condensation or outline of the main points of a written work, such as the plot of a novel, play or opera. See: Abstract.
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Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL): Provides free online access to selected electronic databases for all libraries and citizens of Tennessee. (Paid for with State and Federal funds)
Tertiary Sources: Sources that identify and locate primary and secondary sources. Examples include bibliographies, indexes, abstracts, encyclopedias, and other reference resources.
Text: The printed matter in the body of a work.
Textbook: A volume used by students as the standard work in a specific class or branch of study.
Thesaurus: A tool for finding all the subject heading or descriptors used in a database, catalog, or index. A thesaurus will indicate the correct controlled vocabulary to use for a given term.
Thesis: A written work prepared for the award of a diploma or degree, especially a post-graduate degree.
Thesis of a research paper: Main point to be demonstrated. Everything in a well written research paper supports the thesis. Superfluous material is excluded. Scholars working on complex research projects often develop a hypothesis or working thesis during the early discovery phase of research, then refine this idea during the validation phase. It is possible to write a helpful scholarly paper that does not have a specific thesis. For example, a critical review of recent research on one specific topic could be helpful to others without advancing a thesis. See: Research.
Thumb drive: A small portable device for storing computerized information. A thumb drive can plug into the USB (Universal Serial Bus) port of any computer and store electronic information. See also: Flash drive.
Timeliness: Refers to the time expectation for accessibility and availability of information. Timeliness can be measured as the time between when information is expected and when it is readily available for use. See also: Currency.
Title: The name of a book, article, or other information source.
Title page: The page at the beginning of a book which gives the full exact title of the book. This is the title that should be used in a citation.
Trade magazine/journal: A periodical with articles, news, trends, and information targeted toward a particular profession, industry or trade. Example: Advertising Age.
Trademark: A brand name, symbol, or other device used to identify a company or service.
Truncation: Typing a special symbol at the end of a word to retrieve all possible endings of that word. Databases may use the question mark (?), pound sign (#), the asterisk (*), or another symbol. For example, when Command Keyword searching in the Library Catalog, typing forest? in the "Search For" box retrieves the words forest, forestry, forests, forested, etc.
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Unabridged: Complete, not shortened, copy of the original work.
Upload: To transfer information from a computer system or a personal computer to another computer system or a larger computer system.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): The unique address for a Web page which is used in citing it. A URL consists of the access protocol (http), the domain name (www.nmsu.edu), and often the path to a file or resource residing on that server.
User ID: A number or name unique to a particular user of computerized resources. A user ID must often be entered in order to access library resources remotely.
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Venn diagram: A diagram using circles to represent sets, with the position and overlap of the circles indicating the relationships between the sets.
Verso: The backside of the title-page which usually gives the publication information needed for a citation.
Virtual reference: A service allowing library users to ask questions through email or live-chat as opposed to coming to the reference desk at the library and asking a question in person. Also referred to as “online reference” or “e-reference."
Volume: A book distinguished from others by having its own title-page and pagination and bound within a cover. All the issues of a periodical during a certain time period are often bound together to create a volume.
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Weight: Document or record weight is an estimate of the goodness of a given document for a given search. Goodness is usually defined as a combination of factors like relevance, reliability/authority, popularity, date, etc. Some systems sort or rank documents by weight in an attempt to show the best documents first.
Wireless: The name given to any electronic device that sends messages through space via electric or electromagnetic waves instead of via power cords.
Work: Intellectual content which has been recorded as a document in some format (book, movie, letter, painting, etc.) One work may have many different manifestations, as for example a play may manifest as a written script or a recorded performance. If distinguished from the document, then work = content, and document = physical manifestation of the work.
World Wide Web: A network of information, as a part of the Internet, that includes text, graphics, sounds, and moving images. Also know as the Web or WWW or W3. It incorporates a variety of Internet tools into one method of access, such as the Web browser Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome or Firefox.
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Zip drive/zip disk: Devices used in the creation of compressed (or “zipped”) electronic information.
This work, "Library Glossary," is a derivative of "Library Glossary," used under CC BY Concordia University-Wisconsin and is licensed under CC BY by Julie Huskey. We consulted the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and various library glossaries while writing these definitions.This page created by Julie Huskey and Jennifer Castle
Glossary image retrieved from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/glossary-wooden-3d-rendered-lettersmessage-can-508906084