What do all those "library words" mean? A Library Glossary

Every branch of knowledge has its own special vocabulary or jargon and in the Library you may come across some words from the subjects of librarianship and publishing that are unfamiliar to you. In addition there are names for individual customer service desks and other locations in the library that may not mean much to you at first. These names change over time but staff may occasionally use the old name. Here is a short guide to some of those "library" words and names that may be new to you.
Note: terms underlined in bold link to their own entry in the guide.

Abstract

A short summary that gives all the major points of a book or article. Sometimes abstracts are published together in a reference book that allows you to find detail s of articles and books on particular topics. There is a section on each floor of the University Library called Abstracts and Indexes where books like these are kept. As tools for finding publications they have largely been replaced by bibliographic databases

Athens account

Athens Accounts used to be used to login to resources. This system is no longer in use at the University. See Shibboleth

Bibliographic databases

See database below

Bibliographic reference (also sometimes known as a bibliographic citation )

A bibliographic reference describes the information needed to identify and retrieve a publication. This would include items like author, title, publisher, place of publication, journal title, volume and part number. A bibliography can be said to be made up of bibliographic references. There are various different systems for producing bibliographic references and your department will prefer you to use one of these when you write assignments. The two systems used in this University are called Harvard APA and Vancouver. The library has guides and workbooks to help you reference correctly

Bibliography

A list of bibliographic references to works which can comprise books, book chapters, journals and articles on a particular subject. You will often find a bibliography at the end of a book or journal article

Boolean operators

Conjunctions (link words) used to join search terms. The three Boolean operators are AND, OR and NOT.

Catalogue (also known as OPAC)

Computer program that enables you to check which books and journals are in stock at the library and where they are kept (also known as location). Each floor in the University Library has some computers with just the catalogue loaded on them. The catalogue is also available off-campus via the Internet

Classmark (or shelfmark) Related word = classification. You will see this as a search option on the library catalogue

The number which appears on the label on the spine of the book. Books are kept in number order on the shelves. The number depends on the subject of the book, so that books on the same subject should normally be near one another. Sometimes this is not the case, because the numbering system we use (= Dewey Decimal classificationscheme) was developed in the 19th century before many new ideas came into being. Another reason is that books sometimes are about more than one subject and we have to choose one of these subjects to have the main classmark for where the book is shelved

In that case we also give the book added classmarks for the extra main subjects so that anyone doing a classification search on the catalogue for those subjects will still be able to find them. Each number also has a 3-letter code after it based on the author's name or the first main word of the title. Within each number, books are shelved alphabetically so 658.8/SMI comes after 658.8/JOH. Strictly speaking, on the catalogue the shelfmark is the classmark with the added letters and any other information you need to locate the item such a Pamphlet or SHORT LOAN (ISSUE DESK). This information does not appear on your first screen of results so you always need to go deeper into the record

Database
Sometimes people may suggest to you that you 'search the databases' or 'search the CD-ROMs' for articles. 'CD-ROM' is used because most of our databases used to be produced in CD-ROM format. Now they mostly come to us via the Internet

A database can be thought of as a collection of information organised in such a way that you can use a computer program to quickly select the bits of data you want - a bit like an electronic filing system. Traditional databases are made up of files of records - each record being made up of searchable fields. We have a lot of databases in the library - many of them of the type sometimes called 'bibliographic databases'. In these each record describes a published document (book or article) and there is a field for author name, field for title, field for subject, field for publisher, etc. So you can search these databases by author name or subject or keyword etc. and find references to books or articles. Sometimes the whole article (= full text) is attached to the record and can be retrieved at the same time. Sometimes you will only get a short summary (see Abstract) describing the article's content and you will have to check on the library catalogue to see whether we have the journal in which the article was published

Database Directory

A searchable part of the Library Website containing details of and links to bibliographic databases. You can either perfom a search or select a subject to view databases by subject category.
Previously known as the Subject Directory.

Database platform

A service that hosts several databases, using a common interface to search any of thos databases. Examples are 'ErlWebSPIRS' and CSA Illumnia'.

Default

The 'usual' settings in e.g a database. A computer will use default settings unless otherwise instructed.

Dissertation

Here at Portsmouth we use the word dissertation to refer to a major written assessment done as part of an undergraduate degree or a taught masters degree and you will sometimes hear the words "final project or final year project" used instead. Essentially, it is a major piece of work done as part of a degree, towards the end of the course and often (but not always) involving some element of original research done by the student.
Only some departments send their dissertations to the Library. Dissertations are shelved in the main part of the Library on each floor by course, year and author. They do not have shelfmarks and they may be borrowed. See also Thesis.

EDC (European Documentation Centre)

The UK is a member of the European Union (EU) and the Library is fortunate to have an EDC funded by the EU where documents published by the various institutions in the EU are kept. The EDC is on the First Floor of the University Library.

ELC (Electronic Learning Centre) - Now called Computer Suite

ELC describes the area on the Ground Floor of the University Library near the General Enquiries Desk where there are computers which have access to email, the Internet and office software. You can either book ahead at busy times or just turn up and book a machine during quieter periods

Electronic Journal or e-journal

The Library doesn't just buy journals in printed form to support your studies. It also has subscriptions or access to several thousand e-journals where the articles from a printed version have been digitised and loaded online on the Internet (note: a few journals only appear electronically).
E-journals often have the advantage that they can be viewed and printed off-campus. Usually you will need to enter your University username and password before you can do this usually this will be via a Shibboleth/Institutional/Academic login link.

Faculty Librarian

Each department has its own Faculty Librarian. Usually a Faculty Librarian looks after several departments at once. If you need help with finding information for assignments or dissertations and the Floor team can't help, you can see your Faculty Librarian. Sometimes you will be able to see him or her straight away; sometimes you may need to make an appointment. Your department will probably arrange for you to have classes with your Faculty Librarian so you can find out how to use the Library and its databases but if nothing has been scheduled and a group of you feel you need some extra help, please ask your lecturer to organise a class for you.

Field

A searchable category within a database e.g. 'author' in a bibliographic database. Bibliographic fields are conventionally abbreviated e.g. author = AU.

Field-specific search

A database search that is limited to one or more fields e.g. instructing a bibliographic database to search for 'Freud, S' in the author field would yield only items theat are written by Sigmund Freud, rather than items about him.

Floor Teams

Each Floor of the University Library has a team of librarians and library assistants ready to help you with more detailed enquiries about your subject or indeed answer any questions to do with the books and journals on that floor. Each floor also has an enquiry desk that is normally open from 0900-1700 Monday to Friday

Free-text search

A database search that is not limited to any particular field. Freetext searches yield larger numbers of results, but these can be less relevant.

Full Text Database

see database

General Enquiries Desk (General Reference Desk sometimes called 'Gen Ref' for short)

This is the former name for the Information Desk on the Ground Floor of the University Library

General Reference Collection

This collection of books such as directories, encyclopaedias and handbooks for answering factual questions is shelved near the Information Desk. Books here have been chosen because they are likely to be used by many departments in the University (See also Subject Reference Collection below). Books here are marked with red adhesive tape on the bottom of their spines and are not generally available for loan. The collection also includes directories of company information

Hard Copy

his is the paper version of a document or publication as opposed to the electronic version which may be on disk or online on the Internet.

Harvard APA

This is short for Harvard Format -APA style and refers to one of the two systems or conventions for producing bibliographic references used in the University. There are printed guides available and online versions on the University website

Holdings

In the Library world this word is used to refer to the stock of books, journals, etc. held (i.e. owned) by a library. You will see it in our catalogue where we use it to show which volumes (which years) of a journal we have in stock.

Index

Meaning 1) in a book, an alphabetical list of all the names or topics in the book followed by relevant page numbers
Meaning 2) a publication that you can use to find articles or books on particular topics. The information about each item is very brief. There are Abstracts and Indexes sections on each floor of the University Library

Information Desk

This is the desk on the Ground Floor of the University Library as you come into the main body of the Library. You go here if you have a general enquiry. The Interlibrary Loans Service is also based here. It is open in the evenings on weekdays until 2045 in term-time and during some of the day at weekends. During the week from 0900-1700, if you have a more detailed enquiry about the subjects you are studying, please go to one of the Subject enquiry desks. There is one on each floor

Interlibrary loans (ILL)

This describes the system libraries have for borrowing books from one another and for photocopying articles for one another. This means that if you want some information that we don't have here and that information is contained in a book or article, it is usually possible to obtain that information for you. You may have to complete a form and get the permission of a lecturer or your Faculty Librarian before we can request the information from another library. The Interlibrary Loans service in the University Library is at the same desk as the Information Desk on the Ground Floor. If you come to the Library to collect an interlibrary loan book you should go to this desk during the day Monday to Friday. At other times you will need to pick up the book from the Issue Desk

Intermediate Loan

Sometimes you will see this on yellow date labels (telling you when you should return the book) inside older books in the library. It refers to a loan category that is no longer used. Any book that bears a date label showing Intermediate Loan is a 7 day loan book just the same as other books with yellow date labels and yellow tape on the spine

Issue

A copy or particular edition of a journal or periodical, e.g. " I need the January issue of the Journal of ...".

Issue Desk (Issue and Returns Desk or Loans Desk)

This is the desk to which you take books and journals if you want to borrow them. It is also the desk where you should return items you have borrowed. In the University Library, the Issue desk is on the Ground Floor

Journal (also known as periodical or serial)

A publication, which contains articles (often describing the latest research on a topic) and which is issued regularly and in separate parts. So in some ways a journal is similar to a magazine, which tends to have articles in everyday language on more general topics. An academic (or scholarly) journal usually only publishes articles which have been through a process called 'peer-review'. This is where other experts in the subject area are asked to review the articles before publication and comment on their quality. The journals are shelved in alphabetical order and kept in separate collections on each floor. This means that you won't, for example, find all the psychology journals together. You need to know the name of the journal you are looking for. The only exception to this is that the current issues of some journals are displayed under broad subject headings

Keywords

In the context of bibliographic databasesa keyword is either:

A term that has been allocated to the item e.g. a journal article about King Henry VIII might have the words 'Tudor', 'dissolution' and 'Church of England' allocated to it.
A single word taken automatically from the title of a work.

Doing a 'keyword search' will produce very different results depending on which of the above is meant.

Large books

Each floor has some books that are too big to fit on the normal shelves. These books have the word Large at the beginning of the shelfmark and an 'L' in front of the number on the shelfmark label on the spine of the book, e.g. L724.5/JEF . The large books are shelved at the end of the numbered sequence on each floor

Library Website

From here you can search the catalogue, database directory, electronic journals, electronic books, dissertations, past exam papers, reading lists, streamed videos and the Institutional Repository.
There are subject pages which are full of resources which have been carefully selected for your subject area.
There is lots of useful information about using the Library and help on finding, accessing and using the resources for your studies. There is a Site Map to help you find your way around the website
You can see the website from outside the University but for most databases and electronic journals you will need to login with your University/Institutional username and password.

OPAC

See catalogue

Pamphlet

In this library the word pamphlet describes a slim publication or booklet that only has up to 20 or so pages. Pamphlets are shelved separately in hanging files near the books at the same number. On the catalogue the classmark has the word Pamphlet in front of it. The label with the shelfmark has a P in front of the number.

Portia

This is the old name for the Library Website

Record

A single entry in a database, describing an individual item. Usually divided into seperate sections known as fields.

Reference books/Reference only

'Reference books' are ones you might want to look at (refer to) for information but probably wouldn't want to read from cover to cover. This includes items like dictionaries, encyclopaedias, bibliographies, collections of statistical tables, etc. There are several collections of reference books in the library (see also General Reference, Subject Reference). 'Reference only' means that a book may not generally be borrowed because we think it holds information lots of people may want to refer to and so needs to stay in the library to be available most of the time. However even 'reference only' books can sometimes be borrowed for a short time (overnight or over the weekend) if you have a special reason for needing to refer to them for more than a short while. Please see staff at the nearest enquiry desk to ask for permission, as they will have to sign a special form for you.

Reservation/Recall

If you check the catalogue for a book and discover that all the copies in stock have already been borrowed by other students, then you will need to make a reservation if you want to join the waiting list to see a copy of the book. You can make a computerised reservation by clicking the appropriate button on the catalogue and following the on-screen instructions. You can only make a computer reservation if all the copies are on loan and you do not owe the Library any money. The Library will then recall the book from the student who currently has it on loan by sending the student an email message or letter . If you get a recall notice from the Library you should return the book promptly or you will have to pay money as a fine.

Search term(s)

The words used to try to find items when searching a database.

Shibboleth

Shibboleth/Institution/Academic Login
Shibboleth is an 'access route'. Many electronic journals and databases use this for both on and off campus access to resources. To login, you need your University/Institution username and password. For more information about logging into resources, see the getting started page.

Short Loan

When library staff or the catalogue tell you that a book is 'on short loan' what they mean is that it can only be borrowed for a very short time (either 4 hours or 1 day). Short loan books are kept behind the Issue Desk and you have to ask for them separately and fill in a blue form. You cannot make a reservation for short loan books via the catalogue as you can for 7 day or 4 week loan books.

Statistical database

A database that contains primarily numerical database rather then text.

Subject Directory

No longer used, See the Library Website or the Database Directory

Subject Enquiry Desks

Each floor in the University Library has an enquiry desk staffed by members of the Floor Teams. Normal hours of opening will be 0900-1700 Monday- Friday. The staff on these desks have a more specialised knowledge of the resources on the floors on which they are based.

Subject Librarian

See Faculty Librarian

Subject Reference Collection (sometimes called 'Sub Ref' for short)

There is a Subject Reference Collection on each floor of the University Library. That is where most of the encyclopaedias, handbooks and dictionaries for different topics are kept (See also General Reference Collection above). The books in these collections have green adhesive tape on the bottom of their spines.

TALIS

TALIS is the brand name for the computer system that runs the Library catalogue and the book-issuing terminals at the Library's Issue Desk. Sometimes you might hear the staff refer to the catalogue as TALIS ("is it on TALIS? Have you checked TALIS?")

Thesis (plural = Theses)

Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines thesis as "a long written dissertation or report, especially one based on original research" and indeed, some universities use the word thesis to refer to what we at Portsmouth call a dissertation. Here, the Library uses the word thesis to refer to a major piece of original research produced by a student for a postgraduate research degree (MPhil, PhD or MSc by research). Theses are shelved behind the Issue Desk in the Thesis Collection and may be borrowed.

Truncation

A way to enable you to searcg (in certain databases) for words which have the same stem but different endings e.g. child* would retrieve children, childless, childlike etc. in dtabases that allow truncation using the * character.

Vancouver

One of the two systems or conventions for producing bibliographic references used in the University. There are printed guides available and online versions on the University website.

Wildcard

A way to deal with the problem that certain words are spelt differently according to country of origin e.g. col??r retrieves both colour and color in databases where the ? character enables wildcards to be used.