Glossary Of Common Library Terms

Abstracts	Abstracts are summaries of periodical articles and are usually one paragraph in length.
"And"	"And" is a Boolean operator that allows you to narrow your search when searching the Library’s online catalog or online databases so that you find the most relevant books and periodical articles on your topic.
Article Citations	An article citation identifies the article title, the author of the article, the periodical title in which the article was published, the date of the article, and the page number in the periodical where you can locate the article. The volume and issue numbers for the article may also be included in the citation.
Bibliography	A bibliography is a list of books, articles, and other sources, either on the same topic or by the same author. A bibliography may also be an entire book of sources that pertain to a specific discipline.
Bindery	Bindery is a location message in WebCat indicating that recent loose periodical issues have been sent off to be bound in a hardcover volume.
Book Citations	A book citation identifies the book title, the author of the book, the publisher’s name and location of publication, and the year in which the book was published.
Book Stacks	The book stacks are the book shelves in the Library that hold the books that circulate, meaning that you may check out these books. The book stacks may also be referred to as the "circulating stacks".
Boolean Searching	Boolean searching is a searching method that allows you to broaden or narrow your search for books or articles on a particular topic. Boolean searching uses the operators "and" and "or", which send specific commands to WebCat and the Library’s online databases.
Bound Periodicals	Bound periodicals are loose periodical issues that have been bound together in hardcover. The bound periodicals from 1970 to the present are shelved alphabetically by title behind the Current Periodical shelves. Bound volumes for the years before 1970 are in the Closed Stacks and should be requested at the Circulation Desk. The catalog location "on-shelf (no circ)" indicates that a particular volume of a periodical is bound.
Bound Volumes	Bound volumes are loose periodical issues that have been bound together in hardcover. The bound periodicals from 1970 to the present are shelved alphabetically by title behind the Current Periodical shelves. Bound volumes for the years before 1970 are in the Closed Stacks and should be requested at the Circulation Desk. The catalog location "on-shelf (no circ)" indicates that a particular volume of a periodical is bound. Bound volumes may also be referred to as "bound periodicals".
Business Collection	The Business Collection is a microfilm cartridge collection that is located in the Microform area on the first floor of the Library.
Call Numbers	A call number identifies the location of a book in the Library. The Scarborough-Phillips Library uses the Library of Congress (LC) call number system. LC call numbers begin with a letter(s). An example of an LC call number is: LB 2369 .G53 1999.
Circulating Stacks	The circulating stacks are the book shelves in the Library that hold the books that circulate, meaning that you may check out these books. The circulating stacks may also be referred to as the "book stacks" or "open stacks".
Citations	Citations identify books and periodical articles by providing specific publication information. Please see the glossary terms "article citations" and "book citations" for more information.
Closed Stacks	The Closed Stacks are located behind the Circulation Desk in the Library. Library users do not have access to the Closed Stacks. They house bound periodicals prior to 1970, the Tolkien Collection, and a science fiction book collection.
Clustering	Clustering is an advanced searching method that uses parentheses to group search terms together.
Controlled Vocabulary	A controlled vocabulary is a vocabulary of subject terms, also called subject headings. These subject headings are assigned to books in Webcat and to periodical articles in the Library’s online databases. Subject headings let you know what a book or article is about.
Current Periodicals	Current periodicals are the most recent issues of periodicals. These issues are shelved on the Current Periodicals shelves, located on the first floor of the Library, in the middle row of shelves.
Electronic Index	An electronic index is a periodical index in electronic format that organizes periodical articles by subject. An electronic index is also called a 'database'. In our Library, electronic periodical indexes are referred to as 'online databases'.
Field-specific Searching	Field-specific searching is a searching method that allows you to limit your searches in WebCat and the online databases by supplying certain conditions. For instance, you may limit your search for books or articles by date.
Full-text articles	Full-text articles are the complete text of periodical articles in online databases. You may print full-text articles directly from the computer.
Indexes	Two types of indexes exist. One type of index is located in the back of a non-fiction book that lets you look up a specific topic, name, place, or other piece of information. The index directs you to the right page number in the book where the information is located. Another type of index is a periodical index. A periodical index lets you find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles on specific topics. Periodical indexes come in paper (print) format and in electronic format, such as online periodical databases.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)	Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is the process by which libraries borrow books and periodical articles from other libraries. If our Library does not have the book or article that you need, you may request it through ILL.
Keyword Searching	Keyword searching is a searching method that allows you to search for books or articles by supplying search terms. The computer will scan its entire database of records to find the ones containing the search term(s) you supply.
Library Databases	Library databases are electronic periodical indexes that allow you to search for periodical articles on various topics. Some library databases provide the full text of articles that you may print directly from the computer. You can access these databases from the Library’s home page. Library databases are commonly referred to as ‘online databases’.
Microfiche	Microfiche is a flat sheet of film containing micro-images of printed periodical articles.
Microfilm	Microfilm is a reel of film containing micro-images of printed periodical articles.
Online Catalog	An online catalog is a computer version of a card catalog. It is a database that contains a record for every item the library owns. The Web version of the Library’s online catalog is called the Web Catalog or WebCat. You can search for books, videos, and periodical titles in WebCat.
Online Databases	Online databases are electronic periodical indexes that allow you to search for periodical articles on various topics. Some online databases provide the full text of articles that you may print directly from the computer. You can access online databases from the Library’s home page. Online databases may also be referred to as ‘library databases’.
Open stacks	The open stacks are the book, reference, and periodical shelves to which library users have full access.
"Or"	"Or" is the Boolean operator that allows you to broaden your search when searching the Library’s online catalog or online databases so that you find more books and periodical articles on your topic.
Periodicals	Periodicals are newspapers, magazines, and journals that are published in intervals (periodically). They contain articles, which are good sources to use when researching assignment topics. Periodicals may be in print (paper) format or in full-text format through an online database. Full-text articles may be printed from the computer.
Periodical Index	A periodical index is a tool that allows you to search for periodical articles by topic. Periodical indexes are available in print (paper) format and in electronic format (ie. online databases).
Popular Magazines	Popular magazines are published by commercial publishing companies and usually contain many advertisements and photographs. Journalists typically write the articles in popular magazines. The articles address the general public and are written in simple language.
Print index	A print index is a periodical index in paper, non-electronic format that organizes periodical articles by subject.
Reference collection	The Reference collection is located behind the reference desk on the first floor of the Library. It contains general and subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, statistical sources, indexes, and other types of reference sources. Reference books do not circulate, meaning that you may not check them out. The Reference collection is also called the "reference stacks".
Reference Sources	Reference sources are books found in the reference collection in the Library. These sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, statistical sources, indexes, and bibliographies. Reference sources do not circulate.
Reference Stacks	The Reference stacks are the bookshelves on the first floor of the Library that house reference sources, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries. The reference stacks are also called the "reference collection".
Scholarly Journals	Scholarly journals are periodicals containing articles that are the result of research and/or that are critiqued and evaluated by experts in particular disciplines. They are usually published by professional scholarly societies and associations or by academic presses. They usually look plain; they have few advertisements. Articles in scholarly journals are aimed at readers who have an understanding of the specialized language used in the articles. The articles usually contain a bibliography or list of references to indicate sources used. They often contain statistical charts and graphs.
Stacks	Stacks is another term for ‘bookshelves’.
Statistical Sources	Statistical sources contain numerical data. The Library’s reference collection contains many statistical sources.
Subject Encyclopedias	A subject encyclopedia, unlike a general encyclopedia, covers one main subject, as well as the subject’s relationship to other topics. The Library’s reference collection contains subject encyclopedias on a variety of topics.
Subject headings	A subject heading is a descriptive term assigned to a book or periodical article that indicates the topic of the book or article.
Web Catalog, or "WebCat"	The Web Catalog is the Library’s online catalog. You can search for books, videos, and periodical titles in the Web Catalog. The Web Catalog is also referred to as ‘WebCat’.