| Abstract |
A brief summary of an article, report, document, book, and so on that includes the author's main points and/or an overview of the item's content. |
| Article |
A composition on a topic, which is usually found in periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers, etc.) and reference works (encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries, etc.). |
| Call Number |
A unique combination of letters and numbers assigned to an item in a library's collection. Items are put on shelves in call number order. |
| Citation |
An entry for a book, a periodical, or other item that contains all the information necessary to identify and locate the work (for example, author's name, item title, publisher, date, volume, issue number, and page numbers). |
| Collection |
An accumulation of library materials with common characteristics (for example, audiovisual materials, reference materials, etc. |
| Controlled Vocabulary |
Standardized terms used in indexing and searching a specific database. These terms may differ for each database. |
| Database |
A collection of information stored in electronic format that can be searched online. (See the library's Online Databases page.) |
| Descriptor |
A term or terms used to designate the subject of a work. |
| Holdings |
The materials owned by a library. |
| Index |
(1) A list of names or topics usually found at the end of a publication, which directs you to the pages where the people/places or topics are discussed. (2) A printed or electronic publication that lists references to periodical articles or books by subject and/or author. |
| Interlibrary Loan (ILL): |
A service offered by Irene DuPont Library that lets you borrow materials from other libraries. |
| Journal |
(See peer-reviewed journal.) |
| Keyword |
A significant or memorable word or term in the title, abstract, or text of an item that indicates its subject. |
| Magazine |
A periodical containing popular interest or trade articles, which is usually written and illustrated in a less scholarly manner than a journal. |
| Media |
The term often used to describe materials such as video and music. |
| Microfiche |
A small card-shaped sheet of photographic film used to store miniaturized text and/or images. (See also microforms.) |
| Microfilm |
A continuous roll of photographic film used to store miniaturized text and/or images. (See also microforms.) |
| Microforms |
A reduced sized photographic reproduction of printed information on reel to reel film (microfilm) or film cards (microfiche) or opaque pages that can be read with a microform reader/printer |
| Network |
A communication system made up of computers which are connected. This arrangement allows information transfer from one computer to another. |
| Offsite or Remote Storage |
Refers to items removed from Dick Smith Library and kept in another building, but which can be retrieved upon request and brought to the Periodicals Department within 24 hours for patron use. |
| Online Catalog |
A computerized database which can usually be searched using various search methods such as author, title, subject, or call number to find out what a library owns. The online catalog contains a record for each item in the library, which displays the item's call number, location, publishing information, etc. |
| Peer-Reviewed Journal |
A periodical that contains scholarly research, which is published as articles, papers, research reports, or technical reports. Items are reviewed by a panel of experts (peer-review) before being published. |
| Periodical |
Material published regularly such as magazines, journals, and newspapers. (See serials.) |
| Periodicals Collection |
Offers current and past issues of print and electronic periodicals (journals, magazines, and newspapers) to which the library subscribes. |
| Primary Sources |
Original documents that are raw, original, neither interpreted or evaluated; materials on which other research is based. |
| Recall |
A request for the return of library material before its due date. |
| Reference Collection |
Offers research/reference materials for in-house use. |
| Refining Searches |
Using a variety of techniques to increase effectiveness of online searches. |
| Remote Access |
Describes the ability to access one computer system from another system that is in a distant location. This term is also used to mean off-campus access to SAS databases. |
| Renewal |
The process of extending the loan period for library materials. |
| Reserve |
A library service that manages the circulation of certain required course materials, which have been selected by faculty. |
| Reserve Collection |
Includes materials the library staff and faculty have put on reserve. Materials are available at the circulation desk. |
| Scholarly Journal |
(See peer-reviewed journal.) |
| Search Statement/Search Query |
Terms/phrases and modifications used with online search tools. (See controlled vocabulary, keyword, and refining searches.) |
| Serials |
Includes publications that are published on both regular (fixed) and irregular (not fixed) schedules. |
| Special Collections |
Collections in libraries that are segregated from the other collections due to the items' subject, rarity, value, and/or local interest. (Archives) |
| Stacks (General Collection) |
Area where items that can be checked out are shelved. |
| Subject Heading |
A term or phrase used in indexes, databases, and library catalogs to group together materials on the same topic. Also called a descriptor. |
| Thesaurus |
A list of categorized terms, which gives synonyms and shows relationships between words (hierarchy and related words). Provides standardization for online search tool indexing and searching. |
