Glossary of Library Terms
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
- A -
Abbreviations you may see in the library catalog:
- AV Audio Visual (See Audio Visual
Materials below)
- AZ REF Arizona Reference
- CC College and Career
- CS Closed Stacks (See Closed Stacks
below)
- DR Dobson Ranch Branch
- FIC Fiction (See Fiction below)
- GOV DOC Government Document (See
Government Document below)
- J * or JUV * Juvenile Star Reader
- J EASY or JUV E Juvenile Easy Picture
Books
- JUV Juvenile / Childrens
- KIT Audio Visual Kit
- LT Large Type (Large Print)
- M Mystery
- MN Main Library
- MR Mesa Room
- MUSEUM Mesa Southwest Museum Collection
- NON FIC Non Fiction (See Non Fiction
below)
- O Oversized (See Oversized below)
- PB Paperback
- PER Periodicals
- READ Read Collection
- REF Reference
- RM Red Mountain Branch (formerly East
Mesa Regional Library)
- SF Science Fiction
- SL Spanish Language
- T Trace (See Trace below)
- W Western
- YA Young Adult
ABRIDGED A shortened version of a book,
audio cassette, etc.
ABSTRACT A short summary of an article or
book.
ACQUISITIONS The Library department
responsible for the actual ordering and purchase of materials being added to the
Library's collection, including gifts.
ADD TO MY LIST Command used in the library
catalog to add an item to a temporary list for future reference. To keep My List
active for one month, login to My Account inside the library catalog before
adding items to your list. This will attach the list to your library record for
future access. My Lists stay active for one month and are then automatically
deleted.
ADOBE ACROBAT READER A program for viewing
PDF files, used in many full-text databases. The reader program is free, and if
you do not have it on your machine when it is needed to access an article,
instructions for downloading it will usually appear on your screen.
ADULT Location code which indicates that
the item will be found in the adult collection.
ANNOTATION A note that describes,
explains, evaluates, or summarizes.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY A bibliography in
which each citation is followed by an annotation containing a brief descriptive
and/or evaluative summary, synopsis, or abstract.
ANNUALS A serial publication, such as a
report, year book or directory issued once a year.
ASK HERE DESK The reference desk.
AUDIO VISUAL MATERIALS Library materials
in non-print form, such as audio cassettes, video cassettes, compact discs, and
DVD's.
- B -
BARCODE A machine-readable label on
library items and library cards that identifies the specific item or library
card account. Barcodes look like a series of lines of varying thickness and
length. You will find the barcode for an item on the front cover or just inside
the front cover. You will find the barcode for your library card on the back of
your card.
BEING SHELVED Item status which indicates
that the item has been recently returned. Items which show this status may be
shelved in the proper location or may still be on sorting carts or in the
sorting area.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION The information
which identifies a book or article. It may include the author, title of the
article, title of the periodical, volume, pages, and date.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE A database which
provides bibliographic citations as opposed to a full-text database.
BIBLIOGRAPHY A list of publications
(books, articles, reports, documents, etc.) that are selected and organized
around a particular theme. Example: a reading list.
BINDERY A status that means that the item
has been sent to be rebound. Items with this status can be placed on hold.
BIOGRAPHY Book about an individual's life.
BOOLEAN SEARCHING Searching technique
using the logical connectors AND, OR and NOT to combine different terms or
subjects. For example, mesa AND tempe, dogs OR cats.
- C -
CALDECOTT Caldecott Award Winner. Juvenile
Book Award for illustrations. Caldecott winners are indicated in the library
catalog.
CALL NUMBER A code used to locate an item
on library shelves. Usually includes letters and numbers, such as 636.7 B451A or
FIC GRISHAM. City of Mesa Library uses the Dewey Decimal System.
CATALOG Database of records for all items
that the library owns. The library catalog is now computerized, and we no longer
have a "card catalog." Our catalog also allows you access to "My
Account" which allows you to renew, place holds, view your library record,
and change your PIN or email address.
CATALOGING A status which indicates that
the item is in our cataloging department and not available for check out.
Cataloging is also the Library department which inputs item records into our
catalog.
CHARGE To check out an item.
CHECKED IN A status that means the item is
theoretically sitting on the shelf and may be checked out.
CHECKED OUT Item status that indicates
that materials are checked out to a patron.
CIRCULATION The Library department which
handles checking out and checking in library materials. Often used for
"Check Out Desk."
CITATION A note which includes information
useful in locating a source, such as the name of the author, title, and
publication date.
CLAIMS RETURNED The status of an item that
is checked out to a patron, but the patron claims the item was returned.
CLOSED STACKS (CS) Location where
overstock or rarely used items are shelved in the library. Items in Closed
Stacks may be checked out like regular materials. Please go to the Periodicals
Desk in the basement of the Main Library to request an item in Closed Stacks.
COLLEGE AND CAREER COLLECTION Collection
of books on colleges, financial aid, vocations, educational testing, resume
writing and interviewing housed in the Young Adult Department of the Main
Library. In the library catalog, this collection is designated with YA CC.
- D -
DATABASE A collection of records of
individual units of information stored in machine-readable format. Databases may
contain the full-text of articles, essays, pamphlets, etc., or they may contain
citations which tell you where to find the full-text document. Our library
catalog is also a database - a database of items that the library owns.
DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM The classification
scheme devised by Melvil Dewey for library materials. Most public libraries use
Dewey to indicate where an item is located on the shelves.
DISCHARGE Staff term for checking in of
materials.
- E -
EM Abbreviation for East Mesa Regional
Library, the former name for our Red Mountain Branch Library. You may see EM on
the spine labels of books belonging to the Red Mountain Branch.
EXPRESS Express Reader. Collection of
popular items that check out for seven days only and cannot be renewed or placed
on hold.
- F -
FICTION A literary work based on
imagination and not necessarily on fact. Fiction items are shelved in
alphabetical order by the author's last name.
- G -
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT A publication
originating in or printed with the authority, or at the expense, of any office
of a legally organized government. The City of Mesa Library Main Branch houses a
collection of Federal Government Documents.
- H -
HIP (Horizon Information Portal) The Library's online catalog. HIP is
available on our web site at www.mesalibrary.org.
HOLD Indicates that the request has been
filled, and the material is on the hold shelf at the location where it is to be
picked up. A notice has been sent to the patron, or is scheduled to be sent
shortly. To "Place a Hold" means to put yourself on the waiting list
for an item.
HOLDINGS Generally, it refers to the
books, periodicals, and other materials owned by a library. In the library
catalog, the holdings screen lists the number of copies and their availability
status.
HORIZON The library's automated catalog
system.
- I -
ILL: Interlibrary Loan. Free service
whereby library staff borrows materials not available at the City of Mesa
Library from other libraries around the country.
IN-HOUSE USE Item status which indicates
that the item may not be checked out. In-House Use items are for use inside the
library only. These items are also referred to as Reference items.
IN PRINT Materials are "in
print" when they are currently available for purchase from a publisher or
distributor.
IN PROCESSING Item status which indicates that
the item is in our processing area being readied for inclusion in the library's
collection. This status usually applies to new items. Holds may be placed on
items that are in processing.
INDEX Lists sources of information on topics,
providing complete bibliographic information.
IN TRANSIT Item status which indicates that an
item is in transit from one Mesa library location to another. Holds may be
placed on items which have the status of In Transit.
ISBN International Standard Book Number. A
10-digit system allowing publishers, libraries and book dealers to identify a
particular book. A patron can search for this number in IPAC under "Search
Catalog" and then "Advanced" (use drop-down menu to select
ISBN/ISSN).
ISSN International Standard Serial Number.
Similar to an ISBN, except that ISSN are used for serial publications. A patron
can search for this number in IPAC under "Search Catalog" and then
"Advanced" (use drop-down menu to select ISBN/ISSN).
ITEM SPECIFIC REQUEST A request on a particular
copy (using a specific barcode number) of a title. Item specific requests can
only be placed by library staff. Please call 480-644-2207 or stop at the Ask
Here Desk for assistance.
- J -
JOURNAL A regularly issued publication of a
learned society or professional association which prints current news and
research reports in a particular field.
JUST RECEIVED Item status which indicates that we
have physically just received an item and are starting to process it for
inclusion in our collection. Holds may be placed on items with this status.
- K -
KEYWORD Search type in the library catalog or our
databases. Keyword searching allows you to search for terms that appear anywhere
in the item record or in the full-text of an article or document. Use a Keyword
search when you are not sure of the exact Subject Heading.
- L -
LIBRARY CARD NUMBER The 8-digit numerical code
found on the back of your library card. Mesa library card numbers all begin with
the numeral 9.
LIBRARY CATALOG Database of records for all items
that the library owns. The library catalog is now computerized, and we no longer
have a "card catalog." Our catalog also allows you access to "My
Account" which allows you to renew, place holds, view your library record,
and change your PIN or email address.
LOST A status which indicates that an item is
long overdue. Lost items may or may not be returned by the borrower. Patrons
must return or pay for lost items before their next check out. Lost items cannot
be placed on hold.
- M -
MAGAZINE Periodical publication for popular
reading, containing general articles on subjects.
MENDING-CQ Item status which indicates that the
item is damaged and being evaluated for repair. Sometimes item with this status
are not repairable and are not returned to the regular collection, therefore no
holds are allowed on items with this status.
MESA ROOM A special collection at the Main Library of research
material on Mesa's history and government.
For
more information about the Mesa Room, please click here.
MICROFORMS / MICROFILM / MICROFICHE Material that
has been photographically reproduced onto film for machine reading. Microfiche
are on small rectangular sheets and Microfilm is in rolls.
MY ACCOUNT Section of the library catalog where a
patron can look up their due dates, renew items, change their PIN or email
address, and view their patron profile.
MY LIST Area of the library catalog which is used
to temporarily store a book list for future reference. MY LISTs are created in
the library catalog, either in IPAC or WebPAC, and if attached to your library
card record, remain for one month before they are automatically deleted.
- N -
NEWBERY Newbery Award Winner. Juvenile Book Award
for story or content. Newbery winners are indicated in the library catalog.
NON-CIRCULATING MATERIALS Items that must be used
in the library, i.e., reference books.
NON FICTION Writing that is not fictional.
Writing that is based on fact.
- O -
ON ORDER Notation in the library catalog which
indicates that we have placed an order for an item. Holds may be placed on these
items. It is not possible to say when the item will be received.
OPAC Online Public Access Catalog. IPAC, our
online catalog, and WebPAC, our in-house catalog, are both OPACs.
OVERSIZED Items which are too large to be shelved
in the regular shelves are cataloged as Oversized. Please ask a librarian to
show you where the Oversized items are shelved. Oversized items may be checked
out like regular items.
- P -
PERIODICAL Publications issued at regular
intervals of less than a year, such as magazines and newspapers.
PIN Personal Identification Number. Secret code
chosen by the patron that will allow them to access their library card
information by phone or online. PINs are also needed for using the internet
inside the library.
- R -
REFERENCE BOOKS Items that cannot be checked out.
Reference books are intended to be consulted for pieces of information rather
than read from cover to cover. Reference books show an "In-House Use"
status in the library catalog.
REFERENCE DESK Look for the "Ask Here"
sign to find the reference desk at the Main and Red Mountain Libraries.
RENEW To extend the due date for a book.
REQUEST ITEM Command used when a borrower wants
the library to hold an item for him or her. Patrons are able to place their own
requests in IPAC and WebPAC using their library card number and PIN.
- S -
SCHOLARLY JOURNAL Periodical which contains
articles on research and development, news, proceedings, or transactions in a
particular field. Most scholarly journal articles are peer reviewed before
publication.
SERIAL A publication issued regularly - i.e., a
journal, proceedings, or an annual.
STACKS Book shelves containing the books in the
library.
SUBJECT HEADINGS Terms used to describe and
classify areas of knowledge. City of Mesa Library uses Library of Congress
subject headings.
- T -
TELECIRC The library's automated telephone renewal system.
Click
here for instructions on using TeleCirc.
TRACE Item status which means that the item was
not found on the shelf and we are conducting a further search for the item.
Holds may be placed on items with this status. You will be notified if the item
cannot be located.
- U -
URL Uniform Resource Locator. An internet address
for a web site. A URL looks like this: http://www.mesalibrary.org/
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