Abridged
Condensed or shortened in length.

Abstract
A short content summary of a book or article.

Alphabetical
Arranged in order of the letters of the alphabet; A to Z.

Annotation
A brief content description of a work. May include some explanatory and critical commentary.

Anthology
A collection of selected musical or literary works or excerpts, i.e., an anthology of modern poetry, essays or plays.

Archive
Repository holding documents or other material of historical value.

Article
Small, self-contained essay on a topic found in journals, periodicals, encyclopedias.

Atlas
A bound collection of maps.

Author
The person or corporate body chiefly responsible for the intellectual creation or artistic content of a work.

Bibliographic Record
Gives you the complete information about a piece of information contained in the database. Includes many fields, for example, author (composer), title, publisher, subject(s), physical description, etc.

Bibliographic Database
A database containing information pertaining to publications such as books, periodical titles, and government documents. It does not contain the full text of an item.

Bibliography
A list of works (i.e., books, articles, electronic sources) on a particular subject, or by a particular author.

Biography
Information about a person's life.

Browser (web)
A software program which accesses, reads and displays information from the World Wide Web; also called "web browser" or "client."( e.g., Netscape, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, etc.)

California Case
Contains a collection of rare books. These books are about California or are produced by fine presses in California. Ask for assistance at the Reserve Desk for access to the California Case.

Call Number
The combination of letters and numbers found on the book's spine and in the Location part of the books bibliographic record in the Library Catalog. The call number indicates where a book is shelved in the library.

Carrels
Enclosed study desks found throughout the library.

Catalog
The place in a library where books and compact discs are listed.

Circulation Desk (Check-Out Desk)
The desk just inside the front door to borrow and return books.

Chronological
Arranged in the order of occurrence in time.

Circulation
The library department that loans out and gathers library materials. The majority of the book collection covering all subject areas is in the library's circulating collection. You can check these books out for three-week periods.

Citation
Gives information necessary to locate a publication. The citation for a book includes the author, title, publisher and copyright date. The citation for a periodical article includes the author, title of the article, periodical title, volume, date and page number. The citation for a web site includes the author, page name, site name, date page was posted, date page was accessed and URL for the page.

Click
Pointing the mouse arrow at a word or icon and pressing down on the button. Clicking selects, deselects or activates an item or program.

Command Line
A list of choices (commands) at the bottom of the computer screen usually in a text-based application such at TELNET. Typing a command and pressing the Return/Enter key sends the command to the computer.

Computers
The computers in the library are for research purposes. The computers have access to the Internet and online resources. Please note: the computers in the Reference Area do NOT have Word processing or email software.

Contemporary
Current or modern information.

Controlled Vocabulary
The subject heading terms from the Library of Congress used in the Library Catalog and some periodical indexes.

Corporate Author
An organization or group of persons identified by a name and acts or may act as an author. Corporate authors cover a broad range of categories: associations, institutions, business firms, nonprofit enterprises, governments, specific agencies of government and conferences.

Criticism
Commentary or discussion about an author and/or their works. This commentary is evaluative and includes positive as well as negative view points.

Cross Reference
Directs researcher to look under different heading for information.

Cumulative
A publication that accumulated several issues into one, i.e., a periodical may cumulate every three months and again at the end of a year. "Cumulative" means to increase by additions.

Cursor
The small flashing symbol on a computer that indicating where the next character or action will occur. The cursor location can be changed using the arrow keys or the mouse pointer.

CWIS
Campus-Wide Information System; an online information system providing information on a college or university's general population and supporters; SRJC's CWIS is a web based system, the main access point is; http://www.santarosa.edu

Database
A collection of stored information organized for retrieval by author, title or subject. Database usually refers to information in a machine readable form accessible by computer. An everyday example of a non-computer database is the telephone book or a cookbook.

Dictionary
Compilations of terms and their definitions listed in alphabetical order.

Dictionary Format
A reference source with author, title and subject entries filed in one alphabetical sequence.

Digest
A systematic arrangement of summarized information.

Discussion Group (Internet)
Worldwide or local online forum allowing debate and open exchange of information on a variety of topics.

Divided Format
A reference source arranging author, title and subject into separate alphabetical sequences.

Document
SEE Government Document.

Editor
One who prepares an edition for publication.

Encyclopedia
Usually made up of individual articles by authorities giving a broad overview and background information. Includes references to authoritative books and articles on a subject

Enter Key (See Also: Return Key)
Sends information from your terminal to the central computer.

Entry
A name or term under which a book is listed in the Library Catalog. One book may have several different entries, i.e., author, title, and several subject entries.

Essay
A short literary composition on a single subject usually presenting the personal views of the author.

Etymology
The history and derivation of a word.

Excerpt
A passage selected or quoted from a book, etc. An extract.

Field
The part of a record used to indicate a particular category of data. For instance, the title (ti) field in a database record displays the title for the record and the Subject field displays the subjects attached to the record.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol; a set of conventions defined for transferring data files from one computer to another.

Full-Text Database
A bibliographic database containing the complete text of the bibliographic item (such as a periodical article) referenced in the database.

Gazetteer
A geographical dictionary giving location, elevation and other geographical features for its entries.

Government Document
Any written work published by a government agency.

Handbooks
One-volume reference sources on specific subjects.

Help Screens
Many databases and programs provide assistance through help screens. Always look for a HELP link or button whenever assistance is needed.

History
Displays the search steps taken in the Library Catalog or Electronic Database.

Holdings
A list of what the library owns in a given area, e.g., holdings for a particular magazine title.

Hold or Call Slip
A library user may place a hold on a book checked out to another person; this ensures the person placing the hold will be next in line to receive the book when the book is returned.

Home page
Refers to the entry point or introductory page to a collection of Web documents. The home page can also be a Web page designed by an individual to present personal or professional information.

HTML
HyperText Markup Language; the set of conventions and coding tags used to create hypertext documents displayed on the World Wide Web. HTML is a form of SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language.)

http
HyperText Transfer Protocol; a set of conventions dictating the exchange of requests and information between a web client and a web server.

Hypertext
A document format which includes the use of specially coded, "clickable" terms or images. When selected or "clicked," these images connect to a linked location, file, or carry out a command to run an application or program.

Index
An alphabetized list of names, places or subjects. SEE ALSO Periodical Index.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
SRJC students and staff may obtain materials not owned by SRJC Libraries through this service. Ask for assistance at the Reference Desk.

Internet
Network of networks, made up of millions of computers from all over the world. Basic internet tools include World Wide Web, E-mail, Newsgroups, FTP and Telnet.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)
An agency or company enabling individual internet users access to the internet for a fee.

Journal
A periodical often specializing in a particular subject area, e.g., "Journal of English Studies." SEE ALSO Periodical. A periodical containing scholarly articles written by authorities or experts in a subject discipline.

Keyword
The significant or main words found in a field of a record, such as title or subject heading.

Keyword Searching
Keyword searching allows a user to construct a search by looking for a word or combination of words contained in several fields (e.g., author, title or subject fields.)

Library of Congress or "LC" Classification
The classification system used for the libraries book collection. The "LC" system is used in college libraries. This classification system arranges books on the shelf by subject. The public library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System.

MLA Style Sheet
The Modern Language Association's bibliographic format for Parenthetical References (footnotes) and for List of Works Cited (bibliographies).

Media Services
The area where non-print library materials such as CDs, video tapes, slides, films, and filmstrips are located. This is the service desk for viewing any media (videos, tapes, etc.) that your instructor has assigned for the class.

Menu
A list of choices or options on the computer screen.

Microfiche
Small cards of film for storing magazines, newspapers and other bibliographic information.

Microfilm
Cartridges of film for storing newspapers and magazines.

Microforms
Documents which have been photographed and reduced in size. Common formats for microforms are microfilm, microfiche, or microcard. College catalogs, telephone books, newspapers, magazines and government documents are available in microform.

Mouse
A hand-operated pointing device used to signal a computer and/or move a cursor.

Nesting
Search strategy used in computerized literature searching. Allow for complex combinations of search terms to be entered and searched at one time.

Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
A computer index for books and compact discs in the library. Now known as the Library Catalog.

Oversize
Large books shelved in a separate section of the library.

Pagination
The numbering of the pages of a book.

Pamphlet
A written work usually under 50 pages. Pamphlets are a good source of current information.

Periodical
A periodical is anything published more than once a year. Newspapers, magazines, serials and journals are all periodicals. The Library subscribes to many magazines, journals and newspapers. Items may be found in four different formats: Paper Issues, Bound, Microfilm and the michrofiches. Many times your research requires older resources; the library has some periodicals dating from the early 20th century.

Periodical Holdings List
An alphabetical listing by periodical title of all the magazines and newspapers in the library's collection.

Periodicals Desk
The library department housing the most current issues of magazines, microfiche, the Press Democrat and the San Francisco Chronicle. The Periodicals Desk contains current and more dated issues of magazines, provides change and is the location for help with printing.

Periodical Index
A reference book or computer index listing periodical articles by subjects or personal names which have appeared in journals, magazines, or newspapers. Some periodical indexes are general and cover all subjects, e.g., The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. Some are specialized, e.g., The General Science Index and Business Periodicals Index.

Physical Description
The part of the bibliographic record giving the number of pages, size, illustrations, etc. for a book.

Primary Source
1. An account by an eyewitness or the first recorder of an event, in written or other form (e.g. diaries, letters, minutes of meetings, news footage, newspaper articles)

2. Data obtained through original research, statistical compilations or legal requirements. (e.g., reports of scientific experiments, U.S. census records, public records)

3. Creative works such as poetry, music, or art

4. Artifacts such as stone points, pottery, furniture, and buildings.

Pseudonym
A false name. Writers often adopt pseudonyms or pen names. For example, Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain.

Relevance
In certain searches the Library Catalog, Electronic Database or Web Search Tool will use a ranking system to determine which items are the most closely related to your topic. These items will display at the top of the results list.

Record
A collection of related data arranged in fields and treated as a unit. The data for each item in an electronic database makes up a record.

Reference Book
A reference book is for specific, background information rather than a book for you read from cover to cover; a dictionary is a good example. Reference books are used in the library and do not circulate. The reference collection is located on the gray carpeted area. These materials, which cover all subject areas, cannot be checked out of the library. Use these materials only in the library.

Reference Desk
The reference desk, located in the central reference area, is staffed by professional librarians who offer help in analyzing your questions and directing you to print and electronic indexes and database for your research need. The reference desk is the point for assistance in using any item in the reference collection and electronic reference area.

Reserve Material
Materials which a professor has placed on reserve for a class to use. These materials may be checked out at the Reserve Desk; some loan periods range from two hours to three days.

Reference Librarian
A person who is able to find information through varied sources such as books, magazines and computers. The reference librarian provides research assistance for school assignments.

Related Subjects
Additional subject headings related to your topic.

Reserve Desk
The library department handling items placed on restricted loan periods. The Reserve Desk is the location for frequently used materials and for materials instructors want students to use for their classes.

Secondary Source
Commentaries on original/ primary sources of information.

Search Terms
Words or phrases describing research topics or ideas.

"See" Reference
Refers to the correct subject heading for a topic.

"See Also" Reference
Refers to additional or related subject headings on a topic.

Series
Groups of books or other items pulled together by their publisher under one title.

Sound Recordings
The library's circulating collection of musical recordings on compact discs and records.

Stacks
Shelves where the books and magazines are stored.

Stopwords
Common words (United States History) or two letter words (it, of, an). Often these words are not indexed and not searched by a database.

Subdivisions
More specific headings within the main subject heading preceded by a dash. Subdivisions help focus and narrow a topic.

Subject Heading
Words or phrases assigned to books under which all material dealing with this theme is entered in a catalog or a bibliography.

Thesaurus
A dictionary of synonyms and antonyms.

Toggle
An off/on switch for a computer function or to move from one computer function to another.

Truncation
To search by the root of a word rather than the complete word, e.g., "FEM" rather than female, feminine, feminist, etc. By typing a special symbol at the end of a word retrieves all possible endings of a word. Frequently used symbols for truncation include the asterisk ( * ), the pound sign (#), or the question mark (?).

URL
Uniform Resource Locator - a unique address for a specific file available on the Internet. The structure of a URL is as follows: http://www.santarosa.edu/library/Refs

Unabridged
A dictionary that has not been reduced in size by omission of definitional terms.