Terms |
Definitions |
| A | |
| Abstract | A brief summary of the content or essence of a book, article, speech, report, or dissertation, usually no more than a few sentences. |
| Alert service | See Email alert service. |
| Annotation | A critical or explanatory note, usually included in a bibliographical reference or citation. |
| Annual | Published once a year, every year. |
| Anthology | A collection of stories, plays, or poems, selected by an editor. |
| Article | A brief piece of writing on a topic, usually published in a journal, or serial. |
| Atlas | A book of maps. |
| Author | A writer of a book, essay, story, play, poem or other work. Some works have two or more co-authors. In library catalogues, authorship is sometimes attributed to an organisation, conference symposium, or institution. Other individuals, such as the editor, playwright, or composer may also be considered an author. |
| Author-date reference | A style of referencing that places the name of the author and the year a work was published in the body of the text. Also known as the Harvard style. See Reference styles used at UoA for more information on styles. See also Citation. |
| Autobiography | An account of one's life written by oneself. See also Biography. |
| B | |
| Biannual | Published twice a year. |
| Bibliography | A list of references or citations that appear at the end of a paper, article, chapter or book. Long bibliographies may be published separately in a book form. See also Citation. |
| Biennial | Published every two years. |
| Biography | An account of a person's life, written by another. The person who writes a biography is the biographer. The person written about is known as the biographee. See also Autobiography. |
| Boolean searching | A method of combining two or more search terms (such as and, or, not) to increase or restrict the search results. |
| Borrowing | Library materials may be taken out of the library on loan, or borrowed, on presentation of a University of Auckland ID card at the Lending desk. See the Lending Services page for information on services such as lending policy. |
| Bound serials | Older issues of serials that have been bound together between hard covers to look like a book. This is done to preserve them and to facilitate storage. |
| C | |
| Call number | A unique location code, of numbers and letters, that appears on the spine of a book or serial and indicates where it is shelved in the library. Also called the classification number, or shelf number. |
| Catalogue | A catalogue lists all the items kept in the library, in the form of records, with description details of each item and how to find it. The UoA Library catalogue, Voyager, is online and contains records for all of the items held in the UoA Libraries. |
| Circulation desk | See Lending Desk. |
| Citation | A brief description of a text (book, article, report, World Wide Web page, or other) that has been quoted in a piece of work, or used as an authority. The elements in the complete citation are different for each type of publication.
See also Reference styles used at UoA. |
| Citing | The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas. |
| Classification | System for organising material in the library to keep related subjects together on the shelves in an alphanumeric (letters and numbers) order. Normally the classification number is the same as the call number. The classification number allows library users to browse the shelves to find additional items close by on the same or related subjects. |
| Collected works | A book of works (such as essays, stories, poems, plays) by an individual author or by different authors, selected for publication by an editor. |
| Conference paper | A talk or presentation given at a conference or meeting. |
| Conference proceedings | The official record of the things said and done at a conference or meeting. Sometimes available as a publication containing the print versions of the papers delivered at a particular conference. |
| Copyright | The legal right granted to an author, editor, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work. This legal right will limit what you may copy or quote from any published work. See also Plagiarism. |
| Course code | The set of numbers and letters assigned by University of Auckland to various courses. Example: ENGGEN 203. |
| Course material | A collection of books, articles or other material that relates to a particular university course. Some material may be in high demand and placed in a Short Loan collection, with short loan periods of 2 hours or 3 days. Some journal articles and book chapters are available electronically in PDF or HTML format. See the Course Material database. See also Short Loan. |
| Cross reference | In a catalogue, index or database, a direction that leads a user from one entry or subject heading to another. |
| Current serials | The most recent issues of a journal or magazine that the library has received, usually displayed on a current serials shelf. The current issues of a serial are bound when enough have accumulated to constitute the size of an ordinary book (usually about a year's worth or less). |
| D | |
| Database | An electronic collection of material organised for convenient access. The database contains citations to articles or fulltext articles from many different journals, magazines, newspapers and, in some cases, chapters from books or reports. See the University of Auckland Library databases. |
| Desk copies | See Short Loan. |
| Dictionary | A book of alphabetically listed words in a certain language with generally accepted definitions, etymologies, pronunciations, and other information. Some dictionaries are specialised; for example, the Dictionary of Sociology or the Dictionary of Literary Terms. Online dictionaries can be found in the online Reference Collection. |
| Directory | A book that lists the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of a specific group of persons, companies, organisations, or publications. Directories may be found in the library reference collections and the online Reference Collection. |
| Dissertation | An extended scholarly essay submitted for a degree or other academic qualification. A dissertation is smaller in volume and narrower in scope than a thesis. See also Thesis. |
| Obtaining a book, article etc. from another library, either through the Inter Library Loans (Interloans) system for books from outside of UoA Libraries, or through the Inter-Campus Library Delivery Service (ICLDS) for items from another UoA library. See also Inter Library Loans or intercampus delivery. | |
| E F G | |
| Edition | Some books are revised and republished, particularly reference books. The new version may be called a "revised" or "second" edition. Subsequent editions are numbered sequentially. The latest edition is the most current, but older editions may contain useful information deleted from more recent editions. |
| Editor | A person who selects and prepares the works of other writers for publication, by selection, arrangement, and annotation. |
| E-book | An electronic book which is published fulltext online. Search Voyager for e-books. |
| E-journal | An electronic journal which is published fulltext online. Search Voyager for e-journals. |
| Email alert service | Some databases permit an email alert service, or current awareness service, that can be customised to particular research needs. This service automatically advises by email of the details of any new, relevant items (journal articles, etc.) as soon as they are added to the database concerned. Please attend the library workshop - Electronic Alerts to learn how to set up an email alert, or contact a Subject Librarian for assistance. |
| Encyclopedia | A reference book, or several volumes of books, containing information on all subjects, or limited to a special field or subject. Online encyclopedias can be found in the online Reference Collection. |
| Enquiries Desk | The main service point for users to ask for assistance with using Voyager (the online catalogue), or other information sources and directions to collections or other service points in the Library. The General Library's Enquiries Desk is on Level 1. May also be called the Helpdesk. See also the IC Helpdesk. |
| Electronic information resource | Any information resource available electronically including but not limited to, electronic journals, online databases, and Internet sites. |
| Fine | A fee charged for keeping a book or other library materials longer than the time allowed. See the Lending Services page for more details. |
| Glossary | An alphabetical list of words related to a specific topic, with definitions, often placed at the end of a book. You are currently using a glossary of library terms. |
| H I J K | |
| Holdings | All the materials (print, non-print, and electronic) owned by a library. |
| HTML | 'HyperText Markup Language' : A markup language used to structure text and multimedia documents and to set up hypertext links between documents, used extensively on the World Wide Web. Also a formatted version of an electronic serial article or book, which looks like a web page. |
| IC Helpdesk | The main service points for users to ask for assistance with NetAccount services, such as passwords, IDs and transferring credits. At present there are two main helpdesks, the Kate Edger IC Helpdesk and the Grafton IC Helpdesk. See the NetAccount Services page for more details. |
| ICLDS | Inter-Campus Library Delivery Service: obtain a book, article etc. from another campus library in the UoA system by filling in the online form via Voyager. See also Intercampus delivery, Interlibrary loan and Document delivery. |
| Index | A back-of-the-book index is an alphabetical detailed list of the names, places, and subjects discussed in a book and the numbers of the pages on which each subject is treated. |
| Information Commons | The term 'Information Commons' is used for facilities that provide access to electronic learning and information resources, usually situated within a Library building. The Kate Edger Information Commons facility on the City Campus is named after Kate Milligan Edger (1857-1935) who was the first woman in New Zealand to gain a degree. See the Information Commons page for further information. |
| Intercampus delivery | Obtain an available book, article etc. from another campus in the UoA library system. Use Voyager to search for the item; click the Requests button; log in; select "intercampus delivery" and fill in the online form. |
| Interloan (Interlibrary Loan) |
A library service through which libraries loan books and other materials to each other. If the UoA Library does not have the item you need it may be borrowable from another library. See also the Interlibrary Loans and Document Delivery page for more information. |
| In transit | When an item is on the way from one Library to another in the University of Auckland Library system. |
| ISBN | 'International Standard Book Number': a unique 10-digit number (will be 11-digits from 2006) that is given to every book or edition of a book before publication to identify the publisher, the title, the edition, and volume number. No two books will have the same ISBN. |
| ISSN | 'International Standard Serial Number': a unique 8-digit number that identifies a specific serial title. |
| Issue | The part of a specific serial published on a particular date. Could also be called the 'number'. Several issues normally make up a volume. Individual issues are usually soft-covered and unbound; when all the issues of a particular volume have been published, they may be hard-bound together. |
| Issues desk | See Lending desk. |
| Journal | Also called a serial, a periodical or a magazine. See Serial. |
| Keyword | A word indicating a main term or concept or subject discussed in a document; used in searching catalogues and databases. |
| L M N O | |
| Lending Desk | The area where users have books and other materials issued to them on presentation of a University of Auckland ID card, or return or renew books and other materials. Also called the Circulation desk, or Issues desk. See the Lending Services page for information on services such as lending policy. |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) | A standard list of words or groups of words under which books and other material on a subject are entered in a catalogue. These subject headings can be helpful when searching Voyager the library catalogue. |
| Magazine | Also called a serial, a periodical or a journal. See Serial. |
| Microfiche | A 4x6 inch sheet of film, used for storage of miniaturised text. Microfiche and reader/printers are stored in Microtext Collection on Level G of the General Library and in other UoA libraries. |
| Microfilm | A continuous roll of film, used for storage of miniaturised text (usually journals or magazines). Microfilms and reader/printers are stored in the Microtext Collection on Level G of the General Library and in other UoA libraries. |
| Microform | Film medium for storage of miniaturised text. Includes both microfiche and microfilm. Stored in the Microtext Collection on Level G of the General Library and in other UoA libraries. |
| Microtext | Comprised of texts such as books, serials, theses and research collections preserved on microfilm, microfiche or microcard. Stored in the Microtext Collection on Level G of the General Library and in other UoA libraries. |
| Monograph | A publication that is complete in one volume or a finite number of volumes, such as a book or report. Further editions are sometimes published. |
| Monographic series | See Series. |
| Off-Campus Storage | Off-Campus Storage houses less frequently used books, serials and other items. Smaller collections, such as theses and research essays are also housed here. Members of the University of Auckland can access the Off-Campus Storage collection by using the Inter-Campus Library Delivery Service or visiting the Off-Campus Storage facility. |
| Online resources | See Electronic Information resources |
| P Q | |
| Paraphrase | A rewording of something written or spoken by someone else; a free rendering of a passage. See also Plagiarism. |
| "Portable Document Format". Version of an electronic journal article or book which is a scanned image of the item. A PDF item will look like a photocopy of a printed serial or book. | |
| Peer review | A formal process whereby articles submitted to a journal or conference are sent to several established scholars in that field of study. These reviewers may suggest improvements before deciding if the article should be published or included in the conference or journal. |
| Periodical | Also called a serial, a magazine or a journal. See Serial. |
| Plagiarism | Taking, using and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another. Plagiarism is a very serious academic offence, and can result in work being failed automatically. To avoid it, always acknowledge the work of others and take careful note of where the source can be located. See also Plagiarism Policy. |
| Primary sources | The raw, often factual data which underpins research. Firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation contained in books, serials, reports, etc. |
| Quick reference | Small collection of basic general reference books such as dictionaries and thesauri, shelved together, for use in the Library only. Their location is indicated on the Voyager record, for example: "GENERAL LIBRARY Quick Reference Level 2 (Not borrowable)". |
| R | |
| Recall | A request made by the Library asking the user to return a borrowed item before its original due date because it is required by another person, or for Short Loan. An item can be recalled at any time by any UoA student or staff member. The recalled item must be returned as soon as possible. See also Reserve. |
| Record | A collection of related data fields in a catalogue, database, or index, organized and accessible as a single entity. Examples of data fields in a catalogue are author, title, publisher, abstract, call number, etc. In a periodical index, which is a collection of article citations, each citation is a record. |
| Reference | Similar to a citation. Brief information about a book, journal, conference paper, book chapter etc. Often found at the end of articles or chapters. Normally organized according to a particular reference style. Eg. Vancouver, or APA. See also Citation and Reference style. |
| Reference collection | Contains books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, shelved together in a separate section of the Library. Their location is usually indicated by "Ref" before the call number. Reference books are for use only in the Library. |
| Reference style | See Reference Styles used at the UofA. |
| Requests | Options available from the Voyager Requests button include recall to obtain an on loan item or intercampus delivery to obtain an available item from another UoA campus. |
| Reserve | A Short Loan item in UoA libraries may be 'reserved' or booked. Ask at the Lending Desk to have a Short Loan item reserved. Items on the New Book Display in the General Library may be reserved or booked for borrowing, at the Lending Desk. See also Recall. |
| S T | |
| Scholarly journals | Of academic standard, containing articles written by scholars in their field. |
| Secondary sources | Interpretation of and commentary on primary sources. |
| Serial | A publication appearing periodically (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.) and containing articles written by various authors. Although the terms periodical, journal, serial and magazine have different definitions, they are often used interchangeably. A journal contains peer-reviewed articles written by experts in a subject area, while a magazine contains more popular articles often written by journalists. The terms periodical and serial are more generic and refer to all types of these materials. |
| Series | A group of publications each having, in addition to its own title, a collective or series title which applies to the group as a whole. The individual items in a series may be numbered or unnumbered. |
| Shelf number | See Call number. |
| Short Loan Collection | The Short Loan Collection consists of prescribed and recommended materials which are in high demand. Material may include books, journal articles, book chapters and/or extracts and videos/DVDs. Access to these materials is controlled and they may be borrowed for only a short period of time e.g. 1 or 2 hours, or 3 days. They are stored separately behind the Circulation or Loan desk in some libraries. The Kate Edger Short Loan Collection (Level 1, KEIC) serves students from the Faculties of Arts, Business and Economics, Science and Education, as well as students from the School of Theology. |
| Subject headings | see Library of Congress Subject Headings. |
| Subject Librarian Services | Subject Librarians are information specialists assigned to a specific academic subject, department or programme. They liaise between academic departments and the Library and provide a personalised service in support of the teaching, learning and research of students and academic staff. Services include: research consultations and assistance with in-depth information queries; course-specific seminars and tutorials for individuals or groups; current awareness; tailored resource web pages for specific courses; instruction in information retrieval and research skills; information on managing citations and bibliographies; and assistance with books and serials collection development in their subject areas. Please see the Subject Librarian contact page to find contact details. |
| Supplement | An addition to complete a literary work published in a separate issue or volume. It often refers to journal supplements, issued either as occasional publications associated with a particular issue, or as a series which may be numbered independently of the parent title. Conference abstracts are often printed as a supplement. |
| Thesaurus | There are several types: A book of synonyms, sometimes including contrasting words (antonyms). The most well-know thesaurus of this type is Roget's. A collection of concepts or words representing the specialised vocabulary of a particular field. An example of one among many hundreds of this type is Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms. Thesauri of this type are used by librarians and others to conduct focused searches of online periodical indexes. A list of all the subject headings or descriptors used in a particular database, catalogue, or index. |
| Thesis | A substantial written work by a student, for an Honours, Masters or PhD degree. See also Dissertation. |
| U V W X Y Z | |
| University of Auckland Library system | All of the University libraries which are spread over many locations across different campuses. |
| Volume | Often refers to a collection of serial issues bound together. Can also refer to the parts of a book when it is published in more than one part. |
| Voyager | The University of Auckland Library's online catalogue. |
With acknowledgments to: University of Waikato Library and University of Monash, Vic.