Glossary

| 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

Abstracts: A database or print service that provides subject access to works in a specific subject field or a group of subject fields that also provides a summary of the work. Most abstracts at UNI cover journal articles.

Almanac: A collection of statistics and facts, usually updated yearly. Also, an annual containing miscellaneous matter, such as a calendar, a list of astronomical events, planting tables, astrological predictions, and anecdotes. Examples: Information Please Almanac, CIA World Factbook.

Archive: The records made or received by an institution or the personal papers of a family or individual, which are preserved because of their continuing value. The Rod Library holds the archives for the University, as well as papers from some notable alumni such as Senator Charles Grassley.

Atlas: A volume of maps with or without descriptive text.

B

Bar code: A label containing machine-readable data in graphic form, with numbers below it. When connecting to a database from off-campus, you will be asked for the bar code number on your UNI identification card.

Bibliography: A list of books and/or journal articles on a particular subject or by a particular author.

Bound periodicals: Older issues of periodicals that have been put together in a binding to retain and preserve them. The Rod Library's bound periodical section is located on the first floor.

C

Call number: The set of symbols identifying a particular item in a library collection and indicating its location. The Rod Library uses the Library of Congress classification system for most of the books in its collections, which uses letters and numbers to place materials on the same topic close together.

Card catalog: The Rod Library doesn't have a card catalog for the general collection. See UNISTAR.

Compact shelving: Any type of shelving which is designed to increase the storage capacity of library materials to be shelved in a given space. The Rod Library has some compact shelving in the bound periodicals area.

Copyright: The legal provision of exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute a work.

Current periodicals: The latest or most recent issues of journals and magazines that the library receives. They are shelved on the first floor.

D

Database: An organized collection of computer records, standardized in format and content, that is stored in any of a variety of computer-readable modes. The Rod Library has databases available on the Web and on CD-ROMs.

Depository library: A library legally designated to receive without charge all or a selected portion of the U.S. government publications supplied by the Government Printing Office and other federal agencies for distribution by the Superintendent of Documents. The Rod Library receives approximately half of the publications distributed by the Superintendent of Documents and is a depository library for the State of Iowa.

E

Editor: One who prepares a bibliographic item for publication that contains a work or works not his or her own. Editors are indexed in the author file on UNISTAR.

Encyclopedia: A book or set of books containing informational articles, which are organized in alphabetical order.

Entry: An access point to a bibliographic record under which the record may be searched and identified. Typical entries are title, author, and subject.

F

Fair use: The concept contained in U.S. copyright law that allows for some copying of materials for the purposes of criticism, comment, news, reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.

G

H

Handbook: A compendium arranged for the quick location of facts and capable of being conveniently carried. Examples include the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.

Hearings: U.S. government publications that are printed transcripts of testimony given before the various committees of Congress. The Rod Library has hearings in the government documents section on the second floor.

Hold: The process that allows you to be notified when a book you want has been returned to the library. Refer to Recall.

Holdings: The issues of a serial in the possession of the library. You can find out the holdings of a particular serial title in UNISTAR.

I

Index: 1. A guide to the contents of a document or group of documents, consisting of an ordered arrangement of terms or other entries that allow access to the contents. 2. A subject index to a group of periodicals. Examples of definition 2 include: PAIS, Education Index, Engineering Index, etc.

Information Files: These are what most libraries call Vertical Files. These are a collection of materials such as pamphlets, clippings, and pictures which are filed in drawers for easy reference. The Information Files are located in the reference area on the second floor.

Interlibrary loan (ILL): A transaction in which, upon request, one library lends an item from its collection, or furnishes a copy of the item, to another library. For more information on Rod Library policies concerning interlibrary loan, see Orientation entry for ILL.

J

Journal: A periodical, especially one containing scholarly articles and/or disseminating current information on research and development in a particular subject field.

K

Keyword: An index in UNISTAR that allows you to search for significant terms in the author, title, and subject indexes as well as the contents notes.

L

Library: A collection of materials organized to provide physical, bibliographic, and intellectual access to a target group, with a staff that is trained to provides services and programs related to the information needs of the target group. At UNI, the library is located in the building just west of the Maucker Student Union.

Library consortium: A formal association of libraries which is established to develop and implement resource sharing among the members and thereby improve the library services and resources available to their respective target groups. The Rod Library is a member of the Cedar Valley Library Consortium that also includes the Cedar Falls Public Library, the Hawkeye Community College Library, and the UNI Placement and Career Services Library.

M

Magazine: A periodical for general reading, containing articles on various subjects by different authors.

Manual: A book of rules for guidance or instructions in how to perform a task, process, etc.

Map: A flat representation of the surface of the Earth or other celestial body.

Microfiche: A flat sheet of photographic film containing microimages arranged in a grid pattern. Microfiche and microfiche readers are located on the first floor. Government documents on microfiche are located on the second floor.

Microfilm: Photographic film containing microimages. The film is usually 35mm. Microfilm and microfilm readers are located on the first floor.

N

O

Online catalog: A computer-based and supported library catalog designed so that library users may search for and retrieve bibliographic records. The Rod Library's online catalog is called UNISTAR.

Overdue: A book returned after the due date. There are fines for returning books after their due date.

Oversize book: A book too large to be shelved in the regular shelves. Oversize books are located on the third and fourth floors.

P

Periodical: A serial appearing or intended to appear indefinitely at regular or stated intervals, generally more frequently than annually. Two types of periodicals are magazines and journals.

Q

R

Range: A row of several sections of shelving.

Ready reference collection: Standard reference tools set aside from the general reference collection for the purpose of rapid access to commonly asked questions. The ready reference area is located behind the reference desk.

Recall: If a book is checked out to someone else, you can have the Circulation Dept. notify the person who has the book to return the book to the library. The Circulation Dept. then holds the book for you.

Reference collection: A collection of reference books and other materials, useful for supplying authoritative information or identifying sources, kept together for convenience in providing information service and generally not allowed to circulate.

Reserve collection: A collection of materials segregated, usually temporarily, from the general collection and assigned restrictive loan periods to assure greater availability to certain user groups, such as students in a particular course. The reserve collection is located on the first floor of the Library.

S

Search strategy: A plan for part or all of a search for information that helps you find the best sources of information on your topic.

"See also" reference: a reference from a name, term, etc., used as a heading to one or more related names, terms, etc. A see also reference can help expand or narrow your search.

"See" reference: A reference to a name, term, etc. used as a heading from another form of the name, term, etc. which is not used as a heading. A see reference will guide to you to the terms used in UNISTAR.

Serial: A publication in any medium issued in successive parts and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials include periodicals, newspapers, annuals, monographic series, etc.

Series: A group of separate bibliographic items related to each other by the fact that each item bears, in addition to its own title, a collective title applying to the group as a whole.

Stacks: A series of bookcases or sections of shelving, arranged in rows or ranges, for the storage of the library's principal collection. The stacks in the Rod Library are located on the third and fourth floors.

Student assistant: A part-time employee of an academic library who is enrolled in classes at the institution of which the library is a part. The Rod Library employs many student assistants.

Subject heading: An access point to a bibliographic record consisting of a word or phrase that describes the topic(s) of the work. The Rod Library uses the Library of Congress Subject Headings to describe what the bibliographic item is about.