ABSTRACT - This term can be used in three ways: (1) A short summary of an article in a scholarly journal. It usually appears at the beginning of the article. (2) An index to journal articles that not only provides a citation to the articles, but also gives a brief summary on each article. (3) A summary of a paper presented at a conference. The full text of the paper is not always published.
ARTICLE - A (brief) essay or research report on a subject. Articles can appear in magazines, journals, newspapers, or other sources such as encyclopedias.
ARTICLE DATABASE – A database that contains either full text articles, abstracts or citations to journal or magazine articles.
AUDIOVISUAL - Information in a form other than words printed on paper. Examples include slides, audio tapes, compact discs, video cassettes, records, and computer software.
AUTHOR - The writer of a book or article. Usually this is a person (or perhaps two or three people), but it can also be a government agency, a symposium, a company, or other group that does not necessarily give the name(s) of the people who actually wrote the work.
BIBLIOGRAPHY - This term can be used in two ways: (1) References used while doing research for an article or book. These are gathered together at the end of the work, usually arranged alphabetically by author. (2) A publication that consists only of a list of books, articles and other works on a particular topic. Sometimes bibliographies are annotated; that is, they include brief abstracts summarizing the important features of the works. Bibliographies of both types can be very valuable in locating information on a subject.
BOUND PERIODICAL - Several issues of a journal or magazine that are fastened together between hard covers so that they resemble a book.
CALL NUMBER
- The number given to each book acquired by the Library. Every book has
a
unique call number, much like every house in a city has its own
address. The
first portion of the call number (one or two letters followed by a few
numerals) is the "name" of the "street;’ the second portion
(following the period) is the "house number." Example: PR 6023 .L47
H6. You can find the call number of a
book in IUCAT.
CARREL - A small office-like enclosure assigned to faculty and
graduate
student engaged in writing and research projects. Inquire at the circulation desk on the second floor
of the IU SOUTHEAST Library for further information regarding
assignment of
carrels.
CHARGE OUT/CHECK OUT - To borrow materials from the library. This is done at the circulation desk and at the reserve desk. You will need your student identification card to do this.
CIRCULATION DESK - The counter where you charge out books, return books, renew books, and so forth. The circulation desks are on the second floor (entrance) of the Library.
CITATION - Complete information about a specific item. It may be a reference to a text that has been quoted, or to some source that has been used as an authority. A citation for a book includes author, title, place of publication, publisher, and year. A citation for an article in a periodical includes author, title of the article, title of the periodical, volume number, pages, and date. A single citation is sometimes called a reference. A group of citations gathered together is usually called a bibliography.
DATABASE - An electronic collection of information, often of citations to materials on a particular subject. IUCAT is a database of books and journals that are owned by the IU Southeast Library. EbscoHost’s Academic Search Premier is a database of articles in journals covering many different subject areas.
E-BOOK – An electronic book. A book that the IUS Library only has access to via the Internet. It is list in IUCAT as an [electronic resource].
FULL TEXT – When the entire article is available from an article database, that is the full text. An article in a database is either full text, or an abstract (summary) of what the article is about. Sometimes an article database only has a citation to an article.
HOLD SHELF - An area behind the Circulation Desk where books will be kept for you if you come to the library to charge out books without your student identification card, or where books that you requested will be kept.
HOLDINGS - Often this term applies just to the issues of a magazine or journal owned by the Library, but it can also refer to all the materials (books, periodicals, audiovisual media, electronic databases) in the Library’ collections.
IUCAT - the Library’ online catalog listing the materials available in any of the IU Southeast University Library. It lists all the books, currently received magazines, journals, and newspapers, maps, microforms, sound recordings, and post 1976-government publications which the Library have.
INDEX - This term can be used in two ways. (1) A list of subjects discussed in a book. (2) A list of journal articles arranged by subject and/or author. The Library have indexes of this second type on many different subjects. Ask a Reference Librarian for advice in choosing the most appropriate index.
INTERLIBRARY LOAN - Borrowing a book or getting a copy of an article from another library. You can use this service (that is sometimes called "I L L") to obtain items that are not owned by the IU Southeast University Library.
JOURNAL - A publication that contains scholarly articles written either by professors, researchers, or experts in a subject area. An abstract and a bibliography often appear with each article.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (LC) SUBJECT HEADINGS - Standard terms used by the Library of Congress and by the IU Southeast University Library to designate the subjects of library materials. These terms are published in four large red volumes, often called "LCSH". A set of these volumes is located at the Humanities reference desk on 2nd floor of the IU Southeast Library.
LOAN PERIOD - The length of time library materials may be borrowed. The time varies depending on the type of material borrowed and whether you are a student, faculty, or staff member.
MAGAZINE - A periodical intended for the general public rather than for scholars. Examples are Newsweek, Time, and Business Week.
MICROFORMS - Books, articles or other items that are printed in miniaturized form on rolls or sheets of transparent plastic. Those that are in long rolls are called microfilm, while those that are on small rectangular sheets are called microfiche. Each of these requires special machines to be used.
OVERDUE [books] - A book that has not been returned by the due date is said to be "overdue." The Library charge fines of 25 cents per book per day for books which are overdue.
PERIODICAL - A publication that appears on a continuous and predictable schedule. Examples include newspapers (daily or weekly), magazines, and journals.
REFERENCE
DESK - A place where
librarians give you directions, answer your questions, and show you how
to find
and use materials. There is a reference desk on the second floor
(entrance) of
the IU Southeast Library.
RESERVE - A collection of books set aside by professors for use by students in particular classes. The Reserve Desk is located on the second floor (entrance) of the IU Southeast Library.
SERIAL - Publications that are issued in successive parts, usually at regular intervals. Examples include periodicals, journals, magazines, newspapers, annual reports, series, some conference proceedings, and annual reviews.
STACKS - The shelves that hold the Library’ books. In the IU Southeast Library, as in most American Libraries, the stacks are "open;" that is, you may get books directly from the stacks. You do not need to ask a librarian to get the books for you. The STACKS in the IUS Library are on the 3rd floor.
VOLUMES - Library materials that are part of a single title but appear as separate bound items. Individual issues of a periodical that are bound together into a single book are called a volume. (Usually, this equals one year of that periodical). Also, large books are sometimes divided into two or more volumes.