Oxford Brookes UniversityA-Z of Library Jargon
This guide is to help you with terms used regularly in the library which may be unfamiliar to you. If you are uncertain of anything, please ask the library staff - they are here to help you.
Do you have a question that is not answered here, or a comment about our Web site? Please email us.
A
- A summary of a journal article or other publication.
- Abstracting services provide the publication details (Author, title etc.) of individual journal articles, books, reports and other materials, often in a specific subject area. They also include a summary of the content each item covered which will help you decide if it will be of any use to you. Many of our databases are electronic versions of abstracting services. See also Index.
Article A document within a journal or newspaper issue. Usually written by one or more named authors.
ATHENS A password system used by many databases and electronic journals. NB Athens is not itself a database. Brookes staff and students have their own individual Athens accounts. Check our guide to Logging into Athens for tips.
Audio-visual material Non-book materials such as video and audio cassettes, DVDs, CD-ROMs, CDs, records and slides:
- Headington Library has an Audio Visual Unit which includes a slide collection, music scores and recordings and photocopying facilities.
- Note that video and audio cassettes, DVDs and CD-ROMs are shelved alongside the books on the main library shelves. Use the Library Catalogue to search for specific items. If you wish to search for a specific format e.g. DVD or video, rather than a book, choose Advanced Search. Enter your search terms in the "Author or Name", "Title" or "Keyword(s)" boxes. Scroll down to see the "Limit search by" options and select the appropriate format e.g. "video tape" or "DVD".
B
Back issues Older issues of a journal. See also current copy.
Bibliography List of references to books, journal articles and other information sources. They are usually placed at the end of a publication or piece of coursework.
Booking An arrangement to reserve something in advance:
- You can make a booking to use a group study room at the Headington Enquiry Desk.
- Items in the Headington Short Loan Collection can be booked in advance. Harcourt Hill Library will accept bookings made via the Library Catalogue and Wheatley Library will accept telephone bookings.
Boolean searching Searching on a computer system using the words 'AND, OR, NOT' to combine search terms. These words are known as "Boolean operators" . Many databases and search engines use this kind of searching.
Borrow To take a book or other item out of the library for a specific period of time. Also called issue:
- You can take items you wish to borrow to the library counter or use the self-issue machines at Headington.
- You need your Library/ID card to borrow items from the library.
- Items borrowed will be stamped with the relevant due date.
- When you bring them back they are returned.
- If you want to keep an item longer, it may be possible to renew it.
- See our guide on Borrowing
items for more information.
Borrower number The number on your Library/ID card just above the barcode. This is also known as your student number.
- Through Brookes Virtual you can access tutorials, quizzes and course materials for different modules. You can work your way through these
tutorials on the Web at a time and pace that suit you. The Library has set up various tutorials to help you search
for resources more effectively. The library skills tutorials include: Making sense
of your reading list; Finding journal articles and Searching
the web - Google and gateways and PLATO - an online tutorial on understanding and avoiding plagiarism.
To access these:- Go to the Brookes home page and select Brookes Virtual.
- At the Brookes Virtual Gateway, click on the link for Self-Registration courses
- Log into PIP as prompted
- From the list of courses available, click the Register button for the course you want e.g. PLATO
- On the next page to appear, click on the Register button
- Click on the Go to the Brookes Virtual Gateway button
- Log into the VLE and the tutorial will be available in your Courses List
C
Catalogue A listing of all the materials a library holds ( sometimes called OPAC):
- Our Library Catalogue is available is available via pooled computer room computers in the Library and throughout Brookes and via the Web from anywhere.
- It covers material held by the University's libraries at Headington, Wheatley and Harcourt Hill.
- The Catalogue can be searched by various methods e.g. Author, Title, Keyword.
- You can also use the "Borrower information" section
of the Catalogue to view details of the books on loan to you,
renew your books and check your reservations.
Citation The basic information about a source such as a book or journal article, with sufficient details to enable someone to track it down. Sometimes also referred to as a reference. For example, the citation for a book would contain the Title, Author or Editor, Edition (if applicable), Place of Publication, Publisher and Year of Publication.
Citing your sources means acknowledging within your piece of work the sources from which you obtained information. See our guide on Citing information sources and plagiarism for more information on how to do this.
Classmark - see shelfmark.
Current copy The most recent issue of a journal which is displayed on stands racks separate from the earlier issues. Older issues of a journal are also known as back issues.
D
Database An electronic collection of data that can be searched in a systematic way:
- The Library subscribes to various bibliographic databases which you can help you to locate sources of information on your chosen topic.
- Databases may cover a specific subject area or a range of subjects.
- Most of our databases are abstract/index services, which provide abstracts of publications.
- The Library also subscribes to a number of databases which provide
the full text of the original articles.
Dewey Decimal system The system of classifying library materials used in Oxford Brookes Library. Each item is given a shelfmark indicating what subject it covers and where it is shelved. The system allows books on a similar subject matter to be shelved near to each other, so that you can browse the collection according to your interests or needs. For more information, see our Guide to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme .
Dictionaries Books containing alphabetical listings of words with their meanings.
Discharge When you bring back an item you have borrowed to the library it is 'discharged' from your account. This shows that you no longer have the item. See also return.
Dissertation A lengthy piece of original work written as a requirement for an academic degree. Also known as a thesis.
Due date Date stamped on label inside book which tells you when you need to return it to the Library. Fines are payable on items returned late.
E
Electronic Library Section of the Library Web pages which provides access to our databases, electronic journals, electronic books and electronic newspapers.
Encyclopaedias Works containing information on all subject areas. Some encyclopaedias are subject specific.
Enquiry Desk Desk where you can speak to library staff who can help you find information. Please go to this desk if you have questions or need assistance using the library. The Library also has an Electronic Enquiry Service which you can use if you need help.
F
Fines Charge you have to pay if you return an item to the Library late. See our guide on Library fines for more information. NB There is no charge for borrowing library materials.
Full text The entire content of an item, such as an article or book, available in electronic format. Some databases contain the full text of journal articles.
G
Glossaries Dictionaries of specialised terms.
Group Study Rooms Rooms which can be used by groups of students working together on a presentation or similar assignment. You can make a booking for a group study room at the Enquiry Desk.
I
- An alphabetical list which usually appears at the end of a book, giving the names, subjects etc which it covers and the pages in the book where these can be found.
- Indexing services list basic details of journal articles, books, reports and other materials, often in a specific subject area. Many of our databases are electronic versions of index publications. See also Abstract.
Interlibrary Loan service Service which allows the Library to borrow or obtain items from other libraries for Brookes staff and students, when we do not hold copies here. See our guide to the Interlibrary Loans Service for more information.
ISBN International Standard Book Number. Books published since 1969 have one of these unique identifying numbers.
Issue To take a book or other item out of the library for a specific period of time. See borrow.
Issue counter, Issue desk: see Library counter
J
Journal A print or electronic information source that is published at regular intervals under the same title. Each individual issue (or part) of a journal will consist of a collection of articles written by different authors on very specific topics. Sometimes journals may also be known as serials/ periodicals/ magazines. Journals in the Library often contain scholarly information and research. They may be available in print form or as Electronic journals.
L
Library/ID card Your Library card is also known as your Brookes ID card or student card. You will need it to use many University facilities, including entering the Headington Library and for borrowing books. Students should receive their Library card when they enrol. Staff should receive their card via their department/faculty. The number on your Library/ID card is also known as your Borrower number or student number.
Library counter Desk where you can borrow, return and renew Library materials.
LinkSource
The LinkSource
service is available on many of our online databases,
allowing you to check whether we have a specific item in print or
electronic format. LinkSource provides direct links from a reference
on a database to the full text article in an electronic journal,
if it is available. If the article is not available in electronic
format, you will be given a link to search the Brookes Library
Catalogue to see if a print copy of the journal is available.
Literature search A systematic and thorough search for material published on a specific topic. You may have to untertake a literature search to find information sources when you are writing and essay, project or dissertation.
Loan type Indicates how long you can borrow an item from the Library:
- Items on the main shelves can usually be borrowed for 1 or 2 weeks.
- Some items are for reference only and cannot be taken out of the Library.
- Items in the Short Loan Collection can
be borrowed for 4 or 24 hours at Headington and Wheatley (3 or
24 hours at Harcourt Hill)
O
OPAC Stands for 'Online Public Access Catalogue'.
Oversize Larger books shelved separately near the relevant book sequence:
- In the Headington Library, each subject floor has an oversize sequence where these large books are shelved.
- At Wheatley and Harcourt Hill there is one oversize sequence in the main part of each library.
- The Library Catalogue will tell you if a book is an oversize item.
P
Pamphlet A thin book, often a report:
- In the Headington Library, each subject floor has a pamphlet sequence near to the relevant book sequence.
- The Library Catalogue will tell you if an item is a pamphlet.
Peer Review This refers to the process by which a journal or article has been checked by an editorial board of experts to ensure that it contains genuine scholarly research. Sometimes peer reviewed articles are referred to as 'academic' or 'scholarly' articles.
PIP pages Your PIP (Personal Information Pages) is a set of confidential Web pages containing information relevant to you and your courses. You alone can access your PIP using the username and password assigned to you at the beginning of your studies with Brookes.
Plagiarism means passing off someone else's words or thoughts as your own. See the Library guide on Plagiarism for further information on this issue. This also provides a link to PLATO - an online tutorial on understanding and avoiding plagiarism which is available in the Brookes Virtual Gateway.
Pooled room computers Networked PCs available in computer rooms and the 3 libraries at Brookes. There is a standard menu of software available on all of these PCs, which includes access to the Internet and all Library Web resources. All pooled room computers are attached to printers. Most of these PCs have front USB ports installed so portable devices can be used. They also have CD Writers or CD ROM drives installed and there are some PCs which have DVD Writers installed.
R
Received You may see books described as "received" on the Library Catalogue. This means that it is a new item which has just arrived and is being prepared for use. Ask at the Enquiry Desk if you would like to reserve an item which is "received".
Record a description of each individual item contained in a database or on a Library catalogue. On a database, it may often be referred to as a result or hit. The Library Catalogue contains thousands of records, each one giving the full details of each book, journal, video, DVD etc. that the Library has in its stock.
- Items that you may read in the library but not take away. All
our journals and dissertations are for
reference use only.
- Description of a source such as a book or journal article, giving details such as author, title etc. It will give all the information that you would need to be able to locate that piece of information in a Library or a bookshop. Sometimes referred to as a citation.
- A list of references is a list of the sources read and used in a book, article or essay. This is also known as a bibliography.
Referencing means acknowledging within your piece of work the sources from which you obtained information. See our guide on Citing information sources and plagiarism for more information on how to do this.
Renew Extend the due date of an item that you have borrowed, so that you can keep it longer:
- You can renew items by phone, online through the 'Borrower information' section of the Library Catalogue, or in person.
- You will not be able to renew an item if someone has placed a reservation for it.
- See our guide on Renewing items for more information.
Reservation, Reserve You can place a reservation on an item which is currently on loan or at another Brookes library:
- You can reserve items using the Library Catalogue.
- When a book that you have reserved is returned to the Library, it will be kept for you.
- You will receive notification via your Brookes' email when the item is ready for collection.
- See our guide on Reserving items for more information
Return To bring back to the Library an item you have borrowed. See also Discharge. Our guide on Returning items gives more information.
S
Self-issue machines Headington Library has two self-issue machines which you can can use to issue books, CDs, videos and DVDs to yourself. See our guide to Self-issue for more details.
Shelfmark Code of numbers and letters which indicates what subject a book covers and where it is shelved:
- All library materials have a shelfmark. Each book has a label on its spine showing its particular shelfmark. This is also sometimes called a classmark.
- To find the shelfmark for any Library item, you will need to do a search on the Library Catalogue. Remember that you will need the letters as well as the number in order to trace the book.
- Brookes Library uses the Dewey Decimal system to classify books by subject and give them a shelfmark.
Short Loan Collection Collection of the most popular recommended books, journal articles and other materials which can be borrowed for a limited length of time (3 or 24 hours at Harcourt Hill; 4 or 24 hours at other sites). For more information, see our guide to Short Loan
Stack Storeroom at Headington Library. Items are available on request. Ask at the Enquiry Desk for items you want from the stack and a member of staff will fetch them for you.
Study carrel A small room in the Library available for private study. Study carrels can be booked at the Enquiry Desk.
Subject Librarian A librarian who has special knowledge of the resources in a particular subject area. Each Faculty/academic discipline has its own Subject Librarian who answers enquiries, teaches information skills, orders library stock and generally looks after the library needs of the students and staff in their subject area. Check our list of subject librarians to see who looks after your subject area.
Synonyms Words having the same meaning (or nearly the same) as another word, eg boat and ship.
T
Thesaurus A book with systematically arranged lists of words and their synonyms.
Thesis A lengthy piece of original work written as a requirement for an academic degree. Also known as a dissertation.
W
The Brookes wireless service (eduroam) covers areas of the Gipsy Lane, Headington Hill, Harcourt Hill, Marston Road, Swindon and Wheatley campuses. The service is available to all Brookes staff and students (registration required) and is available free of charge.
More information about the Wireless (eduroam) service is available on the Computer Services Web site including links to the online registration forms and maps of the wireless coverage for each campus
Z
Zip disk Disk used for backing up and storing personal computer files. It is often used to store large files as one zip disk can hold more information than over 100 standard floppy disks. For details of which library computers have zip drives, see our guide to Computer facilities in the Headington Library