A-G | H-P | Q - Z

Q | R | S | T | UV | W | XYZ |

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Q

quarterly

Issued four times a year, usually in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Most scholarly journals are published quarterly.

quotation

Words or passages reproduced or repeated verbatim from a written work or an oral statement. In writing, a quotation must be enclosed in quotation marks. In a research paper, a quotation should be documented in a footnote or endnote.

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R

rag paper

Paper made entirely or in part from cotton or linen rags, which is more permanent than paper made from wood or other fiber. The rag content of paper is expressed as a percentage.

ramie

One of the most durable materials in papermaking, used mainly for printing bank notes.

range

A component of a library stack, consisting of a row of two or more sections of single- or double-faced shelving with common uprights or shelf supports between each section. See also: fixed shelving.

rare book

A valuable book which is so difficult to find that it seldom appears in the antiquarian market. Most libraries keep their rare books in a separate section called special collections. See also: incunabula and first edition.

reader-printer

A machine for enlarging, viewing, and making copies of microfiche and microfilm. Usually coin-operated. Fee varies.

reader's advisor

A librarian who specializes in the reading needs and problems of the adult patrons of a public library. Such a librarian may recommend specific books, compile lists of selected titles by theme or subject, instruct readers in the use of the library and its resources, and serve as liaison to other adult education agencies in the community.

reading room

A room in a library which is used primarily for reading and study, but which may also contain library materials. Reading rooms are normally equipped with desks, lamps, study tables, and in some cases armchairs for more comfortable reading. Reading rooms may also be wired for laptop computer use and access to the Internet.

ready reference

Shelves near the reference desk where standard reference books in high demand are kept close at hand to enable librarians to provide rapid access to factual information (examples: Books in Print, Encyclopedia of Associations, World Almanac & Book of Facts, Statistical Abstract of the U.S., and style manuals).

real time

The time-frame of a computer process, operation, or routine which occurs quickly enough to affect a related process taking place simultaneously.

realia

Three-dimensional objects such as museum replicas, specimens, models, samples, and dioramas which are sometimes borrowed or purchased by a library for use in classroom instruction.

rebinding

A complete rehabilitation of a worn-out book which usually includes resewing the pages and applying a new cover. See also: binding.

recall

A request by a library to a borrower to return a borrowed item before its due date. In academic libraries, this occasionally happens when an instructor wishes to place an item on reserve.

recall ratio

In information retrieval, the ratio between the number of documents retrieved in a literature search in response to a specific query, and the number of documents indexed on the same subject in the database searched. See also: precision ratio.

recasing

Replacing or resetting the cover of a volume that has come out of its cover or become loose in it.

recension

A textual revision of a work, often of a literary classic, based on a critical examination of earlier texts and other scholarly sources. Compare with redaction.

reciprocal borrowing privileges

Borrowing privileges granted by cooperating libraries to members of each other's user groups.

reclassifiction

The revision, within specific library clasification system, of the call numbers assigned to selected items in a library collection to relate those items more accurately and consistently to other items in the collection. See also: Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal classification.

recto

The right-hand page of an open book or periodical, usually bearing an odd page number. The opposite of verso. The title page of a book is always printed on the recto. The table of contents, chapters, appendices, indices, and other parts of a book also begin on the recto.

redaction

The act of editing, revising, or arranging for publication a work which was left incomplete, usually at the death of the author, or in a condition not suitable for publication. Compare with recension.

refereed

See: peer-reviewed.

reference

See: citation.

reference book

A book designed to be used to find specific items of information, rather than read cover-to-cover. Reference books include dictionaries, concordances, encyclopedias, handbooks, directories, and atlases. Reference books are usually shelved in a separate section known as the reference stacks. In most libraries, reference books may not be checked out because they are needed on a daily basis to answer questions at the reference desk.

reference collection

Books such as dictionaries and encyclopedias which are shelved together in a special location and may not be checked out because they are needed by reference librarians to find authoritative information on demand.

reference desk

When a library user has a question about how to use the library, he or she may contact the reference desk, either in person, by phone, or (in some libraries) via e-mail. In libraries in the United States, the reference desk is staffed by a reference librarian during most hours that the library is open.

reference interview

Interpersonal communication which occurs between a reference librarian and a library user to determine the specific information needs of the user. The interview usually occurs at the request of the user, but may be initiated by the librarian who perceives a need on the part of a user who has not asked for assistance.

reference librarian

A librarian employed in a reference department who is responsible for providing helpful information in response to questions posed by users of the library. Reference service may be delivered in person, or by phone or e-mail.

reference mark

A symbol, letter, or figure used in printing to refer to material printed in another place, such as a note at the bottom of a page, or at the end of a chapter. The most commonly used symbols are the asterisk (*), dagger, and double-dagger.

reference question

A request by a library user for information or assistance in locating information, which occurs in person, by telephone, or by mail or e-mail. In most libraries, reference questions are answered by a professional reference librarian during assigned hours at a reference desk, but in smaller libraries this function may be performed by a trained staff member.

reference stacks

The special stacks where reference books are shelved in a library. In most public and academic libraries in the United States, the reference stacks are open to the public.

regional library

A public library which serves a group of communities, or more than one county, and is supported by public funds provided by the government units it serves.

register

The alignment of pages back-to-back during the printing of the second side of a sheet so that the text areas coincide exactly, or in multicolor printing so that successive impressions are lined up precisely with one another. Also, a list of symbols by which the signatures of a book are marked to indicate their order in binding.

reinforced binding

A binding which the publisher has strengthened, usually by pasting a strip of cloth to each hinge, and by using stronger thread in sewing the pages.

reissue

A second or subsequent impression of an edition in which the title page has been redesigned and changes made in the front matter and back matter, leaving the text substantially the same. See also: issue.

rejection slip

A printed slip sent out by a publisher with a returned manuscript informing the author that his (or her) work is not accepted for publication.

relief map

A map which shows elevations on the surface of the earth by means of linear contours, hachures, shading, or tint. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publishes relief maps of the 50 states which are available in government documents collections in larger depository libraries. Synonymous with contour map.

remainder

The unsold copies of a book or other item which the publisher disposes of as a lot to a distributor who then offers them for sale at a substantially reduced price. Compare with job lot.

remote access

Communication by a user, device, or system with a distant computer system or computer network. May require the user to type or enter an authorized username and password, and special software or hardware, such as a modem.

renew

To extend the period for which a book or other item is loaned by a library, usually by the length of the normal borrowing period. Renewal policies vary, but most libraries allow at least one renewal. To avoid fines, material must be renewed on or before the due date.

Also to extend the period during which a periodical subscription will be delivered, usually by an additional year or period of years, in exchange for payment of a fixed fee by the subscriber.

renewal

An extension of the borrowing period for a book or other item. Also, the reregistration of a borrower at the end of the established period of library membership. And also an extension of the period during which a periodical subscription is to be delivered after payment of an additonal fee by the subscriber.

rental collection

Books which are in such high demand that they are circulated by a public library for a small fee, usually in multiple copies. Not all public libraries include rental collections--some use a waiting list or hold system for high-demand items.

repairing

The partial rehabilitation of a worn binding, including restoration of the cover and reinforcement of the hinges or joints. More extensive than mending.

replacement

A book purchased by a library to take the place of a worn-out copy of the same title, not necessarily of the same edition. See also: discard.

replevin

In archives, the recovery of property (records, manuscripts, documents, etc.) by an organization or institution claiming ownership, or the legal act by means of which such property is taken.

replica

A reproduction or copy of a work of art, especially a copy by the artist who created the original, or produced under the supervision of the artist. More generally, any very close reproduction or copy. See also: facsimile.

repository

The physical place, usually within a library, where archives, manuscripts, rare books, papers, government documents, and other records are stored. Whether open or closed to the public depends on the policy of the library.

reprint

A new impression of an existing edition, or a new edition made from a new setting of type, which is a copy of a previous impression, with no changes in the text except the correction of minor errors. See also: reissue.

Also refers to a separately issued reproduction of an article, chapter, or portion of a previously published larger work. See also: offprint.

reproduction

A copy of a work of art which is mechanically reproduced for the commercial market. The quality of reproductions varies.

reprography

A general term for the process of document reproduction or copying, by any method except large-scale professional printing operations.

republication

The reissuance of a previously published item by a different publisher without changes in the text. Sometimes refers to the reprinting of a work in another country.

research

Systematic, intensive, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge, usually employing the techniques of hypothesis and experiment, whose purpose is to reveal new facts, theories, or principles. See also: heuristic.

research guide

A helpful set of instructions intended to point the way to the best strategies, techniques, and resources for finding information about a particular subject, or in a specific field of study. Long research guides may be published in book form.

research library

A library which contains a comprehensive collection of works (especially primary sources) in a specific field or fields, to meet the needs of researchers.

researcher

A person who conducts a systematic inquiry or investigation in some field of human knowledge, with the aim of establishing facts or underlying principles.

reserves

In academic libraries, materials which are temporarily made available, usually at the request of an instructor, for a limited borrowing period (one-hour, overnight, 3-day, or 7-day) to assure access to members of a group, usually the students enrolled in a specific course. Closed reserves must be used inside the library. The fines charged for overdue reserve items are usually higher than for material which is not on reserve, to encourage users to return the material so that others may have access to it. Some academic libraries provide electronic access to reserve materials.

reshelving

The job of returning books to the shelves of a library in correct call number sequence after they have been used. Usually performed by a staff member known as a page. See also: reshelving cart.

reshelving cart

A cart for storing recently returned books and periodicals while they await reshelving. Synonymous with book truck. If a book or periodical volume is not on the shelf, it is wise to check any reshelving carts in the area because the item may be in the process of being reshelved.

resource sharing

The activities resulting from an agreement, formal or informal, by a group of libraries to share collections, data, facilities, personnel, etc. The group organized for resource sharing is usually called a consortium or network.

response time

The time which elapses between a query submitted as input to a computer or computer system, and the return of results (output) by that system. On the Internet, response time often depends on the amount of traffic borne by the system, which varies according to the time of day and day of the week.

restricted access

In archives and special collections, limitations are usually placed on the use of resources such as rare books and manuscripts. The use of such materials may be restricted to a special room or a certain method, and may be by appointment only. See also: closed stacks.

retrospective bibliography

A bibliography whose scope is restricted to materials published in the past, sometimes within a specific period of the past. The opposite of current bibliography.

review

A critical discussion and evaluation of a recent literary work, or artistic creation or performance, usually published in a current newspaper or magazine. Also refers to a periodical devoted primarily to articles of criticism and appraisal.

To locate book reviews, use Book Review Digest and/or Book Review Index, available in the reference section of most larger libraries. For film reviews, look under the heading Motion picture reviews--Single works in the index titled Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.

review copy

A complimentary copy of a newly published book or other work sent free of charge by the publisher to a person who writes reviews, or to a magazine or newspaper which publishes reviews in the hope of receiving a positive review.

review publication

A newspaper, magazine, or journal devoted mainly to publishing reviews of newly published books and other material. May also contain articles.

Examples:

Booklist

CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries

Library Journal

Publisher's Weekly

New York Review of Books

New York Times Book Review

Children's literature:

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Horn Book Magazine

Kirkus Reviews

School Library Journal

revised edition

A new edition in which the main text of the original edition is changed, corrected, or supplemented to bring it up-to-date. Usually synonymous with second edition.

rewrite

To put material which has already been written into different words or a different form; to revise written text. In journalism, to write news submitted by a reporter in a form more suitable for publication. Compare with paraphrase.

ring binding

A loose-leaf binding consisting of a number of metal rings fixed in a metal spine. The rings open, usually at the center, and sometimes by means of metal tabs at the top and bottom of the spine, to allow prepunched leaves to be added and/or removed. See also: post binding.

roman a clef

A novel in which one or more characters are based on real people, with their names disguised.

romance

A type of novel in which the primary emphasis is on love and adventure. Also, the type of literature comprising such stories. See also: genre and fiction.

romanization

The conversion of text or names not originally written in the roman alphabet to roman-alphabet form. See also: transliteration.

rough edges

A generic term referring to the uncut, untrimmed, and deckle edges of paper.

rounding

In bookbinding, the process that gives a hardcover book a convex spine and a concave fore-edge.

royalty

A book trade term for the payment made by the publisher to the author of a work, based on a percentage of the retail price of each copy sold, usually ten percent.

rubric

The initial words, a chapter heading, the title, or another part of a work, written in color, usually in red or blue. Originally used in illuminated mansucripts of the Middle Ages and in early printed books. A book containing rubrics is said to be rubricated.

runes

Letters or characters of the early alphabet used by the Teutonic or Germanic peoples of northern Europe.

runners

Numbers or letters printed at regular intervals down the margins of a book to indicate the position of any given line. Used mainly in long poems, scripts of plays, and texts in foreign languages.

running foot

The line of type printed below the text at the bottom of a page which gives the same information as a running head. Synonymous with footline.

running head

The line of type printed above the text at the top of a page which in a book gives the title of the book, section, or chapter. In a periodical the running head usually contains the periodical title, issue number or date, and sometimes the article title. Synonymous with headline or page head.

running title

The title or abbreviated title of a book, or section of a book, which is repeated at the top of each page, or at the top of each verso. Also know as a running head.

rustic capital

A capital letter with a design engraved on the face, or an ornamentally designed letter. See also: upper-case.

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| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | JK | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | UV | W | XYZ |

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S

sans-serif

See: block letter.

scale

In cartography, the ratio of a distance on a map, photograph, or other graphic representation to its corresponding dimension on the ground, or to another graphic. On maps, the scale is usually printed beneath the title, in the legend.

science fiction

Highly imaginative fiction, based on scientific speculation, which describes life and adventure in the future, or on other worlds, sometimes prophetically. See also: genre.

scope

The area or field within which any activity occurs. The range or extent of action, observation, meaning, inquiry, etc.

scope note

In subject indexing, a brief note explaining the precise sense in which a term in a subject headings list, a subject thesaurus, or other classification system is used, usually in reference to another term (or terms) whose meaning is closely related or overlapping.

score

A printed or written version of a musical work in notational form showing the parts to be played by the various instruments and/or voices on two or more staffs in vertical alignment.

In binding, to crease the inner edge of a leaf to make a volume open more easily.

screenplay

A story written in a form suitable for production as a film, or adapted for film production from a novel, short story, or stage play. See also: script.

scribal copy

A written manuscript, produced by a scribe or copyist, as distinct from the original manuscript produced by the author, or at the author's dictation.

scribe

A professional penman who copied manuscripts before the invention of printing.

script

A typescript of a play, motion picture, or television or radio program, indicating the words to be spoken by each character and directions for staging. Also, any typeface resembling handwriting. Also, a set of characters used in writing one or more languages. See Ancient Scripts of the World.

scriptorium

Literally, a room for writing. In medieval monasteries, a room set aside for reading and writing, and for the preparation of manuscripts by scribes. See also: illuminated.

scroll

A book or manuscript in the form of a long sheet, usually rolled around a wooden rod. In antiquity, books written on papyrus were usually in scrolls. Books with pages replaced scrolls after parchment came into use as a writing surface.

Also, to cause the text or images on a computer screen to move up or down by means of keystrokes on a keyboard or the manipulation of a mouse.

SDI

An abbreviation which stands for Selective Dissemination of Information. See: current awareness service.

search engine

A compute software program designed to help the user find information on the World Wide Web. Some search engines index Web sites by subject (example: Yahoo!), others allow the user to locate Web pages by typing keywords (example: Altavista).

search service

A business specializing in the location of out-of-print or rare materials requested by libraries, collectors, and other customers.

search software

A computer program which controls the way a search for information is conducted in an online catalog or electronic database. See also: search engine.

search statement

In database searching, the form of an information need or query which is acceptable to a specific computer software system. See also: Boolean searching and natural language.

search strategy

In a search for information, a systematic plan in which the first step is to formulate a topic statement, the next step is to identify search terms appropriate to the topic, and the following step is to combine the terms in search statements acceptable to the database or other tool used in searching. Reference books and subject thesauri can be very helpful in identifying and selecting search terms. See also: Boolean searching.

search term

In database searching, a word or phrase expressing an information need or query which is acceptable to a specific search software system. In most databases, such a word or phrase may be either a descriptor (subject heading) or a natural language expression.

secondary source

A document concerning a particular subject of inquiry which is derived from, or based on, study and analysis of original source materials. See also: primary source.

secondhand book

See: used book.

secondhand bookstore

See: used bookstore.

See reference

See: cross-reference.

See also reference

See: cross-reference.

selection

The process of deciding which materials should be added to a library collection. Such decisions are usually made by librarians on the basis of reviews. See also: collection development.

selective bibliography

A bibliography which gives only a selection of the literature concerned, the process of selection having been governed by pre-established criteria such as the needs of a particular group of users.

self-cover

A pamphlet whose cover is of the same material as its pages.

semiannual

Issued at intervals of six months. Synonymous with half yearly.

semimonthly

Issued twice each month, or every two weeks. Synonymous with biweekly.

semiweekly

Issued twice each week.

sequel

A work of fiction, usually a novel, which is complete in itself, but continues a previous work in plot, setting, and characters. Compare with supplement.

serial

A publication in any medium issued in successive parts and appearing at regular intervals, which is intended to be continued indefinitely. Each issue usually bears a publication date or number which identifies it in sequence. Serials include periodicals such as newspapers and magazines, monographic series, annuals such as yearbooks and reports, and the journals, proceedings, and transactions of societies and other organizations.

series

A group of separately published works, usually related to each other in subject, each of which bears, in addition to its own title, a collective or series title which applies to the group as a whole. The individual items are issued successively by the same publisher and may or may not be numbered. The series title usually appears on the half title page or the cover, and at the top of the title page or on a page following the title page. Monographs and reference books are often published in series.

serif

A thin, short line crossing or projecting from the main stroke of a letter of type as a finish. See also: block letter.

shelf dummy

A piece of wood, cardboard, or plastic in the shape of a book placed on a shelf in a library which bears a label indicating where a specific book, shelved out of the normal sequence, is located. Shelf dummies are often used in the reference stacks to indicate the location of books kept on the ready reference shelf, and in periodicals to indicate the location of back back files on microfilm or microfiche.

shelf guide

A sign or label affixed to the end or edge of a shelf in a library to indicate its contents.

shelf height

The vertical distance between two shelves in a library which varies to accommodate books of various sizes. See also: oversize.

shelf reading

The act of examining the arrangement of books and other materials in the stacks of a library to make sure that all items are in correct call number sequence. Usually performed by a library staff member known as a page. Synonymous with shelf checking.

shelflist

A non-public catalog of the items in a library collection, arranged by call number, with each item represented by a single record. Used for inventory because it usually contains the most current information on copy and volume holdings.

short story

A work of short fiction, usually 1,000 to 8,000 words in length. Often published first in a literary magazine and later anthologized. Synonymous with short fiction. See also: novelette and novel.

SIC code

An acronym which stands for Standard Industrial Classification, a system of four-digit product codes developed by the Statistical Policy Division of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. SIC codes are used in many business reference books to indicate the types of products and services which are provided by commercial enterprises.

side note

A note written or printed in the margin of a page, opposite the passage of text to which it refers. Usually printed in a type size smaller than that of the text. Synonymous with marginal note (plural marginalia). Compare with gloss.

signature

In printing, a sheet, folded or ready for folding to become, with the addition of any plates or other inserts, a section of a printed publication and to which a signature mark or register has been applied indicating the order in which sheets are to be arranged for folding and gathering.

slang

A informal colloquial expression peculiar to a specific group. Slang dictionaries are available in the reference section of most libraries.

sleeve

A transparent plastic covering which fits over the paper dust jacket on a hardcover book and is designed to protect both jacket and book from normal wear-and-tear. Used more commonly in public libraries than in academic libraries.

slipcase

A cardboard box, open at the front and made to fit one or more volumes so that only their spines are exposed to show the titles. Designed to prevent the volumes from becoming separated and to protect them from wear.

small capital

A capital letter which is approximately the x-height of the same type size. Referred to in copy editing as small cap. Abbreviated s.c..

sobriquet

A nickname, assumed name, or other fanciful appellation. Some authors are better known by their nickname than by their real name and for this reason, their works are often cataloged in libraries under the nickname. Compare with pseudonym.

softcover

Bound in a paper cover. Synonymous with paperbound and paperback. Most periodicals are issued in softcover. In book publishing, the softcover edition is published separately from the hardcover edition, usually at a later date.

software

A generic term for computer programs, including systems programs which operate the computer itself, and applications programs which control the particular task at hand. See also: search software.

source

Any document which provides a library user, researcher, or database searcher, with the information he or she seeks. Also refers to any document which provides information, such as a quotation, which is copied or reproduced in another document. See also: primary source and secondary source.

source document

In reprography, the original document from which copies are made, normally containing text and/or graphic material which can be read/viewed without magnification.

special collections

Some libraries maintain a separate section for rare books, manuscripts, personal papers, and other items which are of a certain form, on a certain subject, of a certain time period or geographical area, fragile, or especially valuable. These items are usually noncirculating and access to them may be by appointment only. See also: archives.

special edition

An edition of a work or works, usually in a new format and with a distinctive title, and sometimes including a new introduction, notes, appendix, or illustrations.

special issue

An issue of a periodical which is devoted to a special subject or occasion. When special issues are published regularly on the same topic, they usually appear at the same time in consecutive years.

special library

A library established and supported by a commercial firm, private association, government agency, or special interest group to meet the information needs of its employees, members, or staff in accordance with the organization's mission. The scope of the collection is usually limited to the interests of the parent organization. See also: presidential library. Click here to connect to the homepage of the Special Libraries Association which has its national office in Washington D.C.

spine

The part of a binding which connects the front and back covers, and conceals the bound edge of the pages of a book. It usually bears the title, or an abbreviated title, and often the name of the first-named author. In libraries, a label bearing the call number is usually glued or taped to the lower spine of each circulating item. See also: spine title.

spine title

The title which appears on the spine of a book, which is often shorter than the title printed on the title page. See also: half title and subtitle.

stack capacity

The capacity of a stack area in a library for storing books and other materials, expressed as the total linear or square feet of shelving available, or the number of volumes or other physical units which can be accommodated; sometimes computed by means of a formula.

stacks

Areas in a library where books and periodicals are shelved. Some libraries have closed stacks which are not open to the public, but most libraries allow their users to browse all or part of their stack areas.

stand-alone

A computer which is not connected to a network. In libraries, periodical indexes on CD-ROM are often installed as stand-alone systems on personal computers (PCs).

standard work

A work widely recognized as an example or model of excellence in the subject or field of study it treats. For that reason, it may be ordered by a library in multiple copies. See also: classic.

standing order

A general order to a dealer or publisher to supply each succeeding issue, volume, or part of a serial publication as they appear in the market. Reference sets are often acquired on standing order. Synonymous with continuation order.

state library

In the United States, a library maintained by state funds for the use of state employees and officials, and for the use of the citizens of the state. Usually includes a comprehensive collection of the state's documents and records, books written by authors living in the state, and newspapers published in the state.

stopword

In a keywords search, short words which occur very frequently may be excluded when a search statement is executed. Each database has its own stop list.

Common examples: a, an, for, of, on, the, to

story board

A series of pictures or sketches, along with accompanying text, designed to visualize the sequence of topics or items in a work to be produced in audiovisual format, such as a videotaped presentation.

story hour

A period of time specifically scheduled for reading and telling stories to the youngest members of a library's clientele. Storytelling is usually done by a children's librarian, but in some cases by an assistant or volunteer. The children's room in many public libraries includes a special corner or space set aside for storytelling.

student assistant

A part-time employee in an academic or school library (or media center) who is simultaneously enrolled as a student at the institution which supports the library. Student assistants are usually paid an hourly wage for performing clerical duties.

style manual

A guide which gives the prescribed format for typing footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies for a specific field of study. In academic libraries, the latest editions of leading style manuals are usually available on the ready reference shelf near the reference desk. For electronic style guides, please see Writing & Style Guides.

Examples:

Chicago Manual of Style

Complete Guide to Citing Government Documents (American Library Association)

Electronic Styles (Li & Crane)

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

stylus

A sharp, pointed writing implement used to cut or impress written characters into the surface of a wax or clay tablet. Also, the needle for reproducing the sound of a phonograph record.

subheading

A secondary heading added to a subject heading, usually following a dash or some other punctuation, to divide entries under the subject into more specific subcategories.

In the Library of Congress subject heading United States--History--Civil War 1861 1864, United States is the heading, History is the subheading, and Civil War 1861 1864 is the sub-subheading.

subject

The main topic or theme on which a work is focused, whether explicitly stated in the title or not. In libraries, books and other materials are assigned one or more subject headings, based on what the work is about, to help users find information alphabetically by subject in the library's catalog. More broadly, a theme which is dealt with in discussion, study, writing, painting, or some other means of expression.

subject encyclopedia

A single- or multi-volume encyclopedia which is devoted to a specific subject or field of study.

Examples:

• Encyclopedia of Aesthetics
• Encyclopedia of the Holocaust
• Encyclopedia of Psychology

subject heading

In libraries, a word or phrase assigned to a work to indicate its subject, and to serve as an access point in an index, catalog, or database. See also: descriptor.

subscription

The right granted by a publisher to receive a periodical for a fixed period of time, or for a fixed number of issues, in exchange for payment of a fixed sum in advance. Potential subscribers may be offered a heavily discounted subscription price as an inducement to subscribe. Most subscriptions are delivered by mail and renewed annually.

subscription library

A library whose members pay annual dues or a subscription fee which entitles them to use library materials and services. Ownership is by the members acting as a single person, in the manner of a corporation, not individually in shares. Compare with proprietary library.

subsidiary rights

Rights to publish a work in a form other than the original, such as paperback, serialization, motion picture or videorecording, stage, or other public performance.

subtitle

The secondary portion of a work's title, usually consisting of an explanatory phrase following a colon or semicolon, and often begin with a or an. In the title Appraising Personality: An Introduction, the words An Introduction constitute the subtitle. Compare with alternative title. See also: partial title.

SuDocs number

In libraries, publications of the U.S. government are usually assigned call numbers based on a special classification system created by the U.S. Superintendent of Documents. SuDocs call numbers begin with letters of the English alphabet. See also: government documents.

Example: HE 20.30:112/1 (January 1997 issue of Public Health Reports)

summary

A brief statement of the essence of a longer work. Compare with synopsis. See also: abstract.

supplement

Additional matter, usually issued separately, which continues a written work, or brings the original text up-to-date. Almost always written by the same author under the original title. More extensive than an addendum.

suppressed

A work withheld or withdrawn from publication or circulation by the author, publisher, government agency, ecclesiastical authority, or by court action. Synonymous with banned. See also: censorship.

Also said of a leaf canceled from a book or other publication because of a defect or other objectionable characteristic. Also refers to data in a machine-readable record which is withheld from public display for a specified reason.

survey

An account of a scientifically conducted study in which data are collected according to a predetermined plan and results are presented in statistical, tabular, or summary form.

synonym

A word whose meaning is the same as that of another. The opposite of antonym. Synonyms are collected and listed in thesauri, available in the reference section of most libraries.

In database searching, synonyms and closely related terms can be used to expand a keywords search. See also: Boolean searching.

synopsis

A brief condensation or outline of the main points of a written work, such as the basic plot of a novel, play, or opera often prepared by someone other than the author of the original. Compare with abstract.

synoptic journal

A journal which publishes abstracts of articles which are not published in full, but made available upon request.

syntax

In database searching, the order in which search terms and logical commands are typed, which determines how they are combined by the computer. In most databases, syntax is specified in a search statement by the use of parentheses. See also: Boolean searching and nesting.

Search statement: children and television and (violence or aggression)

In this search, the Boolean or will be performed before the and command.

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T

table of contents (TOC)

A list of the chapters or topics covered in a book, or of the articles contained in a periodical, in their order of appearance, with page numbers. The TOC is included in the front matter, following the title page. In an anthology, the TOC lists the titles of the works (stories, poems, plays, essays) selected for inclusion by the editor.

tabloid

A newspaper, usually half the ordinary size, sold at newsstands and in supermarkets, which contains many pictures and short news stories, often of a highly sensational nature. See also: yellow press.

tabs

In bookbinding a small piece of paper, card, or fabric attached to the fore-edge of a book and stamped or printed with letters, words, numbers, or other characters indicating the alphabetical, subject, or other arrangement of the text for rapid reference. See also: thumb index.

talking book

See: book-on-tape.

tear sheet

A sheet of paper torn from a printed publication. When more than one sheet is torn, the result is called a clipping.

technical journal

A journal devoted to a particular branch of technology which publishes articles in the field for engineers and other technicians.

technical processing

All the activities and processes which are concerned with acquiring, organizing, and preparing materials for use by library patrons. The two main branches within technical services are acquisitions, which may include collection development, and cataloging.

technical report

A scientific paper or article, usually recording the latest developments in a field of scientific research. When published by a government agency, such a report may be classified, i.e. its use may be restricted to a certain group or class of persons.

terminal

An electronic device such as a computer monitor (cathode-ray tube) or optical scanner which is used to enter data as input into, or receive results as output from, a computer system, but which lacks the capacity for independent processing of data. Compare with personal computer.

text

In a written or printed work, the words of the author. Also refers to the body of a book, excluding the front matter and back matter, and any headers, notes, and illustrations on its pages. Also used as an abbreviation of textbook.

text type

Type used to print reading material, as in the body of a book or other publication, as opposed to display type, which is used in headings, running foots, etc. Synonymous with body type.

textbook

An edition published specifically for the use of students enrolled in a course of study, or who are preparing for an examination in the subject covered, as distinct from the trade edition of the same title. See also: workbook.

thesaurus

A book of terms, usually arranged alphabetically, which provides a grouping or classification of synonyms, and which may show hierarchical and other relationships of meaning. Sometimes includes contrasting words called antonyms.

Also, a lexicon or list of terms and concepts representing the specialized vocabulary of a particular field, which shows synonymous, hierarchical, and other relationships of meaning, and whose function is to provide a standardized controlled vocabulary of descriptors for use in database searching.

Examples:

Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors

Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms

Thesaurus of Sociological Indexing Terms

thesis

See: dissertation.

throwout

A leaf wider than normal, bearing a map, table, or diagram mounted and folded in such a way that it can be opened out by the reader. Often used for maps and reproductions of wide-angle photographs.

thumb book

See: bibelot.

thumb index

A series of half-circular notches or tabs cut into the fore-edge of a book, bearing letters, words, or other characters in progressive order, usually printed against a black background, showing the alphabetical, subject, or other arrangement of the text for quick access to its contents. Seen most often in hardcover editions of dictionaries and Bibles.

tipped in

A single leaf, errata slip, or illustration pasted in a book at the inner edge against the following page after the book has been printed.

title

The distinguishing name of a book, book chapter, essay, short story, play, poem, picture, statue, piece of music, film, etc., usually printed on the title page. See also: half title, partial title, and alternative title.

A work published under many different titles is often cataloged under a well-known uniform title (example: Bible). Some titles include a subtitle following a colon or semicolon. Translations sometimes have an alternate title in the original language.

title leaf

The leaf at the beginning of a book whose recto bears the title page and whose verso usually bears a list of the editions and impressions in which the book has been issued, and sometimes the name of the printer.

title page

The page in the front of a book, usually the recto of the second leaf, which gives the complete title, the name(s) of the author(s) or editor(s), the name of the translator, publisher, and place of publication. Publication date, ISBN, and details concerning the edition and copyright are usually printed on the back (verso) of the title page.

tome

Originally any volume of a work published in several volumes. More recently, book that is very large and heavy.

topic

A subject for research or discussion. The first step in a research project is usually to formulate a workable topic statement. See also: search strategy.

tract

A pamphlet issued for propagandistic purposes, usually on a political, social, or religious topic.

trade binding

See: publisher's binding.

trade edition

An edition produced by the publisher for sale to bookstores at wholesale rates and intended for retail sale to the general public. Compare with textbook edition and mass-market paperback.

trade journal

A periodical restricted to information of interest to a specific industry or trade. Example: Advertising Age

trade list

A list issued by a publisher to booksellers, of all the publications it currently has in print, usually providing space for ordering, and indicating the terms under which the titles listed are to be sold to booksellers.

trade paperback

A type of paperback book published by a university press or trade publisher, as opposed to a popular press, and sold primarily in higher quality general and college bookstores. Compare with mass-market paperback.

trade publisher

A publishing house which issues publications for retail sale in higher quality general and college bookstores. Compare with popular press. See also: trade edition.

transactions

The published papers and abstracts of papers presented at a meeting of a society or other association, usually accompanied by a record of what transpired at the meeting called the proceedings.

transcript

A copy of an original, usually made by hand or typewritten, particularly of a legal document. Also refers to the written record of words spoken in court proceedings, or in a speech, sound recording, or broadcast.

translation

A work which has been put into the words of another language. The person who translates a work from one language to another known as the translator. The name of the translator usually appears on the title page, following the name of the original author. Translations sometimes have an alternative title in the original language.

transliteration

A representation of the characters of one alphabet by those of another, each letter or digit being transcribed independently of the others.

treatise

A formal essay or book on a subject, especially a systematic discussion of facts, evidence, and principles, and the conclusions derived from them.

trilogy

A set of three dramatic or literary works which are related in theme or plot. See also: sequel.

triptych

See: diptych.

truncation

The addition of a symbol to a word root in a keywords search to retrieve variant endings on the root. Truncation is particularly useful in retrieving both the singular and the plural forms of a word in the same search. In most online catalogs and electronic databases, the truncation symbol is the asterisk (*); however, there are some notable exceptions -- in OVID search software, the end truncation symbol is the dollar sign ($). See also: wildcard and Boolean searching.

Example: theatr* or drama*

This search retrieves records containing theater, theatre, theatrical, theatrically, dramatic, dramatically, etc.

tutorial

A manual designed to teach novices how to use a computer system, usually in a step-by-step way. Some databases include an online tutorial. See also: help screen.

type page

The area of a printed page that is printed upon, excluding margins, headlines, footlines, and page numbers.

typeface

In printing, the general design or style of the characters of a font of type, such as gothic or roman or italic, including all the sizes in which the font is made.

typescript

A typewritten copy of a work, in contrast to one that is printed or handwritten. Abbreviated T.S. See also: manuscript.

typesetting

In printing, the setting of type from copy by hand or by machine. The person who does typesetting is known as a typesetter.

typographical error

A mistake in a printed work made by the typesetter. Abbreviated typo. See also: proof reading.

typography

The art of setting and arranging types and printing from them. Also refers to the general style, arrangement, and appearance of matter printed from type. The person responsible for the layout and appearance of printed material is called a typographer.

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UV

ultrafiche

A form of microfiche in which the reduction ratio is considerably greater than that of normal microfiche, usually 90X or more, allowing for more material to be accommodated on a single piece of fiche. Ultrafiche requires special equipment for englargement and reproduction.

unauthorized edition

An edition printed without the consent of the author, the author's legal representative, or the original publisher, but not in violation of existing copyright law. Compare with pirated edition.

unbacked

Printed on only one side of the sheet of paper.

unbound

Refers to issues of a periodical, or parts of a serial, which will eventually be bound to form a volume. Also refers to a printed publication issued without a binding or cover, or with its cover removed.

uncial

A style of large rounded letters used in the script of manuscripts written or copied between 300 and 900 A.D. From the Latin word uncialis, meaning of an inch or inch-high.

uncut

A book whose edges have not been trimmed, so that the leaves have to be separated by hand with a paper knife.

undergraduate library

A library established, supported, and maintained by a university for the purpose of serving the information and research needs of undergraduate students and the instructional requirements of the undergraduate curriculum. Sometimes administered as a branch library. Compare with graduate library.

underground press

An unofifical publisher which issues printed publications clandestinely, usually to members of a group or organization devoted to undermining a governing authority. More common during war and civil unrest than in peacetime. In time, most underground presses either disappear or become official publishing houses.

unexpurgated edition

An edition which includes passages found offensive and deleted from other editions. See also: bowdlerize and censorship.

uniform title

The distinctive title selected for cataloging purposes to represent a work which has appeared under more than one alternative title and in various versions (example: Bible). Synonymous with standard title. See also: authority control.

union catalog

A catalog which includes the holdings of more than one library, indicating the location of each item by the name or location symbol of the library or libraries which own a copy.

university press

A nonprofit publishing house associated with a university, which specializes in the publication of scholarly works. Example: Cambridge University Press

unlettered

A book which does not have the title or the author's name printed on its spine.

unpaged

Pag