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Jargon Buster
A
Abstract
A short summary of the main content of a document.
Archives
A collection of documents kept permanently because they are of historical value.
Article (also called journal article)
An item of research written by an academic or other expert, to communicate new ideas or findings to the wider research community. Several articles are published together within a journal issue.
Audio-visual
Something that can be seen and heard. Used to describe cassettes, videos, DVDs and some electronic tutorials.
B
Bibliographic software
Software designed to store citations, insert citations into documents and create bibliographies. The University supports two software packages, EndNote and RefWorks.
Bibliography
A list of books. A list of documents used to write an assignment.
Bibliometrics
The statistical analysis of texts, especially of published literature, in particular where they are cited.
BLISS
A classification scheme used to arrange material by subject. BLISS is based on arrangements of letters. Used in the David Wilson Library for material needed for teacher-training courses.
C
Cash kiosk (see also Top-up)
A machine in the photocopying rooms on floors 1 and 2 of the David Wilson Library where readers can add money to their online accounts for printing and photocopying. The online account is CFS-controlled.
Catalogue
An online database which lists a library’s collection of print and audio-visual resources. It can also be used to renew loans and place holds.
CFS account
A username and password which allows you to access PCs on campus and log into databases off campus. More information can be found from IT Services.
Citation
A brief description of a publication such as a journal article or book. It contains sufficient details to enable you to locate the publication – for example, author name, title of article, journal title, year, volume number, pages.
Cite
To provide a brief description of a document you have used to inform your arguments in a university assignment. You should provide sufficient details to enable a reader of your work to locate the document – for example, author name, title of article, journal title, year, volume number, pages.
Copyright
The legal rights belonging to authors and publishers, which prevent anyone making copies of their work without their permission. More information can be found on the Copyright Section.
D
Database
A collection of information in computerised format.
Dewey Decimal Classification
A scheme for arranging library materials by subject. Based on arrangements of numbers and letters. Most of the stock in the David Wilson Library is classified according to the Dewey Decimal system.
Digital Library
The collection of Items such as E-books, E-Journals. View the Digital Library.
Dissertation
An extended essay written as a requirement for an academic degree, usually at undergraduate or Masters level.
Distance learning
Education delivered to students who do not come to campus to study.
Document supply (see also Inter-library loan)
A service which provides documents which are not held in the University Library but which are kept in the British Library. A service which can supply photocopies to Distance Learners. View the Document Supply section.
Due date
The date by which you must return an item you have borrowed to the library
E
eBook
A book that is in computerised format and can be read online.
eJournal
A journal that is in computerised format and can be read online.
E-learning
Learning and teaching conducted using electronic media, especially through the internet.
E-link (also called Leicester E-link)
An online catalogue of the University’s e-journals.
Edited volume
A book which has an editior or editors rather than author(s) usually because each chapter has been contributed by a different person.
Enquiry services
The library team which assists readers who need help.
Express zone
Area on the ground floor of the David Wilson Library where you will find short loans, reservations awaiting collection some past exam papers and some Masters dissertations.
F
Fine
Charges you pay if you return an item to the Library after the due date
F – folio (also called Oversized)
A book which is too big to fit on normal shelves. Its shelf mark is preceded by F or, if it is very big, FF.
Full text
The entire text of a document.
G
Group study room
13 rooms in the David Wilson Library that can be booked by students so that they can work together in groups of 3 or more. Rooms can be booked 7 days in advance for up to three hours per group per day.
H
Hard copy
Information in printed form as opposed to electronic form.
Help zone
An area in the library where you can go to ask for help.
Hold (also called reserve)
A request for a book that is on loan to another reader to be brought back to the library for you.
I
Information librarian
The member of library staff who supports students in your subject.
Instant Message
A form of real-time direct text-based communication between two or more people using shared clients. This is used as part of the help service.
Inter-library loan
A service which enables users to borrow books and get copies of journal articles from other libraries if they are not held by the University of Leicester. Inter-library loans come primarily from the British Library.
Issue (verb)
To borrow an item from the library for a specified period of time.
Issue (noun)
One of a series of a regular publication, usually a newspaper or journal.
J
Journal (also called periodical or serial)
An publication that is published at regular intervals. Each individual issue (or part) of a journal contains several journal articles, written by different authors on a specialised topic. Several issues of a journal create a volume.
Journal article
An item of research written by an academic or other expert, to communicate new ideas or findings to the wider research community. Several articles are published together within a journal issue.
K
Keyword
A single term or short phrase that best define the main points of your research topic. Keywords are used for searching catalogues and databases for published material on your topic.
L
Leicester E-link
An online catalogue of the University’s e-journals.
Librarian
A member of staff responsible for the organisation of Library resources and available to help with locating them.
Library catalogue
An online database which lists a library’s collection of print and audio-visual resources. It can also be used to renew loans and place holds.
Library number
A 10-digit number starting 075……. which you will find at the bottom of your student card. Your library number can be used together with a PIN to log into the library catalogue to regulate your account, place holds and renew your loans.
Loans
items you have borrowed from the library for a specified period of time.
M
Monograph
A book; a detailed written study of a single, specialized topic; a work in one volume, not part of a serial publication.
N
Normal loan
The longest loan period for a book or DVD. Undergraduates and Masters students can borrow normal loans for one month unless they are needed by another reader. Research students can borrow normal loans for 6 months unless they are needed by another reader.
NLM classification
The National Library of Medicine scheme for arranging library materials about medicine by subject.
O
On loan
Describes an item that has been borrowed by a reader
Online tutorial
An Internet based guide telling you how to find information effectively
Overdue
Describes an item that has not been returned to the library by the due date. Fines are payable on overdue items.
Oversized
A large book which will not fit on the normal shelves. The shelf mark of an oversized book is preceded by F or FF.
P
Periodical
A publication published at regular intervals. Also called a journal or a serial.
PIN
A 4-digit number used in conjunction with your library number to log into the library catalogue to regulate your account, place holds and renew your loans. You can get your PIN from the enquiry service or the Help Zone.
Plagiarism
The act of presenting someone else’s ideas as your own. This is regarded as academic cheating and is subject to disciplinary procedures.
Podcast
Subscription based content [audio or video], delivered through the internet.
R
Recall
The process by which the Library asks you to return a book that you have borrowed before its due date, because another reader has reserved it.
Reference (adjective)
Describes an item that you may use in the library but may not take out.
Reference (noun) (also called Citation)
A brief description of a publication such as a journal article or book. It contains sufficient details to enable you to locate the publication – for example, author name, title of article, journal title, year, volume number, pages.
Reference (verb) (also called Cite)
To provide a brief description of a document you have used to inform your arguments in a university assignment. You should provide sufficient details to enable a reader of your work to locate the document – for example, author name, title of article, journal title, year, volume number, pages.
Renew
to extend the borrowing period of a library item. You can do this if no-one else wants to use the item.
Reserve (also called Hold)
To ask for a book that is on loan to another reader to be brought back to the library for you.
Retrieval Service
Items that are not available on the open shelves are provided by the Retrieval Service.
Return
To bring back an item you have borrowed from the library.
S
Self-issue
Borrow an item from the library using an automated machine.
Self-return
Returning an item to the library using an automated machine.
Serial
A publication published at regular intervals. Also called a journal or a periodical.
Shelf mark
A code that appears on a label on the spine of each item in the Library. Items are arranged in the Library by shelf mark in numerical and/or alphabetical order.
Short loan
The shortest loan period for a library item. Short loans can be borrowed for 24 hours.
Special collections
A collection of old and rare books, manuscripts and other archive materials. Special Collections can be consulted in the basement of the David Wilson Library.
T
Thesis
An extended academic essay written as a requirement for a PhD.
Top-up
To add money to your online account for printing and photocopying. You can top up your accounts by going to https://pac.le.ac.uk/myaccount/ and logging on with your CFS username and password.
U
User
A person who uses a library, a reader.
V
Volume
A set of issues of a journal, usually a year's worth.
