ODLIS — Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science by Joan M. Reitz Now available in print! Order a copy of the hardcover or paperback from Libraries Unlimited.

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2-1-1

An easy-to-remember telephone number that, where available, can be dialed year-round, at any time of day, to connect the user with important community services and volunteer opportunities at the local and state level. Implementation of the 2-1-1 information and referral system is a joint project of United Way of America (UWA) and the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS), organizations currently seeking federal funding for national 2-1-1 service through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some states provide searchable online 2-1-1 service (see Arizona 2-1-1 Online). To learn more, see the United Way/AIRS 2-1-1 homepage.

3-D movie

See: stereoscopic.

8mm film

A gauge of motion picture film that is 8 millimeters wide from edge to edge. Introduced for the home market by Kodak in 1932, "Cine Kodak Eight" utilized a special 16mm film that had double the number of perforations along both edges, enabling the filmmaker to run the film through the camera in one direction, then reload and expose the other half of the film, similar to the way an audiocassette is used. After development, the film was slit lengthwise down the center and spliced end to end in the laboratory, fitting four times as many frames in the same amount of film. Regular 8mm has 80 frames per foot and the same size sprocket holes as 16mm film. In 1965, Kodak introduced cartridge-loading Super 8mm that eliminated the need to flip and rethread the film. Super 8 has 74 frames per foot and smaller sprocket holes, leaving more area for the image. It is used by both amateurs and professionals and has developed a following among experimental filmmakers. Many well-known cinematographers and directors began their careers using Super 8. Click here to learn more, courtesy of Kodak. See also: 35mm film.

16mm film

Motion picture film that is 16 millimeters wide from edge to edge, with perforations along one edge and space for a sound track along the other (silent 16mm film has perforations on both sides). Introduced by Kodak in 1923 as a safe, nonflammable alternative for the amateur and educational (documentary) markets, 16mm film is the gauge most commonly found in the collections of American archives, libraries, and museums. Used extensively for military training films during World War II, it has 40 frames per foot and one perforation per frame. Sound 16mm film is shot and projected at a speed of 24 frames per second; silent 16mm at 16 frames per second. Introduced in 1971, Super 16mm is a negative-only film with a frame area 40 percent greater than regular 16mm, enlarged to 35mm in processing. Because 16mm cameras and projectors are portable and easy to operate, early enthusiasts formed cine clubs to share their work and exchange information. Many 16mm users switched to videotape in the 1970s when portable video equipment became widely available. The Ann Arbor Film Festival still features 16mm films. Click here to learn more, courtesy of Kodak. See also: 8mm film.

35mm film

Motion picture film that is 35 millimeters wide from edge to edge, with perforations on both sides. Used by Thomas Edison in his Kinetoscope, a personal film viewer patented in 1887 and introduced at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts in 1893, 35mm film was originally made by cutting 70mm Eastman Kodak roll film in half down the center. It eventually became the standard gauge for the theatrical motion picture industry. With the introduction of sound in 1929, the frame was squared to allow space for the sound track, but the more visually pleasing rectangular frame was soon restored by reducing frame size. 35mm sound film has 16 frames per foot, 6 perforations per inch, and is shot and projected at a speed of 24 frames per second. Because 35mm film is expensive to use and the cameras and projectors are too bulky and heavy to be portable, Kodak developed smaller gauge films (16mm and 8mm) for the amateur and educational markets. Click here to learn more about 35mm film, courtesy of Wikipedia.

70mm film

A gauge of high-resolution motion picture film introduced in the 1950s that measures 65mm from edge to edge in the camera. On prints intended for projection, 2.5mm is added along each side to accommodate magnetic stripes capable of holding 6 tracks of surround sound. Each frame has 5 perforations on each side, with an aspect ratio of 2.2:1. Well-known theatrical 70mm films include 2001: Space Odyssey, Lawrence of Arabia, and My Fair Lady. IMAX 70mm films, shot on 65mm film with the frames positioned lengthwise, have no sound tracks on the projection print; instead, synchronized digital sound is played separately.

A&I

See: abstracting and indexing.

AACR

See: Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.

AACR2

See: Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.

AACR2 2002

See: Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.

AACR2-e

See: Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.

AACR2R

See: Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.

AAHSL

See: Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries.

AALL

See: American Association of Law Libraries.

AAMES

See: Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Section.

A and B rolls

In motion picture production, a method of cutting negative or positive film in which the first shot is placed on one roll (the "A" roll) with black or blank leader in the corresponding position on a second roll (the "B" roll), the second shot is put on the B roll with black or blank leader in the corresponding position on the A roll, and so on, resulting in a pair of checker-boarded production elements. When the shots are printed in succession onto the next generation stock, the splices between shots are concealed. The technique is also used to create fades and dissolves not done in optical printing. A and B rolls are usually unique.

AAP

See: Association of American Publishers.

AAS

See: American Antiquarian Society.

AASL

See: American Association of School Librarians.

AAT

See: Art & Architecture Thesaurus.

AAUP

See: American Association of University Professors and Association of American University Presses.

ABA

See: American Booksellers Association.

ABAA

See: Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America.

abandoned property law

A statute of particular interest to archivists, describing the procedures by which an individual or organization may obtain clear, legal title to material that it holds but does not own. In the United States, federal statutory law does not address abandoned property; such statutes are enacted state by state, with less than half of the 50 states having taken the step. Click here to learn about New Hampshire's Abandoned Property Law, courtesy of the New Hampshire State Treasurer. Synonymous with unclaimed property law.

AB Bookman's Weekly

A trade publication used mainly by antiquarian booksellers to locate rare, out of print, and difficult to find titles, AB Bookman's Weekly began as a section of Publisher's Weekly under the title Antiquarian Bookman. In 1948 it became an independent weekly of the same title published by R.R. Bowker. Publication under the current title began in 1967.

abbreviation

A shortened form of a word or phrase used for brevity in place of the whole, consisting of the first letter, or the first few letters, followed by a period (full stop), for example, assoc. for association or P.O. for post office. Some terms have more than one abbreviation (v. or vol. for volume). Also used as an umbrella term for any shortened form of a word or phrase not an acronym, initialism, or contraction, for example, the postal code CT for Connecticut. The rules governing the use of abbreviations in library catalog entries are given in Appendix B of AACR2. Click here to connect to the Yahoo! list of online acronym and abbreviation finders. Abbreviated abbr.

In medieval manuscripts, abbreviations were often used to save time and space, and readers of the time would have been familiar with them. Michelle Brown notes in Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Getty Museum/British Library, 1994) that Irish scribes relied on them extensively in copying pocket-size Gospel books used for study.

ABC book

See: abecedary and alphabet book.

Abebooks

A leading online market place for used, rare, and out of print books, Abebooks provides a list of over 40 million titles available from a network of over 10,000 booksellers. The company provides additional services to librarians, such as consolidated billing and purchase orders. Click here to connect to the Abebooks.com homepage. See also: Alibris.

abecedarium

See: abecedary.

abecedarius

See: acrostic.

abecedary

A book containing the letters of the alphabet and basic rules of spelling and grammar, used in Europe as a primer before the invention of the printing press. Early printed examples (sometimes in the form of a broadsheet) displayed the alphabet in uppercase and lowercase letters in both roman and gothic type, with separate lists of vowels, dipthongs, and consonants. By 1700, some ABC books included children's rhymes. Synonymous with abecedarium (plural: abecedarii). See also: horn book.

aberrant copy

A copy of a book containing obvious printing and/or binding errors that are more serious than minor defects.

aberrant date

In archives, a date that falls outside the chronological sequence of dates pertaining to the majority of the documents in the record unit described (Richard Pearce-Moses, A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology, Society of American Archives).

ABF

See: Association des Bibliothécaires Français.

aboutness

The totality of subjects explicitly or implicitly addressed in the text of a document, including but not limited to the meaning(s) of the title, the stated and unstated intentions of the author, and the ways in which the information may be used by readers. Levels of specificity must be considered in ascertaining the subject(s) of a work. In the case of the hypothetical title The Japanese Teamwork Approach to Improving High School Effectiveness, is the work about:

1. education?

2. educational effectiveness?

3. high school effectiveness?

4. teamwork?

5. a Japanese approach to teamwork?

As a general rule, catalogers and indexers assign the most specific subject headings that describe the significant content of the item. In a post-coordinate indexing system such as the one used in the ERIC database, the descriptors "Educational effectiveness," "High schools," "Japan," and "Teamwork" would probably be assigned to the example given above, but in a pre-coordinate system, such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings list, the appropriate headings might be "High schools--Japan," "Teacher effectiveness--Japan," and "Teaching teams--Japan." See also: summarization.

above the fold

The printed half of a broadsheet newspaper that appears higher on the page than the horizontal fold. Articles placed near the top have greater prominence because most languages are read from top to bottom of the writing surface.

abridged

See: abridgment.

Abridged Decimal Classification (ADC)

A logical truncation of the notational and structural hierarchy of the full edition of Dewey Decimal Classification, developed for general collections of 20,000 titles or less. Click here for more information, courtesy of OCLC.

abridgment

A shortened version or edition of a written work that preserves the overall meaning and manner of presentation of the original but omits the less important passages of text and usually any illustrations, notes, and appendices. Often prepared by a person other than the original author or editor, an abridged edition is generally intended for readers unlikely to purchase the unabridged version because of its length, complexity, or price (example: The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary). Also spelled abridgement. Abbreviated abr. Synonymous with condensation. Compare with simplified edition. See also: abstract, brief, digest, epitome, summary, and synopsis.

absenteeism

The failure of an employee to report for work, usually due to illness, accident, family responsibilities, or personal business. A persistently high rate of absenteeism may be a sign of low morale among the staff of a library or library system. See also: burnout.

absolute humidity

See: humidity.

absorbed title

See: absorption.

absorbency

The capacity of paper to absorb and retain moisture, which varies with type of paper and is of particular importance in printing processes that use liquid ink. See also: water-damaged.

absorption

The incorporation of one serial by another. The note Absorbed: followed by the title of the assimilated serial is added to the bibliographic record representing the assimilating publication, and the corresponding note Absorbed by: followed by the title of the assimilating serial is added to the record for the assimilated publication. The absorbed title usually assumes the title and numbering of the assimilating publication. Compare with merger.

abstract

A brief, objective representation of the essential content of a book, article, speech, report, dissertation, patent, standard, or other work, presenting the main points in the same order as the original but having no independent literary value. A well-prepared abstract enables the reader to 1) quickly identify the basic content of the document, 2) determine its relevance to their interests, and 3) decide whether it is worth their time to read the entire document. An abstract can be informative, indicative, critical, or written from a particular point of view (slanted). Examples of the various types of abstracts can be seen in the Appendix of the ANSI/NISO Z39.14 Guidelines for Abstracts.

Length depends on the type of document abstracted and the intended use of the abstract. As a general rule, abstracts of long documents, such as monographs and theses, are limited to a single page (about 300 words); abstracts of papers, articles, and portions of monographs are no longer than 250 words; abstracts of notes and other brief communications are limited to 100 words; and abstracts of very short documents, such as editorials and letters to the editor, are about 30 words long. In a scholarly journal article, the abstract should appear on the first page, following the title and name(s) of author(s) and preceding the text. In a separately published document, the abstract should be placed between the title page and the text. In an entry in a printed indexing and abstracting service or bibliographic database, the abstract accompanies the citation. Because the abstract is a searchable field in most bibliographic databases, attention must be paid by the abstractor to the keywords included in it. Authorship of an abstract can be unattributed or indicated by name or initials. Compare with summary. See also: abstracting journal, author abstract, and structured abstract.

abstracting

The preparation of a brief, objective statement (abstract) of the content of a written work to enable the researcher to quickly determine whether reading the entire text might satisfy the specific information need. Abstracting is usually limited to the literature of a specific discipline or group of related disciplines and is performed by an individual or commercial entity, such as an indexing and abstracting service, that provides abstracts regularly to a list of subscribers.

abstracting and indexing (A&I)

A category of database that provides bibliographic citations and abstracts of the literature of a discipline or subject area, as distinct from a retrieval service that provides information sources in full-text.

abstracting journal

A journal that specializes in providing summaries (called abstracts) of articles and other documents published within the scope of a specific academic discipline or field of study (example: Peace Research Abstracts Journal). Synonymous with abstract journal. Compare with abstracting service.

abstracting service

A commercial indexing service that provides both a citation and a brief summary or abstract of the content of each document indexed (example: Information Science & Technology Abstracts). Numbered consecutively in order of addition, entries are issued serially in print, usually in monthly or quarterly supplements, or in a regularly updated bibliographic database available by subscription. Abstracting services can be comprehensive or selective within a specific academic discipline or subdiscipline. Compare with abstracting journal.

abstract journal

See: abstracting journal.

ACA

See: Academy of Certified Archivists and Association of Canadian Archivists.

ACACC

See: Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives.

academic freedom

The principle that faculty members employed at institutions of higher education (including librarians with faculty status) should remain free to express their views and teach in the manner of their own choosing, without pressure or interference from administration, government, or any outside organization.

academic library

A library that is an integral part of a college, university, or other institution of postsecondary education, administered to meet the information and research needs of its students, faculty, and staff. In the United States, the professional association for academic libraries and librarians is the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), which publishes Standards for Libraries in Higher Education. For more information on academic libraries in the United States, see E.D. TAB: Academic Libraries: 2000, a report published in November 2003 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Libweb provides a list of links to academic libraries in the United States by region and state. Compare with research library. See also: college library, departmental library, graduate library, undergraduate library, and university library.

academic press

See: university press.

academic status

Recognition given by an institution of higher education that the librarians in its employ are considered members of the teaching or research staff but are not entitled to ranks, titles, rights, and benefits equivalent to those of faculty. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has published Guidelines for Academic Status for College and University Librarians (June 2002). Compare with faculty status.

Academy aperture

See: Academy format.

Academy Award

An award given annually in the United States by the voting membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excellence in motion picture performance and production. To qualify, a film must have opened in Los Angeles during the preceding calendar year. Nominees are announced in advance and the ceremony, hosted by a celebrity, is televised nationally. Awards are given in seven major categories: best picture (feature length), best director, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, and best foreign-language film. Awards are also given for animated and short films. Also called an "Oscar" for the nickname given to the golden trophy statuette received by each winner. See HowStuffWorks for more information about the Academy Awards. The Internet Movie Database provides a summary of past award winners. Click here to connect to the official Academy Awards Web site.

academy file

In archives, a series, often found in Congressional records, that includes applications for admission to one of the United States service academies, often accompanied by letters of recommendation from appropriate members of Congress. The academies include the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the Coast Guard Academy at Groton, and the Merchant Marine Academy at King's Point.

Academy format

The moving image format chosen by representatives of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and American Projection Society to be the standard for 35mm film. Academy format for silent film had an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 1.33:1 (width to height of image). When sound film was introduced, the format changed to 1.37:1, which remained the international standard for about 25 years until widescreen was introduced (the image ratio remained 1.33:1 with an added area on one side for the sound track). Synonymous with Academy aperture.

Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA)

Founded in 1989 at the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists, ACA is an independent, nonprofit professional organization that certifies individuals who meet specific standards and requirements for archival education, knowledge, and experience. To become a Certified Archivist, applicants must pass an examination given annually in conjunction with the annual meeting of the SAA and simultaneously at several announced sites and petitioned sites in the United States and Canada. Click here to connect to the ACA homepage.

acanthus

A stylized representation of the elegantly scalloped leaf-form of Acanthus spinosus, a species of Mediterranean herbaceous plant with thick, fleshy leaves, used in Antiquity to ornament Corinthian capitals and later as a decorative motif in medieval art, especially in the borders and initial letters of illuminated manuscripts where it usually appears painted in unrealistic colors (red, yellow, blue, purple), often in combination with small images of flowers, birds, insects, and animals. Click here to view acanthus borders in a 15th-century Flemish Book of Hours (Getty Museum, MS Ludwig IX 8) or see this example in a 15th-century French translation of Saint Augustine's De Civitate Dei (Koninklijke Bibliotheek). Another variation on the style can be seen in this 15th-century version of Saint George and the Dragon (Getty, MS 2). Compare with rinceaux.

accelerated aging test

A laboratory procedure used by archivists and special collections librarians to estimate the rate at which a material (film, paper, ink, etc.) will deteriorate in storage, to facilitate prediction of its life expectancy. According to the Society of American Archivists, such tests are often based on the Arrhenius function, which assumes that materials age in a predictable manner relative to temperature. However, such tests may be of limited usefulness because degree of permanence is influenced by conditions of storage, which vary widely. Also, empirical verification of the accuracy of accelerated aging tests requires experiments conducted over a number of years.

acceptable use policy (AUP)

Guidelines established by a library or library system concerning the manner in which its computer systems and equipment may be used by patrons and staff; for example, most public and academic libraries prohibit the use of library computers for private commercial or unlawful activities. In most libraries, a printed copy of acceptable use policy is posted near the workstations to which restrictions apply. Some libraries make their policy statement available electronically, and users may be required to assent to it by clicking on a small box or icon before access is granted. Synonymous with Internet use policy.

access

The right of entry to a library or its collections. All public libraries and most academic libraries in the United States are open to the general public, but access to certain areas such as closed stacks, rare books, and special collections may be restricted. In a more general sense, the right or opportunity to use a resource that may not be openly and freely available to everyone. See also: accessibility.

In computing, the privilege of using a computer system or online resource, usually controlled by the issuance of access codes to authorized users. In a more general sense, the ability of a user to reach data stored on a computer or computer system. See also: open access and perpetual access.

access code

An identification code, such as a username, password, or PIN, which a user must enter correctly to gain access to a computer system or network. In most proprietary systems, access codes are tightly controlled to exclude unauthorized users. Synonymous with authorization code.

access copy

A copy of a motion picture on film, videotape, DVD, or some other medium, used for public service (viewing, circulation, etc.), as opposed to a copy used for preservation or a master used for duplication. Similarly, a copy of a photograph or other document made in any format for normal daily use, to protect the original from wear and accidental damage. Synonymous with use copy.

Also, a digital object, typically a graphic image, scaled down from a high quality original to a lower quality (often smaller) version to facilitate transmission over networks of low bandwidth.

accessibility

The ease with which a person may enter a library, gain access to its online systems, use its resources, and obtain needed information regardless of format. In a more general sense, the quality of being able to be located and used by a person. In the Web environment, the quality of being usable by everyone regardless of disability. See the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

In information storage and retrieval, the manner in which a computer system retrieves records from a file, which usually depends on the method of their arrangement in or on the storage medium.

accession

To record in an accession list the addition of a bibliographic item to a library collection, whether acquired by purchase or exchange or as a gift. In automated libraries, the addition is usually recorded by enhancing a brief order record that is expanded in cataloging to become the full bibliographic record entered permanently in the catalog. Also refers to the material added. The process of making additions to a collection is known as accessions. The opposite of deaccession. Compare with acquisitions. See also: accession number and accession record.

In archives, the formal act of accepting and documenting the receipt of records taken into custody, part of the process of establishing physical and intellectual control over them. In the case of donated items, a deed of gift may be required to transfer legal title.

accession list

See: accession record.

accession number

A unique number assigned to a bibliographic item in the order in which it is added to a library collection, recorded in an accession record maintained by the technical services department. Most libraries assign accession numbers in continuous numerical sequence, but some use a code system to indicate type of material and/or year of accession in addition to order of accession. See also: Library of Congress Control Number and OCLC control number.

accession order

The arrangement of books or other documents on shelves in the chronological and numerical order of their addition to a specific category or class, as opposed to an arrangement based entirely on a classification system.

accession record

A list of the bibliographic items added to a library collection in the order of their addition. Normally such a list includes the accession number, brief bibliographic identification, source, and price paid for each item. Synonymous with accession catalog, accession list, and accession register.

accessions

See: accession.

access point

A unit of information in a bibliographic record under which a person may search for and identify items listed in the library catalog or bibliographic database. Access points have traditionally included the main entry, added entries, subject headings, classification or call number, and codes such as the standard number, but with machine-readable cataloging, almost any portion of the catalog record (name of publisher, type of material, etc.) can serve as an access point. In the MARC record, most access points are found in the following fields (with XX in the range of 00-99):

1XX - Main entries

4XX - Series statements

6XX - Subject headings

7XX - Added entries other than subject or series

8XX - Series added entries

In a more general sense, any unique data element that serves as a point of entry to an organized file of information. In files indexed with controlled vocabulary, an access point may be a preferred or nonpreferred term.

access policy

A formal written statement issued by the person(s) or body responsible for managing archives or special collections, specifying which materials are available for access and by whom, including any conditions or restrictions on use, usually posted or distributed by some method to users.

access services

The provision of access to a library's resources and collections, which includes the circulation of materials (general circulation, reserves, interlibrary loan, document delivery), reshelving, stack maintenance, security, and signage. Large libraries employ an access services librarian to manage these activities.

access time

The amount of time it takes a computer system to provide stored data to a person who logs on and follows correct procedures for retrieval. Access time is often slower during periods of peak use.

Access to Learning Award

An annual award sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), given to a library, library agency, or comparable organization outside the United States for efforts to expand free public access to information, computers, and the Internet for all people through an existing innovative program. The winner receives US$1 million to expand its services. Applications are reviewed by an international advisory committee of librarians and information technology experts who make the final selection. The award is presented at the World Library and Information Congress, the annual meeting of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Click here to learn more about the Access to Learning Award.

acclimatization

The process of allowing archival records and other materials to adapt to environmental changes (in temperature, humidity, etc.), especially when removed from cold storage for use at room temperature. Because materials can take hours to adapt to normal room temperature, the Society of American Archivists does not recommend cold storage as a practical solution for preserving frequently consulted items. Click here to learn about acclimatization of film, courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Also spelled acclimatisation.

accompanying material

Related but physically distinct material issued with an item, for example, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, slide set, answer book, teacher's manual, atlas, or portfolio of prints or plates, intended by the publisher to be used and stored with it, often in a pocket inside the cover or loose inside the container. In AACR2, the presence of accompanying material is indicated in the physical description area of the bibliographic record. See also: dashed-on entry.

accordion fold

A method of folding a piece of paper (or several pieces pasted together edge to edge) in which each successive fold is parallel with, but in the opposite direction to, the preceding one. Click here to see a 14th-century Korean accordion-style manuscript of the Lotus Sutra on indigo-dyed mulberry paper (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and here to view an untitled early 19th-century example from Nepal (Library of Congress). See also this early 20th-century Thai manuscript in a lacquered cover (Cornell University Library). Synonymous with fan fold and z-fold. See also: Chinese style and concertina.

accountability

The extent to which persons in government and the workplace are held answerable for their conduct in office and for the quality of their performance of assigned duties, particularly when incompetence, dereliction, or malfeasance is at issue. See also: performance evaluation.

account book

A blankbook, ruled or unruled, in which the details of transactions, usually financial, are recorded, often in the form of a ledger with columns tallied at the end of each day, week, month, or year to show the profitability of the enterprise. Account books can be a valuable source of historical information. Click here to see the manuscript account book of the 18th-century Philadelphia joiner, John Head, courtesy of the American Philosophical Society, and here to see a page from a 19th-century household account book (National Museum of American History). Compare with cash book.

accounts binding

See: stationery binding.

accreditation

The voluntary nongovernmental evaluation process by which an educational or service organization regularly establishes that its programs, or the institution as a whole (or one of its schools or units), meets pre-established standards of quality and integrity. In higher education, accreditation is a collegial process based on self-assessment and peer evaluation for the improvement of academic quality and public accountability. In the United States, institutions of higher learning are evaluated by regional accrediting bodies. Evaluation of academic libraries is included in the institutional process. Graduate programs of library and information science are evaluated by the Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA). Formal evaluation of individual competence is called certification. See also: accredited program and credential.

accreditation action

One of seven possible decisions by the Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA) affecting the accreditation status of a library and information studies program under the Standards for Accreditation of Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies (1992), conveyed to the dean of the program and to the institution's chief executive officer in a formal Decision Document. The actions are:

Precandidacy granted - the program’s and institution’s commitment to achieving ALA accreditation is accepted

Candidacy granted - the program is ready to begin the two-year process culminating in the Program Presentation document, comprehensive review, and COA accreditation decision

Initially accredited - the program is accredited for the first time

Accreditation continued - the program continues to demonstrate conformity to ALA Standards (synonymous with Accredited)

Conditionally accredited - the program needs significant and immediate improvement to maintain conformity to ALA Standards

Accreditation withdrawn - the program is no longer accredited by the ALA, as of the date specified by the COA (an appeal may be filed)

Initial accreditation denied - the program or institution may file an appeal

The Committee on Accreditation may withdraw accreditation for serious lack of conformity to the Standards, for failure to participate in the evaluation process, or for not meeting financial obligations to the COA.

accredited library school

See: accredited program.

accredited program

In the United States, a professional degree program in library and information science, regularly evaluated by the Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA) and found to meet or exceed pre-established standards of quality, as distinct from an approved program recognized or certified by a state board or educational agency as meeting its standards. Some approved programs are also ALA-accredited. See also: accreditation action and retroactive period of accreditation.

accumulation

In library collection development, the policy of acquiring as much of the published literature as possible on a subject, or in an academic discipline, usually in support of primary research in the field. The collections of large academic and research libraries typically reflect this priority, in contrast to public libraries, where weeding is done regularly on the basis of usage, and special libraries operating under constraints that require maintenance of the collection in a steady state. In archives, the accumulation of recurring records is often governed by a disposition schedule.

accuracy

The quality of correctness as to fact and of precision as to detail in information resources and in the delivery of information services. In libraries, it is essential that the resources used by librarians to provide reference service be free of error. Accuracy is also an important criterion in judging the reliability of information provided on the Internet. The accuracy of a statement is verified by consulting other sources that provide the same information. The opposite of inaccuracy (the quality of being incorrect or mistaken).

In cartography, a measure of the degree to which the coordinates of points shown on a map conform to actual survey coordinates. In a broader sense, the degree to which a value or set of values, either measured or calculated, approximates a specific standard for that value (Cartographic Materials; A Manual of Interpretation for AACR2, 2002 Revision, ALA, 2003).

acetate decay

The chemical deterioration of film that has an acetate plastic base, an autocatalytic process caused by moisture, heat, and high relative humidity. According to The Film Preservation Guide (National Film Preservation Foundation, 2004), decay occurs in five stages, accelerating at it progresses: (1) the film releases acetic acid, emitting a characteristic vinegar odor; (2) the film base begins to shrink, curling and warping along both dimensions (length and width); (3) the film loses flexibility; (4) the emulsion begins to crack (see crazing) and flake off; and (5) a white powder appears along the edges and surface of the film. Acetate decay cannot be reversed, only slowed by cold storage. The Image Permanence Institute (IPI) recommends freezing film in an advanced state of decay until the content can be evaluated for transfer to new film stock or copying in another medium. Synonymous with vinegar syndrome. Compare with nitrate decay. See also: A-D strip and molecular sieve.

acetate film

See: cellulose acetate.

acid barrier

A sheet of acid-free or buffered paper, or polyester film, placed loose between an acidic component of a book, such as a bookplate, and the adjacent leaf or board to prevent acid migration.

acid-free

Materials with a pH value of 7.0 (neutral) or higher (alkaline), preferred in printing and binding to prevent deterioration caused by acid over time. Acid-free papers are often buffered to counteract acids that may develop with age as a result of bleaching and sizing or be introduced through acid migration or atmospheric pollution. Synonymous with nonacidic.

acid-free paper

Paper that has a neutral or alkaline pH level (7.0 or higher) at the time of manufacture, commonly used for fine art prints, limited edition printing, and photo albums, and in the preservation of library materials. Lignin contained in wood pulp is the primary source of acid in paper and board. Acid-free paper is not necessarily permanent, but permanent papers are acid-free. See also: buffering.

acidic

Substances that have a pH value less than 7.0 (neutral). The main source of acid in paper products is lignin contained in wood used for pulp. Because acid causes the paper and board used in printing and binding to deteriorate over time, lignin is removed in all but the lowest-grade papers. A buffer such as calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate may be added in papermaking to neutralize acids that develop or are introduced after the manufacture of paper. The opposite of alkaline. Compare with acid-free.

acid migration

The movement of acid from a material containing acid to one that is less acidic, pH neutral, or alkaline. The process can occur through direct contact or vapor transfer. One of the most common problems in document preservation is the migration of acid from the boards, endpapers, or paper covers of a book to the less acidic paper of the text block (or vice versa). Acid can also migrate from bookplates, inserts, tissues used in interleaving, and labels that are not acid-free. The result may be discoloration and eventual embrittlement (click here to see an example of acid migration from a newspaper clipping to the pages of a book). The process can be arrested by removing the contaminating material and subjecting the sheet(s) or volume to deacidification. Synonymous with acid transfer. See also: buffered paper.

acid paper

Paper that has a pH value less than 7.0 (neutral). The primary source of acid in paper is lignin, an organic substance contained in untreated wood pulp, but acid can also develop from the addition of certain types of size or from residual chlorine used in bleaching. It can also be introduced by acid migration or atmospheric pollution (sulfur dioxide). Because acidity weakens the cellulose in plant fiber, it can cause paper, board, and cloth to yellow and become brittle over time, making it an important factor in the preservation of printed materials. To ensure durability, publishers are encouraged to use acid-free permanent paper in printing trade books. Buffering helps neutralize acids that develop after manufacture. Acid can be removed from fiber-based materials by an expensive process called deacidification. The opposite of acid-free-paper.

acid transfer

See: acid migration.

acknowledgments

The section of the front matter of a book in which the author gives formal recognition to the contributions others have made to the work. The acknowledgments usually follow the preface or foreword and precede the introduction. Some authors include their acknowledgments in the preface. Also spelled acknowledgements. Compare with dedication.

ACL

See: Association of Christian Librarians.

ACMLA

See: Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives.

ACP

See: Association of Canadian Publishers.

acquisition number

A unique number used by the acquisitions department of a library to identify a specific bibliographic item on a purchase order. Some libraries use a standard number such as the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) or ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) as the acquisition number.

acquisitions

The process of selecting, ordering, and receiving materials for library or archival collections by purchase, exchange, or gift, which may include budgeting and negotiating with outside agencies, such as publishers, dealers, and vendors, to obtain resources to meet the needs of the institution's clientele in the most economical and expeditious manner.

Also refers to the department within a library responsible for selecting, ordering, and receiving new materials and for maintaining accurate records of such transactions, usually managed by an acquisitions librarian. In small libraries, the acquisitions librarian may also be responsible for collection development, but in most public and academic libraries, this responsibility is shared by all the librarians who have an active interest in collection building, usually on the basis of expertise and subject specialization. For a more detailed description of the responsibilities entailed in acquisitions, please see the entry by Liz Chapman in the International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science (Routledge, 2003). Click here to connect to the homepage of AcqWeb, an online resource for acquisitions and collection development librarians. Compare with accession. See also: Acquisitions Section.

Acquisitions Section (AS)

Created in 1991, AS is the section of the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) within the American Library Association (ALA) charged with (1) promoting the effective acquisition of information resources in all formats, through purchase, lease, and other methods, in all types of institutions; (2) developing sound ethical, fiscal, and legal policies and procedures in acquisitions management, including relationships with suppliers; and (3) assessing and advancing awareness of the organization and role of the acquisitions function within the library and in relationships with other functional areas (purchasing, accounting, collection management, etc.). Click here to connect to the AS homepage.

ACRL

See: Association of College and Research Libraries.

Acrobat

See: Adobe Acrobat.

acronym

A new name or word (neologism) that is pronounceable and hence memorable, coined from the first or first few letters or parts of a phrase or compound term (example: ERIC for Educational Resources Information Center). Click here to connect to the Yahoo! list of online acronym and abbreviation finders. Compare with abbreviation and initialism.

acrostic

A verse or list of words composed in such a way that certain letters of each line (usually the first and/or last), when read in order of appearance, spell a word, phrase, or sentence. An abecedarius is an acrostic in which the pattern consists of the letters of the alphabet in traditional order. An acrostic can be single, double, or triple, depending on how many words in each line are composed in this way. As a matter of policy, newspaper and magazine editors routinely check verses for acrostics prior to publication to avoid embarrassment. The following well-known example is an all-around acrostic in Latin:

S A T O R

A R E P O

T E N E T

O P E R A

R O T A S

act

One of the major divisions in the action of a play, usually marked by the dropping of the curtain and followed by an intermission. In modern drama, most plays are divided into three acts, which may be further subdivided into scenes. See also: one-act play.

Also refers to a piece of legislation (a bill) after it has been passed into law (example: Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998). Click here to view an early American printing of the Stamp Act of 1765, courtesty of the Lilly Library at Indiana University.

Acta Diurna

A daily gazette published in ancient Rome from the period of the late Republic onward, devoted primarily to matters of state (official events, public speeches, legal proceedings, public building projects, major military actions) and announcements of births, marriages, and deaths. It also contained news of unusual occurrences (earthquakes, strange accidents, portents) and information about the private lives of prominent persons (scandals, divorces, lawsuits). The text was posted on public buildings, and copies were made for wealthy Romans living in the city and provinces or away temporarily on public business. The actuarii responsible for gathering the news were sometimes misled by persons intent on manipulating commodity markets and political events for personal gain. Surviving fragments, preserved in the writings of Petronius, read very much like a modern newspaper.

acting edition

An edition of a play intended for the use of actors and others directly involved in theater production, which includes fuller stage directions (entrances, exits, stage properties, etc.) than one intended for reading, usually published in limp paper covers and priced lower than other editions of the work. Compare with script.

active records

Records required by an agency or individual to function effectively on a daily basis, usually kept close at hand, organized to render them readily accessible. Synonymous with current records. The opposite of inactive records. See also: intermediate records.

active relation

See: semantic relation.

activity book

A book designed to engage the user in a pursuit other than (or in addition to) reading, for example, an instruction manual for science or craft projects, or a volume containing puzzles or word games. Some children's activity books are oversize. Libraries select judiciously, avoiding formats that require the reader to fill in the blanks or otherwise alter the physical state of the item. When an activity book is part of a kit, its presence is indicated in the physical description area of the bibliographic record.

activity card

A card or set of cards printed with symbols, words, numerals, and/or pictures intended for use by an individual or group in performing a specific action (or set of actions) or in following a pursuit. Compare with flash card. See also: game and kit.

actuality

A nonfiction motion picture (documentary), usually of very short length, made prior to 1910 to demonstrate the technological advance of moving images over still photography. Most examples capture familiar scenes of everyday life (people, places, and events) with authenticity but, in some instances, a bit of manipulation. Exotic novelties borrowed from 19th-century commercial photography were also popular. The earliest public venues were nickelodeons--peep show parlors with machines that played short film loops. By the turn of the century, "movies" were being shown in store-front theaters and traveling carnivals. During the first decade of the 20th century, when they also began to be projected in vaudeville and burlesque theaters, the growing popularity of the fiction film eclipsed the actuality, which peaked in 1903. Click here to learn more about actualities and view examples, courtesy of the American Memory project of the Library of Congress.

ADA

See: Americans with Disabilities Act.

adaptation

A work that has been edited or rewritten, in part or in its entirety, for a new use, audience, or purpose. Also, a work converted to another literary form or artistic medium to serve a different or related purpose, while retaining as much of the action, characters, language, and tone of the original as possible, for example, a novel or story adapted for performance on the stage (see these examples), a play adapted for the motion picture screen, or an engraving based on a painting. In AACR2, adaptations of texts are cataloged under the name of the adapter, or under the title if the adapter is unknown, with a name-title added entry for the original work. Abbreviated adapt.

In music, a work that is a distinct alteration of another musical work (for example, a free transcription), or that paraphrases parts of various works or imitates the style of another composer, or that is somehow based on another musical work (AACR2). Cataloging follows the practice used for texts. See also: arrangement.

adaptive technology

Systems, devices, and software specifically designed to make library materials and services more accessible to people with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, including large print books, closed captioned videorecordings, Braille signage, voice amplification devices, screen magnification and screen reading software, voice recognition software, etc. Some libraries have found focus groups helpful in selecting adaptive technologies. Synonymous with assistive technology. See also: alt tag.

ADC

See: Abridged Decimal Classification.

added charge

A further charge made by a publisher or vendor against a subscriber's account after initial payment has been received, usually to cover (1) an increase in the subscription price that occurs after billing, before the order is processed; (2) publication of additional volumes; or (3) fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The charge is made in the form of a supplemental invoice.

added copy

A copy of an item already owned by a library, added to the collection usually when demand warrants. Compare with duplicate.

added edition

An edition of a work added to a library collection, which is not the same as editions of the same title already owned by the library.

added entry

A secondary entry, additional to the main entry, usually under a heading for a joint author, illustrator, translator, series, or subject, by which an item is represented in a library catalog (AACR2). See also: name-title added entry and tracings.

added title page

A title page preceding or following the one used by the cataloger as the chief source of information in creating the bibliographic description of an item. It may be more general, as in a series title page, or of equivalent generality, as in a title page in another language (AACR2).

addendum

Brief printed matter, less extensive than a supplement or appendix, included in a book or other publication after the work has been typeset because it is considered essential to the meaning or completeness of the text, usually printed separately on a slip of paper tipped in at the beginning or end of the text. Plural: addenda. Compare with errata.

additional volume

An extra volume issued by the publisher of a serial, not included in the original publication schedule for the title, for which an added charge may be made against the customer's account, on a supplemental invoice.

add note

A brief note in the Dewey Decimal Classification schedules instructing the cataloger to append to a given base number one or more numerals found elsewhere in the classification in order to build a class number. For example, the instruction to "add to base number 027.1 (private and family libraries) notation from 1-9 from Table 2, e.g., family libraries in the United Kingdom 027.141."

address

In computing, a character or set of characters used to identify a specific location in main memory or peripheral storage, usually for the purpose of accessing stored data. See also: Internet address.

Also, a written or spoken speech, especially a formal discourse in which the speaker's comments on an important issue or event are directed to a known audience (examples: President George Washington's first Inaugural Address and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address). A funeral address is a tribute delivered, sometimes by a close associate or admirer, at the formal ceremony honoring a person after death. The address at Lincoln's burial was delivered by the Reverend Matthew Simpson.

adhesive

A substance applied to a material to make it stick to another surface by chemical or mechanical action. Gummed adhesives require moisture to be effective. Solid at room temperatures, hot-melt adhesives liquefy when heated and set up quickly as they cool. Some types of adhesive are pressure-sensitive. Various kinds of adhesives are used extensively in binding and by libraries in technical processing. In document conservation, adhesives are often selected for their reversibility. See also: adhesive binding, glair, glue, paste, and polyvinyl acetate.

adhesive binding

A generic term for binding methods in which the leaves are held together by a strong adhesive applied directly to the back of the text block, usually done after the binding edge is milled but sometimes after the sections are sewn. The most commonly used adhesives are animal glues, hot-melts, and polyvinyl acetate (PVA). Click here to see examples of adhesive binding. Synonymous with threadless binding and unsewn binding. Compare with non-adhesive binding. See also: caoutchouc binding, double-fan adhesive binding, notched binding, Otabind, and perfect binding.

adhesive tape

Tape manufactured with a sticky backing. Its use should be avoided in mending paper because the adhesives used on most brands stain with age, and the tape can be difficult to remove, causing permanent damage to library materials (see this example).

ad hoc

Latin for "to this," used to indicate that something was created or exists for the particular purpose in view at the moment. Also refers to something organized for a specific purpose, for example, an ad hoc committee elected or appointed to address a specific issue or handle an unanticipated contingency, usually dissolved once the need has been met.

adjacency

See: proximity.

adjunct

A librarian employed part-time in an academic library at an institution that grants librarians faculty status. At some institutions, an adjunct employed less than half-time may not be eligible for benefits. Synonymous with part-time faculty.

adjustable shelving

See: fixed shelving.

ad loc.

An abbreviation of the Latin phrase ad locum, meaning "at the place [cited]."

administration

The range of activities normally associated with the management of a government agency, organization, or institution, such as a library or library system. Also refers collectively to the persons responsible for such activity, from director to secretary. See also: library administration.

administrative history

In archives, the part of a finding aid that provides pertinent information concerning the records it lists and describes, such as the history and organizational structure of the agency (or group of related agencies) that generated them, or significant details of the life and career of the individual or family with which they are associated, usually in the form of a biographical note.

administrative metadata

Data about an information resource primarily intended to facilitate its management, for example, information about how and when a document or digital object was created, the person or entity responsible for controlling access to and archiving its content, any restrictions on access or use, and any control or processing activities performed in relation to it. Compare with descriptive metadata and structural metadata. The concept of administrative metadata is subdivided into:

Rights metadata - facilitates management of legal rights in a resource (copyright, licenses, permissions, etc.)

Preservation metadata - facilitates management of processes involved in ensuring the long-term survival and usability of a resource

Technical metadata - documents the creation and characteristics of digital files

administrative value

See: archival value.

Adobe Acrobat

A document exchange program created by Adobe Systems that allows data files created on one software platform (DOS, Windows, Macintosh, etc.) to be displayed and printed on another without loss of text formatting. This capability is particularly important in communication over the Internet, which interconnects computers of all types and sizes. Adobe Systems sells the software required to create or convert documents to its Portable Document Format (PDF) but does not charge users for the software needed to read PDF documents. The Acrobat Reader program can be downloaded directly from the company Web site at: www.adobe.com. See also: plug-in.

adopt a book

A library program in which a person, often a library patron, agrees to donate a modest sum (usually a fixed amount) to help cover the cost of conserving a book or other bibliographic item that is deteriorating from age or overuse. Click here to learn about the British Library's Adopt a Book program. The University of Leeds Library uses a commemorative bookplate to record the adoption. At some public libraries in the United States, the program is designed to supplement funding for collection development (click here to see an example). Also spelled adopt-a-book.

A-D strip

A type of dye-coated paper strip manufactured by the Image Permanence Institute (IPI) for detecting and measuring the severity of acetate decay ("vinegar syndrome") in film collections. The strips are indicators that change color in the presence of acetic acid vapor released in the chemical deterioration of acetate base films. They provide an objective means of documenting the extent of decay and deciding when motion picture film, microfilm, or still picture film needs to be duplicated for preservation. Sold in packages of 250, they come with instructions and a color reference pencil. IPI received a Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1997 for developing A-D strips. Click here to learn more about them, courtesy of the IPI.

adult

A fully grown, mentally competent person of sufficient age to be considered capable of making mature decisions and held legally accountable for the consequences of his (or her) actions. Libraries operate on the assumption that adult patrons are capable of deciding independently what they wish to read and borrow. Although the parent is responsible for supervising the actions of his or her child, it is appropriate for a librarian to provide guidance to users of all ages in the selection of materials suitable to their age level and interests, if asked to do so. Older adults often have special needs that must be met through outreach. See also: readers' advisory.

adult content

Material in digital or print format, considered by some to be unsuitable for children, usually because it contains sexually explicit text and/or images, graphic depictions of violence, or frank discussions of gender identity or sexual preference. In August 2005, American Libraries reported that a state statute was enacted in Utah on March 21, 2005 establishing an Adult Content Registry of legal Web sites deemed harmful to minors, to be compiled and maintained by the Utah State Attorney General's Office. Internet users may request that a service provider block sites on the Registry or offer filtering software. ISPs that do not comply face criminal misdemeanor charges and a fine of up to $10,000 for each day that listed material is not blocked. On June 9, 2005, a group of 14 Utah bookstores, Internet service providers, and free-speech groups filed suit in the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City challenging the constitutionality of the new law. Among the plaintiffs are the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah, the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. See also: adult content filter.

adult content filter

Software designed to block retrieval over on the Internet of material considered unsuitable for children (violence, sexually explicit text and images, etc.). The constitutionality of laws requiring the use of such filters in libraries is a subject of debate in the United States. Most image search engines include a default adult content filter that the user can turn off. Synonymous with mature content filter. See also: Children's Internet Protection Act.

adult education

Courses designed specifically for adults who have spent their lives outside the system of formal higher education. Because nontraditional students often lack the library skills of students who follow a traditional course of study, they may require more assistance at the reference desk and a more basic level of bibliographic instruction.

adult learner

A person older than traditional college age who pursues an independent, organized course of study, usually without the benefit of formal instruction at an established educational institution. When enrolled as a nontraditional student at a college or university, such a person may require reference services and bibliographic instruction at a more basic level than traditional students.

adult literacy

See: literacy.

adult services

Materials, services, and programs intended to meet the needs of the adult users of a public library, as opposed to those designed for children and young adults, for example, information on tax or resume preparation. See also: readers' advisory.

advance copy

A copy of a book or other publication bound in advance of the normal press run to enable the publisher to check that all is in order before binding of the edition proceeds. Advance copies are also sent to booksellers, book club selection committees, and reviewers before the announced publication date, sometimes unbound or in a binding other than the publisher's binding, often with a review slip laid in. Copies sent unbound are known as advance sheets. Synonymous with early copy. Compare with reading copy and review copy.

advanced search

See: search mode.

advance on royalty

An amount paid to the author(s) of a new book prior to its publication against the royalties it is expected to earn, usually offered as an inducement to sign a book contract with the publisher. Synonymous with author's advance. See also: publisher's agreement.

advance order

An order placed for a new book prior to its date of publication, usually in response to prepublication promotion. The number of copies ordered in advance may assist the publisher in determining the size of the first printing, the price, and how much to spend on advertising.

advance sheet

See: advance copy.

adventure

A fiction genre in which the hero undertakes a difficult venture of uncertain issue, usually in an exotic setting, often culminating in a hazardous chase or decisive struggle. Adventure appeals to a predominantly male audience. Subgenres include the spy/espionage novel, tale of political intrigue and/or terrorism, technothriller, survival story, and male romance (example: Kim by Rudyard Kipling). Adventure stories are often published in series featuring a series hero (example: the Horatio Hornblower novels of C.S. Forester). If the hero is a swaggering ruffian, the tale is known as a swashbuckler. To learn more about the genre, see the adventure/suspense section of Genreflecting. See also: romance and western.

advertisement

A public notice of the availability of goods or services through purchase, subscription, or other commercial means, commonly appearing in newspapers and magazines and on broadsides, handbills, posters, etc. In magazines, the word "Advertisement" may appear at the head of the page to distinguish advertising from editorial content. In binding, stacked advertising in issues of a periodical may be removed to reduce bulk. See also: advertorial.

advertorial

Advertising text written in editorial style and format. To avoid confusion, most magazine publishers add the word "Advertisement" to the running head. See also: infomercial.

adverts

Advertisements bound into a book, usually at the end of the back matter. Click here to see an example following the title page in a late 18th-century edition (University of Pittsburgh Libraries). Abbreviated ads or advrts.

advice book

A form of literature for women that provided practical and philosophical guidance on the domestic skills required in everyday life, such as etiquette, household management, cooking, gardening, childcare, family health and recreation, and female employment, often written from the perspective of a parent, Christian minister, or other authority, rather than from a feminist point of view. Beginning with The English Housewife by Gervase Markham, published in 1615, such works conveyed the code of behavior considered appropriate for women in society up to the early 20th century. Examples can be seen in the online exhibitions Defining Her Life: Advice Books for Women (University of Delaware Library) and The Making of a Homemaker (Smithsonian Institution Libraries). A precursor of the how-to book and self-help book. Synonymous with conduct book.

advisory service

A periodical publication, usually issued weekly, biweekly, or monthly in print or online, providing research, statistical analysis, and guidance on financial investments (stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds, etc.), for example, The Value Line Investment Survey, published weekly since 1936 by Value Line, Inc. Libraries often store current issues of a print advisory service in loose-leaf bindings to facilitate updating.

advocacy

Concerted action taken in support of libraries, particularly political action aimed at securing adequate funding for library operations and capital improvements, which may include lobbying legislators and government officials, organizing voter rallies, securing media coverage, etc. The most effective advocacy campaigns are often based on an action plan. Thomas J. Hennen, Jr., recommends "10 Rules for Local Advocacy" in the article Stand Up for Libraries in the June/July 2005 issue of American Libraries. The American Library Association (ALA) maintains an Issues and Advocacy Web site that includes a section on Best Practices. The Advocacy Institute offers workshops at ALA annual and midwinter conferences to help train participants in advocacy skills and strategies. See also: Americans for Libraries Council and library advocate.

AECT

See: Association for Educational Communications and Technology.

a.e.g.

An abbreviation of all edges gilt. See: gilt edges.

AEP

See: Association of Educational Publishers.

aerial map

See: photomap.

aerial mosaic

See: photomosaic.

aerial photograph

A detailed photographic image of the surface of the earth (or another celestial body) taken from the air downwards, vertically or at a predetermined angle from the vertical, usually from a passing aircraft or satellite, for use in mapping, reconnaissance, exploration, etc. In a vertical aerial photograph, the shot is taken downward with the camera axis as close to vertical as possible, producing an image that lies approximately in a horizontal plane (click here to see an example). An oblique aerial photograph is taken with the axis of the camera directed between the vertical and horizontal planes (see this example). A high oblique aerial photograph shows the horizon line and a low oblique aerial photograph does not (camera angle usually less than 45 degrees from the vertical). Click here to see the various types of aerial photographs illustrated. Aerial photographs must be rectified to eliminate displacement and distortions before they can be used in mapping.

Libraries catalog aerial photographs as cartographic materials. Click here to connect to the historic Illinois Air Photo Imagebase maintained by the Grainger Engineering Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and here to connect to the TerraServer database of of high-resolution aerial imagery (Microsoft/U.S. Geological Survey). See also: orthophotograph, photomap, photomosaic, quad-centered photograph, and remote sensing image.

aeronautical chart

A chart prepared specifically for aerial navigation, showing essential topographic features, known obstructions, navigational aids, and other information of interest to aircraft pilots, such as airport name and 3-letter designator, control tower radio frequency, field elevation, length of longest runway, etc. Aeronautical charts are generally produced in several series, each on a specified map projection and differing in scale, format, and content, for use as dictated by type of aircraft and whether the flight is to be conducted under visual or instrument flight rules (Glossary of Cartographic Terms, Perry-Castañeda Library). Click here and here and here to see examples at various scales.

AFAS

See: African American Studies Librarians.

affiliate

A separately administered organization closely connected with another by formal agreement and mutual interest, for example, the various organizations affiliated with American Library Association (ALA). Also refers to the process of forming such a link. See also: affiliated library.

affiliated library

A library that is, by formal agreement, part of a larger library system but administered independently by its own board or management structure. Medical and law libraries at large universities often fall into this category. Compare with branch library.

affirmative action

An active effort, begun in the late 1960s, to enhance opportunities in the United States for minority groups and women, through federal regulations and programs intended to counteract bias and discrimination in government employment and contracting and in admissions to state-supported educational institutions. Most publicly supported libraries in the United States are affirmative action employers. The legality of affirmative action has been called into question by individuals and political groups who believe that legislating equality discourages initiative and results in reverse discrimination. See also: diversity.

AFI

See: American Film Institute.

African American Studies Librarians Section (AFAS)

The section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) devoted to librarianship and collection development as it relates to African American studies; to the ongoing evaluation and discussion of research in African American studies; and to resource sharing, archival materials, bibliographic control, retrospective collecting, electronic information retrieval, and oral history as they relate to the field. Click here to connect to the AFAS homepage.

afterword

A brief passage or essay, usually written by the author, appearing at the end of a work as explanation or, in a special edition, as commentary on the work's reception. In a collection, the editor(s) may include an afterword to tie together or sum up the main themes developed in the selected works. Compare with epilogue.

against the grain

A popular expression meaning "contrary to natural inclination" originally used in the printing trade to refer to machine-made paper folded across the grain of its fibers. In book production, sheets are printed with the grain running from top to bottom of the leaves, allowing them to flex easily lengthwise after they are bound. When folded with the grain, paper tears easily and cleanly along the fold. When folded across the grain, it cracks and leaves a ragged edge when torn.

Against the Grain (ATG)

A bimonthly journal providing news about libraries, publishers, book jobbers, and subscription agents, with reports on the issues, literature, and people affecting books and journals. ISSN: 1043-2094. Click here to connect to the ATG homepage.

agate

A naturally occurring stone, composed of a form of silica similar to chalcedony, usually light in color with darker bands of brown, purple, or pink, shaped and polished for use as a burnishing tool, to impart a reflective sheen to gold and other metal leaf in the edge gilding of books, raised gilding in manuscripts, and gilding of paintings and picture frames. When mounted in a handle, such a tool is known as a "dog tooth" (see these modern examples in various shapes). Click here to see an agate burnisher in use.

A-G Canada Ltd.

Canada's major bibliographic utility, providing access to machine-readable bibliographic records and authority files through its proprietary Impact/MARCit software. A-G Canada purchased Canada's CATSS database (formerly UTLAS) from ISM Library Information Services in 1997. The following year, the National Library of Canada purchased from A-G Canada copies of over 8 million bibliographic records representing the holdings of 46 Canadian libraries, with permission to load the records into its AMICUS database as part of Canada's national union catalog and to provide access to them for the purpose of resource sharing. Unlike OCLC and RLIN, the two other major bibliographic utilities in North America, A-G Canada is a for-profit vendor offering a full line of integrated library system products and services. Click here to connect to the homepage of A-G Canada Ltd.

agency

For archival purposes, any commercial enterprise, organization, institution, or other corporate body that creates and manages records of its business, activities, or affairs. In very large organizations, subordinate units (sections, departments, offices) may function as separate agencies. In a more general sense, any person (agent) or organization that has the authority to perform a specific function, for example, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). See also: government agency.

agency-assigned data element

In library cataloging, a data element in the MARC record whose content is determined by a designated agency and is the responsibility of that agency, for example, field 222 (Key Title) which is the responsibility of an ISSN Center. Although this type of data element is usually input by the designated agency, it may be transcribed by another organization. (MARC 21 Concise Formats)

agenda

A list of topics or issues to be discussed at a meeting, sometimes solicited from prospective attendees in advance by the person who calls or chairs the meeting. It is customary to distribute the agenda before the meeting begins, to allow attendees time to prepare. A hidden agenda is a goal or intention consciously or unconsciously concealed, usually to gain the advantage of surprise, a tactic that often backfires when unsuspecting persons discover that they have been manipulated.

agent

An individual or company that acts as middleman between a library or library system and a publisher in the purchase of materials, for example, a subscription service such as EBSCO that manages periodical subscriptions for client libraries. See also: literary agent.

aggregator

A bibliographic service that provides online access to the digital full-text of periodicals published by different publishers. Because aggregator databases can be very large, tracking their coverage is not an easy task for serials librarians. A task group of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) is working on standards for analytic catalog records for serials titles available electronically from aggregator services. Currently, the top three journal aggregators in the United States are EBSCO, the Gale Group, and ProQuest. Recently, EBSCO has been building market share by offering higher up-front payments to secure exclusivity from the publishers of certain journals. The effects of this competitive practice on libraries and the end-user are as yet unclear.

aggregator-neutral record

A bibliographic record describing the online version of a serial publication, containing information applicable to all versions distributed by all providers, regardless of whether the serial has a print counterpart or was born digital. In July 2003, CONSER abandoned its earlier policy of creating a separate record for each aggregation, focusing instead on providing a single bibliographic description for an electronic serial issued in multiple aggregations. Although nothing in the record specifically indicates that it is aggregator-neutral, multiple URLs may be included in the record for packages containing the complete serial. OCLC is engaged in converting existing bibliographic records for electronic serials to the new practice. Click here to learn more about CONSER policy on aggregator-neutral records.

AI

See: artificial intelligence.

AIC

See: American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

AIGA

See: American Institute of Graphic Arts.

AIIP

See: Association of Independent Information Professionals.

AILA

See: American Indian Library Association.

AIMRAD

An acronym for abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion, the standard structure used in writing research articles for publication in scientific and medical journals. Some have argued that a "C" should be added to the end for "conclusions." Click here to see an example of publisher's instructions to authors to follow AIMRAD structure. Synonymous with IMRAD.

airborne pollutant

See: air pollution.

air drying

The drying of wet books and paper records by exposing them to circulating air, a method appropriate for items that are only damp or partially wet (for example, along the edges). To discourage the growth of mold, the Northeast Document Conservation Center recommends that the drying room be kept below 70 degrees F., with relative humidity below 50 percent. If the edges are only slightly wet, a book may be stood on end and fanned open in the direction of a circulating air current (electric fans are often used). In an air-conditioned room maintained at constant relative humidity of 25-35 percent and temperature in the range of 50-65 degrees F., books with wet edges will dry in about two weeks. To minimize distortion of the edges, the volume should be placed flat under pressure just before drying is completed.

For wetter books, the NEDCC recommends repeated interleaving with paper towels or clean, unprinted newsprint every few pages and placing clean blotter paper inside the front and back covers. The book should then be closed gently and stood on several sheets of absorbent paper. Each time the interleaving is changed, the volume should be turned from head to tail or vice versa. Books must be completely dry before reshelving to prevent the spread of mold. Completely soaked books should be frozen and vacuum dried to minimize cockling of leaves and distortion of text block and binding. Vacuum freeze drying is also recommended for books printed on coated paper because the leaves adhere when wet, producing a condition known as blocking as the text block dries.

air pollution

Particulate and gaseous air contaminants (sulfur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and chlorides) are ubiquitous, especially in urban areas where industry and transportation are heaviest. Difficult and expensive to control, airborne pollutants affect the condition of books by interacting with impurities in paper and with unfavorable climatic conditions to further degrade a book's components. One obvious symptom is discoloration around the edges of the leaves. Some materials (cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, polyurethane magnetic tapes, natural rubbers, silver, certain dyes, etc.) are especially sensitive to air pollutants and require special conservation measures.

According to former Yale University conservator Jane Greenfield, levels inside a building are roughly half those found outside (The Care of Fine Books, Nick Lyons Books, 1988). Complete removal requires a ducted air-conditioning system. Room air cleaners with synthetic and fiberglass filters remove particulates; activated carbon filters eliminate gaseous pollutants. Electrostatic precipitators are not recommended because they release damaging ozone and facilitate the conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid. Storing rare and valuable items in boxes or other protective covering can help minimize the effects of air pollution. Smoking should not be allowed near books because it introduces pollutants into the air. For more information, see Airborne Pollutants in Museums, Galleries, and Archives: Risk Assessment, Control Strategies, and Preservation Management (2004) by Jean Tétreault, published by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI). Synonymous with atmospheric pollution.

aisle

The space left unoccupied between two parallel bookcases or shelf ranges, or at right angles to a bank of ranges, to allow library patrons and staff to access the stacks. Minimum aisle width is 36 inches for fixed shelving in libraries open to the public in the United States. Some types of compact shelving allow staff or users to shift movable ranges, usually along tracks in the floor, opening aisles as needed. See also: cross aisle and range aisle.

AJL

See: Association of Jewish Libraries.

a.k.a.

An abbreviation of also known as. See: allonym, eponym, pen name, and pseudonym.

AL

See: American Libraries.

ALA

See: American Library Association.

ALA Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA)

A separate adjunct organization operating under bylaws approved by the governing Council of the American Library Association at the 2002 Midwinter Meeting, which allows the ALA to conduct activities prohibited under its current 501(c)(3) tax status. In the planning stages since 1996, the ALA-APA is a 501(c)(6) entity focused on postgraduate specialty certification, pay equity, and other activities aimed at improving the status of librarians and other library employees. Click here to connect to the ALA-APA homepage.

ALA-APA

See: ALA Allied Professional Association.

ALA character set

An informal name for the set of characters specified in MARC documentation for use in the MARC record, including the Latin alphabet, special characters, diacritics, 14 superscript characters, 14 subscript characters, and three Greek letters. Synonymous with USMARC character set. See also: ANSEL.

ALA Code of Ethics

See: code of ethics.

ALA Editions

Established in 1886, the Publishing Section of the American Library Association first evolved into ALA Books and Pamphlets, then into ALA Editions in 1993. Its roster of first editions includes Reference Books for Libraries (1902), Books for College Libraries (1967), Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (1967), and the Intellectual Freedom Manual (1974). Income from annual sales of over 100,000 copies of titles published by ALA Editions supports ALA's other programs. Publications currently available from ALA Editions are listed in its trade catalog. Click here to connect to the homepage of ALA Editions.

à la fanfare

See: fanfare binding.

ALA Filing Rules

A set of guidelines for determining the order in which entries are to be filed in a library catalog, originally published by the American Library Association in 1942 under the title A.L.A. Rules for Filing Catalog Cards. Revised in 1967 to correspond with Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, the filing rules were expanded and published under the current title in 1980 to cover any form of bibliographic display (print, microform, digital, etc.) and any catalog code.

ALA Graphics

A marketing section of the American Library Association that sells posters, bookplates, bookmarks, T-shirts, and other graphic materials designed to promote libraries, literacy, and reading. ALA graphics can be ordered from a printed catalog or electronically from the ALA Online Store.

album

A bound or loose-leaf book containing blank pages for mounting stamps, photographs, poems, quotations, newspaper clippings, or other memorabilia or for collecting autographs. Also, a book containing a collection of pictures, with or without accompanying text. Click here to view a leaf from a 17th-century Ottoman album containing drawings done in ink on paper, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See also: album amicorum and record album.

album amicorum

Latin for "book of friends." A personal album containing memorabilia contributed by the owner's family and close friends (inscriptions, original poems and songs, allegorical emblems, heraldic devices, sketches of contemporary scenes, etc.). Precursor of the modern autograph book, this type of volume originated in Germany in the 16th century and was fashionable among university students and scholars who traveled from place to place in the course of their careers. Some contain illustrations contributed by the signatories and occasionally more professional artwork commissioned in a manner similar to the illumination of preceding centuries. Click here to view a page of illustration from a late 16th-century Dutch example, courtesy of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. The 195 contributions in the album amicorum of Egbert Philip van Visvliet (1736-1799) make it one of the most extensive 18th-century examples (Koninklijke Bibliotheek). To see other examples, try a keywords search on the term in Google Image Search. Synonymous with liber amicorum.

albumen print

An early photographic process in which a paper support was floated on an emulsion of egg white (albumen) and salt, then coated with a light-sensitive solution of silver nitrate, dried in the dark, and exposed in the camera or under a collodion negative. Although the process was capable of producing a high definition image, print quality often depended on the particular egg-white recipe used by the photographer and fading was a common problem. Invented in 1850 by Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard, the albumen print replaced the earlier salted paper print and was the dominant photographic medium of the 19th century, especially for cartes-de-visite and early cabinet cards, superseded in about 1890 by faster and more standardized gelatin silver papers. Click here to see examples (Getty Museum). To learn more about albumen prints try The Albumen Site, courtesy of Conservtion OnLine (CoOL), Stanford University.

ALC

See: Americans for Libraries Council.

alcove

A semiprivate recessed area within a library formed when two free-standing shelving units are placed at right angles to one or more units of wall shelving, usually large enough to provide access to materials on the shelves and to accommodate a small number of readers, seated at desks or around a study table. The architect Sir Christopher Wren is credited with originating this style of seating in his design of the library at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1676. Synonymous with cell. See also: carrel.

ALCTS

See: Association for Library Collections and Technical Services.

Alcuin of York (c. 735-804)

Educator, scholar, and liturgist, Alcuin was born of noble parentage in Northumbria in about A.D. 735. At the cathedral school in York, his abilities attracted the attention of its master Aelbert and of the Archbishop. He made several trips to the continent with his master, whom he succeeded in 767 when Aelbert became Archbishop. For the next 15 years, his efforts were devoted to instruction and enhancing the library at York. In 781, on a return trip from Rome, he met Charlemagne and was persuaded to head the Palace School at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), where he instructed royalty and members of the Frankish nobility and was responsible for organizing an educational system to revive and diffuse learning throughout the new realm. He also undertook a complete revision of the Latin Vulgate to return the Bible as closely as possible to the 4th-century text of St. Jerome.

To achieve Charlemagne's goal of replacing the Gallican with the Roman rite, Alcuin compiled liturgical works, most notably a missal that was widely adopted, establishing uniformity in the liturgy of the Mass throughout the Western Church. In 796, he was appointed Abbot of St. Martin at Tours, where he focused on building a model monastic school and library, while supervising the production of a series of bibles for circulation among European monastic establishments. To facilitate copying, a new script known today as Carolingian minuscule was adopted, eventually becoming the basis of modern roman type. Practical reforms, such as beginning a written sentence with a capital letter and ending it with a period, were also introduced. Whether Alcuin was a monk or a member of the secular clergy remains uncertain, but in any case, he died in 804 at the end of a long and fruitful career.

Alexandrian Library

Founded by Ptolemy I in about 300 B.C., the great library at Alexandria in Egypt became the most important center of Hellenistic culture in Antiquity. At its peak, it contained over 500,000 manuscripts, mostly papyrus scrolls, some of which were translated into Greek from other languages. The collection was cataloged in the "Pinakes" of Callimachus, which included the author's name and a summary of the content of each item. The main library was part of a museum that functioned as an academy, attracting scholars from all parts of the Mediterranean world. A smaller library was established in the Temple of Serapis by Ptolemy III in about 235 B.C.

Although the main library was damaged in 47 B.C. during the siege by Julius Caesar, both libraries flourished under the Romans until the civil war that occurred in the late 3rd century A.D. under Emperor Aurelian. The smaller library was destroyed in A.D. 391 by edict of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius. In 1987, UNESCO embarked on a project in cooperation with the government of Egypt to revive the Library at Alexandria as a center of culture, science, and academic research. Click here to connect to the homepage of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. See also: Pergamum.

algorithm

A finite sequence of unambiguous steps or instructions designed to solve a complex problem or accomplish a specific task in a way that produces at least one output, for example, a formula used to encrypt data. Algorithms can be expressed in natural language (for example, a culinary recipe or the instructions for assembling an item shipped in pieces), in a symbolic language such as that used in mathematical logic, or in a computer programming language. One measure of proficiency in programming is the ability to create elegant algorithms that achieve the desired result in a minimum number of ingenious steps. See also: automatic indexing.

ALHHS

See: Archivists and Librarians in the History of the Health Sciences.

ALIA

See: Australian Library and Information Association.

alias

A shortened form of an e-mail address that allows a computer user to type a brief identifier (example: susan) to send a message to a person whose full e-mail address is much longer (susanmiller@library.myuniversity.edu). Compare with macro.

Also, an assumed name, especially one adopted by a person engaged in illegal activity to avoid detection and possible prosecution. Compare with pseudonym.

Alibris

A commercial company that specializes in supplying rare, out of print, and hard-to-find books to bookstores, libraries, and retail customers through a worldwide network of booksellers and distribution capabilities. Click here to connect to the Alibris homepage. See also: Abebooks.

alignment

In typography, the arrangement of characters in a line of type in such a way that the tops and bottoms form a straight line across the page, parallel with other lines. Also, the setting of type in lines that are even at both right and left margins. Compare in this sense with justification.

In a more general sense, the lining up of type or graphic matter in relation to any common horizontal or vertical line for printing on a page or display on a computer screen.

ALISE

See: Association for Library and Information Science Education.

alkaline

Substances with a pH exceeding 7.0 (neutral), for example, calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate added to paper in manufacture as a reserve or buffer to neutralize any acids that might develop with age. Alkaline substances are also used in the deacidification of materials made from acid paper or board. The opposite of acidic. See also: alkaline reserve.

alkaline reserve

A compound such as calcium carbonate added to pulped fiber in the manufacture of paper (a process called buffering) to neutralize any acid that might be generated by natural aging or introduced through acid migration or exposure to atmospheric pollution. Alkaline reserve is usually expressed as a percentage of paper weight. The ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R2002) standard for Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives calls for a minimum alkaline reserve equivalent to 2% calcium carbonate based on the oven dry weight of coated or uncoated paper. Synonymous with alkali reserve.

all across

See: all along.

all along

A sewing method used in hand-binding in which each section of the text block is sewn separately to cords or tapes, from kettle stitch to kettle stitch inside the fold. For the sake of economy or to reduce swell, sections may be hand sewn two on. Synonymous with all across and all on.

alla rustica

Binding a book in a plain but sturdy paper case, a technique used from the 17th to the 19th century in Italy and Spain on remaindered books. According to former Yale University conservator Jane Greenfield, the sections were sewn on supports laced into paper covers with wide turn-ins (ABC of Bookbinding, Oak Knoll/Lyons Press, 1998). In modern conservation binding, vellum or paper cases are sometimes used without adhesive.

allegory

A narrative that can be interpreted literally but that also has at least one symbolic meaning, usually expressing or elucidating an abstract idea or moral principle. Also, a form of extended metaphor used primarily in works of fiction and poetry in which an event, idea, thing, or person stands for itself and simultaneously for something else. A dream allegory is a medieval poem or story about a dream that has allegorical significance, for example, King René's Book of Love (Le Cueur d'Amours Espris). Allegory is a common theme in medieval manuscript illumination, as in this image of Fortuna turning a symbolic wheel from a 15th-century French version of Boccaccio's Fall of Princes (Glasgow University Library: Special Collections, MS Hunter 371). Click here to learn more about allegory in the Middle Ages, courtesy of Wikipedia. See also: beast epic, fable, morality play, and parable.

all firsts

An expression used in the antiquarian book trade and in library cataloging to indicate that all the items in a group of publications are known to be first editions.

Allied Professional Association

See: ALA Allied Professional Association.

alligator

Leather made from the skin of a reptile, not as widely used in bookbinding as it once was for shoes and fashion accessories. In England, the material is known in the binding trade as crocodile. Click here to see a 20th-century alligator binding, courtesy of the Otto G. Richter Library, University of Miami, Florida.

allocation

A quantity of time, money, materials, or other resources reserved by an organization for a specific purpose, usually to meet a need essential to realizing its goals and objectives. In most libraries and library systems, funds are allocated in accordance with an annual or biennial budget determined by the availability of funds.

all on

See: all along.

allonym

The name of a person known to have existed, assumed as a pen name by another writer, as opposed to a fictional pseudonym, for example, the name "Publius" for the Roman tribune Publius Clodius Pulcher, used by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in writing The Federalist.

all over

A style of binding in which the entire surface of both covers is decorated, as opposed to design appearing on the front or back cover only, in the centers and/or corners, or around the edges. Click here to view a 17th-century gold-tooled example (Glasgow University Library: Special Collections, BD14-i.23) and here to see the style used on an early 20th-century deluxe edition of Paradise Lost (Metropolitan Museum of Art). To see other examples, try a keywords search on the phrase "all over" in the British Library's Database of Bookbindings.

all published

A note in the bibliographic record describing a publication originally proposed in more than one part or volume but never completed, usually because it was discontinued by the publisher. Similarly, a note describing all the issues of a periodical for which publication has ceased. In bookselling, a serially published work for which all issued parts are present.

all-rag

See: rag paper.

all rights reserved

A phrase printed in or on a published work, usually on the verso of the title page of a book, giving formal notice that all rights granted under existing copyright law are retained by the copyright holder and that legal action may be taken against infringement.

all through

See: letter-by-letter.

allusion

A brief figurative or symbolic reference in a literary text usually made indirectly to a familiar person, place, thing, or event outside the text or to another literary work or passage in it. Allusions are sometimes indexed and published in collections (example: Allusions--Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary by Laurence Urdang and Frederick Ruffner). In a more general sense, any implied indication, indirect reference, or casual mention, as opposed to an explicit reference.

almanac

Originally, a book introduced by the Moors to Spain, listing the days, weeks, and months of the year and providing information about festivals, holidays, astronomical phenomena, etc. In modern usage, an annual compendium of practical dates, facts, and statistics, current and/or retrospective, often arranged in tables to facilitate comparison. Almanacs can be general (example: World Almanac and Book of Facts) or related to a specific subject or academic discipline (Almanac of American Politics). Information Please is an example of a modern online almanac.

Almanacs have an important place in early Americana (see this copy of the 1795 edition of Bannaker's Almanac, courtesy of the Library of Congress). They have also served as a vehicle for illustrators (see Kate Greenaway Almanac, courtesy of the Bucks County Museum, Buckinghamshire).

alphabet

The complete set of characters used to write or indicate the speech sounds of a language, usually arranged in traditional order. The roman alphabet used in writing the English language contains 26 letters (5 vowels and 21 consonants), each with an uppercase and lowercase form. The roman alphabets used for other languages may contain fewer or additional letters, with diacritical marks used to indicate specific sounds. Click here to find out more about the Evolution of Alphabets, courtesy of Professor Robert Fradkin at University of Maryland, or try Omniglot: A Guide to Writing Systems. Compare with syllabary. See also: alphabetical, alphabetization, and exotics.

alphabet book

A picture book for preschool children with illustrations designed to teach the letters and sequence of the alphabet by showing on each page, or double spread, one or more objects, animals, etc., belonging to a class whose name begins with the letter displayed (a for apple, etc.). Click here to see an early lithographed alphabet of wild animals, here to see a 19th-century French example (Thomas Parry Library, University of Wales), and here to see a page from a 19th-century alphabet illustrated by Walter Crane. Library and Archives Canada provides the online exhibition Beyond the Letters: A Retrospective of Canadian Alphabet Books. Compare with counting book. See also: abecedary and horn book.

alphabetical

In the customary order of the letters of the alphabet of a given language. Alphabetization can be letter-by-letter, ignoring punctuation and divisions between words, or word-by-word, with entries beginning with the same word alphabetized by the next word, and so on. The terms in this dictionary are listed alphabetically letter-by-letter.

alphabetization

Arranging items or entries in the conventional order of the letters of the alphabet of a language, usually by author, title, subject, or other heading. The most frequently used methods are letter-by-letter or word-by-word, as illustrated in the following examples:

Letter-by-Letter	Word-by-Word
New	New
Newel	New Haven
Newfoundland	New moon
New Haven	New York
New moon	Newel
Newport	Newfoundland
Newt	Newport
New York	Newt

For a brief discussion of the history of alphabetization, please see the entry on "Alphabetization Rules" by Geoffrey Martin in the International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science (Routledge, 2003).

alphameric

See: alphanumeric.

alphanumeric

A contraction of alphabetic-numeric, referring to a character set containing letters of the alphabet, numerals, and/or special characters. The access codes used in computer systems are often alphanumeric (example: the username smith003). Also spelled alpha-numeric. Synonymous with alphameric.

Alpha-Numeric System for Classification of Recordings (ANSCR)

A scheme for classifying sound recordings of all types, based on a set of 23 major subject categories represented by letters of the Latin alphabet (example: M for popular music), with some categories subdivided and represented by double letters (MJ for jazz). To the alphabetic category is added a three- or four-letter code representing type of subarrangement (by title of work; name of composer, performer, or author; name of skill, language, or sound; etc.). The third part of the classification number is composed of the first letter of each of the first three keywords in the title of the work or album, or a number if the work is known by form and numbered. The fourth part is composed of a letter representing the name of an individual closely associated with the performance on the recording, followed by the last two digits of the commercial recording number:

ES

BEET

5

O 98

In the preceding example, ES indicates that the recorded work is orchestral and of symphonic form, BEET that it was composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven, 5 that it is his fifth symphony, and O 98 that the performance was conducted by Eugene Ormandy and that the last two digits of the Columbia record number are 98.

ANSCR is used mainly by libraries holding large numbers of sound recordings. Libraries with smaller collections generally use accession number or some other "home-grown" classification system to organize sound recordings. Pronounced "answer."

alpha test

The first full-scale test of a newly designed computer software system or hardware device, or of existing software or hardware that has undergone a major upgrade, usually conducted by the designer in a laboratory environment. Compare with beta test.

ALPSP

See: Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers.

a.l.s.

See: autograph letter signed.

ALSC

See: Association for Library Service to Children.

ALTA

See: American Literary Translators Association and Association for Library Trustees and Advocates.

alternate delivery

Shipment by a publisher or vendor of materials ordered by a library via a commercial delivery service rather than the U.S. Postal Service.

alternate title

A title found in or on a bibliographic item, that varies from the one given in or on the chief source of information, for example, a title appearing on the label or container of a videocassette that differs from the one given in the videorecording itself. In library cataloging, any alternate titles are entered in the note area of the bibliographic record. Compare with alternative title.

alternative press

A small, politically progressive publisher not controlled by the handful of giant multinational corporations that dominate the publishing industry worldwide. Alternative press publications often address important social issues and publish innovative and experimental works largely ignored or covered superficially in the mainstream press. For the past 30 years, the Alternative Press Center (APC), an affiliate of the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) of the American Library Association, has provided access to such publications through the Alternative Press Index, available in the reference section of large academic and public libraries.

alternative title

The second part of a title proper consisting of two parts, each a title in itself, connected by the word "or" or its equivalent in another language (example: The Female Quixote, or, The Adventures of Arabella), not to be confused with alternate title. Compare with subtitle.

alt tag

When a computer user manipulates the mouse to pass the cursor over an image in a Web page, holding it on the image for several seconds, a text message is often displayed, serving as a replacement for the information content of the image, a feature intended for visually impaired Internet users who would otherwise perceive only a hole or gap at the location of the image. Coded as an attribute of the IMG tag in HTML, the alt tag provides an "alternate text" message for viewers who cannot see graphics, an important component in the design of Web sites for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, especially sites using graphic menu systems for navigation. Click here to learn more about the use of alt text in HTML documents, courtesy of A.J. Flavell and the Web Design Group.

alt text

See: alt tag.

alum

An acidic substance used in papermaking to adjust the pH level of water in pulp and to fix rosin (a sizing agent first used in the 18th century) to cellulose fibers, giving paper a less permeable surface to prevent bleeding. In medieval book production, alum salts were also used to prepare animal skins for use in binding. Creamy white in color, alum-tawed skins are supple and more permanent than leather produced by tanning.

alum rosin

An acidic size, consisting of rosin precipitated by alum (aluminium sulfate or potassium sulfate), used in the manufacture of paper in the 18th and 19th century to produce a less absorbent writing surface. In his article The Need for a Re-evaluation of the Use of Alum in Book Conservation and the Book Arts published in the 1989 issue of The Book and Paper Group Annual, Tom Conroy questions the conclusion that use of alum in small amounts in binding and papermaking is detrimental to book conservation.

alum-tawed

See: tawing.

amateur

A term used in cataloging moving images to indicate the form of a work created for private rather than commercial viewing, for example, a "home movie" made by someone not professionally associated with the film/video industry, intended to be shown within a circle of family and friends, rather than exhibited publicly.

Amazon.com

Founded by Jeff Bezos as the online bookstore Calabra.com in 1994, Amazon.com was one of the first commercial companies to exploit the potential of the Internet as a sales medium. Serving as a model for subsequent e-commerce, the company has expanded to become a popular online retailer of new books, DVDs, videocassettes, music CDs, computer software, and other merchandise, usually at a discount. Renamed in 1995 after the Amazon River, the company also hosts a wide network of used booksellers offering copies of previously owned books, DVDs, videos, and CDs via mail order. Libraries sometimes use Amazon.com to obtain out of print titles. Click here to learn more about the history of Amazon.com, courtesy of Wikipedia.

ambient conditions

The prevailing characteristics of the environment within the room or building in which library or archival materials are stored or used, including temperature, humidity, natural and artificial light, air pollution, dust, etc., important considerations for long-term preservation. See also: microclimate.

ambient light

The level of illumination in an enclosed space, from both natural and artificial sources, an important consideration in the preservation of materials that deteriorate when exposed to light, especially the ultraviolet radiation (UV) in direct sunlight. Former Yale University conservator Jane Greenfield recommends that in libraries and archives visible radiation be kept below 200 lux, and UV radiation below 75 lux because the damage it causes continues to a lesser extent even after the light source is removed (The Care of Fine Books, Nick Lyons Books, 1988). Incandescent light is the least damaging, but it emits more heat and is more costly than fluorescent light, which is higher in UV radiation. UV filters are available for fluorescent fixtures. As a general rule, the lights in a library should be turned off when not needed. See also: blue scale.

ambigram

A term coined by Douglas Hofstadter (see Metamagical Themas [Basic Books, 1985]) and friends for a graphic figure that spells a word or group of words that can be read in at least two different ways, usually symmetric when rotated 180 degrees (upside down) or when reflected along the vertical axis, as in a mirror. Click here to see the inversions of Scott Kim. Other examples can be seen in Gef's Ambigram Gallery. Compare with palindrome.

ambrotype

A photographic process in widespread use for about a decade beginning in 1852, in which an under-exposed wet-collodion glass negative is made to appear positive when placed against a dark background (usually black fabric or paper) or by coating the back with black lacquer or varnish, causing the clear areas of the negative to appear dark and the opaque silver areas bright in reflected ambient light. Although the ambrotype lacked the tonal range of the daguerreotype, the process required less exposure time and production was faster and less expensive. The image is not laterally reversed, as in a daguerreotype, and can be viewed from any angle. Ambrotypes were usually preserved in a lined leather case under a stamped metal mat to conceal the uneven edges of the negative, and some were hand-colored (click here to see examples). Due to the fragility of glass, the process was largely replaced by the tintype and paper prints by the mid-1860s. Click here to see examples (Getty Museum) and here to learn more about the process. Synonymous with collodion positive.

AMC format

An abbreviation of Archival and Manuscripts Control format. See: MARC Format for Archival and Manuscripts Control.

Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award

A literary award established in 1971, presented annually for the best illustrated children's book published in Canada during the preceding year. The illustrator must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and the text must be worthy of the illustrations. The award is sponsored by the National Book Service and administered by the Canadian Association of Children's Librarians (CACL). Click here to see a list of past award winners. Compare with CLA Book of the Year for Children. See also: Caldecott Medal and Greenaway Medal.

amendment

A change made in a document by addition, deletion, or revision, usually to correct errors or make improvements. Also, a change proposed or made in a bill or law, for example, the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, known as the "Bill of Rights." See also: First Amendment.

Americana

A term used in the book trade and by collectors to refer to books and other materials written about the Americas (North, South, and Central America), not necessarily published in the Americas or written by authors from the Americas. Libraries that own extensive or valuable collections of Americana often store them in special collections. Click here to view an online exhibition of Americana, courtesy of the Glasgow University Library, Special Collections. See also the American Memory project of the Library of Congress. See also: American Antiquarian Society.

American Antiquarian Society (AAS)

An independent national research library founded in 1812 in Worcester, Massachusetts, to document the history of the American people from the colonial period through the Civil War and Reconstruction. The collections of the AAS include books, pamphlets, newspapers, periodicals, manuscripts, broadsides, juvenile literature, music, graphic arts, genealogy, and local history. The AAS publishes the semiannual Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society and is currently is in the midst of producing the five-volume work of collaborative scholarship, A History of the Book in America, jointly with Cambridge University Press. Click here to connect to the AAS homepage.

American Association of Law Libraries (AALL)

Founded in 1906, AALL has a membership of librarians and related information professionals who serve the legal profession in bar associations, courts, law schools, law societies, private law firms, businesses, and government. AALL seeks to promote and enhance the value of law libraries to the legal community and general public, fosters the profession of law librarianship, and provides leadership in the field of legal information. An affiliate of the American Library Association, AALL has published the quarterly Law Library Journal since 1908. Click here to connect to the AALLNET Web page.

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

Founded in 1951, AASL is a division of the American Library Association with a membership of elementary and secondary school library media specialists and others interested in the improvement and extension of services for children and young adults. AASL publishes the quarterly journal School Library Media Research and its bimonthly online companion Knowledge Quest. Click here to connect to the AASL homepage.

American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

A professional association founded in 1915 to represent college and university faculty, the AAUP is also open to administrators, graduate students, and the general public. The organization is dedicated to defending academic freedom and tenure, advocating collegial governance, developing policies to ensure due process in the workplace, lobbying government in the interests of higher education, and providing statistics and analysis of trends in academic employment. Library faculty members at colleges and universities in the United States who are members of the AAUP may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by their chapter. Click here to connect to the AAUP homepage.

American Booksellers Association (ABA)

Founded in 1900, the ABA is the oldest trade association of independent bookstores with store front locations in the United States. Its mission is to meet the needs of its members through advocacy, education, research, and the dissemination of information. The ABA actively supports fee speech, literacy, and programs that encourage children to read. The organization also publishes an annual handbook for book buyers and maintains the BookWeb.org Web site.

American Book Trade Directory (ABTD)

Published annually by R.R. Bowker, the ABTD provides basic directory information on booksellers, jobbers, dealers, and antiquarians in the United States and Canada, listed geographically by state/province and indexed by name and type of store, as well as information about auctioneers of literary property, appraisers of library collections, book exporters and importers, and national and regional associations involved in the book trade.

American Film Institute (AFI)

Established in 1967 at the recommendation of a Stanford Research Institute report funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and with initial funding from the NEA, the Motion Picture Association of America, and the Ford Foundation, AFI is a nonprofit organization devoted to (1) training the next generation of filmmakers, (2) presenting the moving image in its many forms to a national and international public, (3) preserving the motion picture heritage of the United States, and (4) redefining the moving image in the digital era. AFI maintains a Conservatory in Los Angeles, coordinates film preservation through the AFI Film Collection held at the Library of Congress and in other archives, and publishes the American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films and the AFI Silent Film Database. AFI sponsors an extensive nonprofit exhibition program of over 3,000 film events throughout the year and gives an annual Lifetime Achievement Award to an outstanding performer or director. Click here to connect to the AFI homepage. See also: British Film Institute.

American Folklife Center

Created by Congress in 1976, the American Folklife Center is an agency within the Library of Congress dedicated to preserving and presenting the American folk tradition. It incorporates the Archive of Folk Culture, established in 1928 as a repository of American folk music. Click here to connect to the homepage of the American Folklife Center.

American Indian Library Association (AILA)

Founded in 1979, AILA is an affiliate of the American Library Association with a membership of individuals and institutions committed to promoting the development, maintenance, and improvement of library services and collections for Native Americans, particularly cultural and information resources needed on reservations and in communities of Native Americans and Native Alaskans. AILA publishes the quarterly AILA Newsletter. Click here to connect to the AILA homepage. See also: tribal library.

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)

Formerly the American Group within the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC), AIC is a national membership organization of conservation professionals dedicated to preserving for future generations the art and historic artifacts that constitute the cultural heritage of the United States. Founded in 1972, AIC provides a forum for the exchange of ideas on conservation, seeks to advance the practice of conservation, and promotes the importance of preserving cultural property by facilitating the exchange of knowledge, research, and publications. Its membership includes practicing conservators, conservation scientists, educators, administrators, collections care professionals, technicians, and students; archivists, curators, and other museum and library professionals; and architects and art historians. AIC publishes the Journal of the American Institute of Conservation and the bimonthly newsletter AIC News. Click here to connect to the AIC homepage.

American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)

Founded in 1914 in New York, AIGA is a nonprofit organization that fosters excellence in graphic design as an academic discipline, communication medium, business tool, and cultural force by providing a forum for graphic designers, art directors, illustrators, and craftsmen involved in printing and allied graphic arts to exchange ideas and information, participate in research and critical analysis, and enhance education and ethical practice. AIGA publishes Trace: AIGA Journal of Design thrice yearly. Click here to connect to the AIGA homepage.

americanize

To convert to American English the style and spelling of a work written in (or translated into) British English. Compare with briticize.

American Libraries (AL)

A professional magazine for librarians published since 1907 by the American Library Association, AL provides news and announcements, analysis of trends, feature articles, job postings, and advertising by library-related businesses in 11 issues per year. ISSN: 0002-9769. Click here to connect to the online version of AL. For reviews of books and other categories of materials collected by libraries, see Booklist, also published by the ALA.

American Library Association (ALA)

The leading professional association of public and academic libraries and librarians in the United States, the ALA was founded in Philadelphia in October 1876 by a group of library leaders (90 men and 13 women) that included Melvil Dewey. An "association of associations," the ALA is organized in divisions, each with its own officers, budget, and programs, and is closely tied to over 50 state and regional chapters. The Association also sponsors round tables on specific issues and topics and is affiliated with other independent library-related organizations. Its imprint is ALA Editions. The most widely read periodicals published by the ALA are the professional journal American Libraries and the review publication Booklist. The ALA is a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Click here to see a complete list of periodicals published by the various branches of the ALA. Click here to connect to the ALA homepage. See also: ALA Allied Professional Association, Association des Bibliothécaires Français, Australian Library and Information Association, Canadian Library Association, Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, and Deutscher Bibliogtheksverband e.V.

ALA divisions:

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS)

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA)

Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)

Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)

Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA)

Library and Information Technology Association (LITA)

Public Library Association (PLA)

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

American Library Directory (ALD)

A serial published annually by R.R. Bowker since 1923, available in the reference section of most libraries, providing directory information (name, location, phone and fax number[s], department heads, budget, collection size, special collections, electronic resources, network participation, etc.) for over 30,000 academic, public, research, county, provincial, regional, medical, law, and other special libraries in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. ALD also includes separate sections listing library networks and consortia, library systems, libraries for persons with special needs, and state and federal library agencies. It also contains an alphabetically arranged Personnel Index of all the individuals named in the entries for libraries, library systems, and library consortia, with contact information. ISSN: 0065-910X.

American Literary Translators Association (ALTA)

Founded in 1978, ALTA provides essential services to literary translators from all languages and serves as a professional forum for the exchange of ideas on the art and craft of literary translation. From its headquarters at the Center for Translation Studies at the University of Texas, Dallas, ALTA also seeks to enhance the quality and status of literary translation and to improve the market for its publication. The organization is currently supported by members, occasional grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the University of Texas, Dallas. ALTA sponsors an annual conference and publishes the semiannual journal Translation Review. Click here to connect to the ALTA homepage. See also: American Translators Association.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

A nonprofit national clearinghouse founded in 1918 to facilitate standardization by voluntary consensus in the United States in both the public and private sectors and to coordinate and administer standards of all types. ANSI membership includes over 1,400 companies, organizations, government agencies, and other institutions. The United States is represented by ANSI in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Standards for library and information science are developed by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), a nonprofit association accredited by ANSI. The Institute publishes the quarterly newsmagazine ANSI Reporter and the biweekly e-newsletter What's New? Click here to connect to the ANSI homepage.

American Printing History Association (APHA)

Founded in 1974, APHA encourages study and research in printing history and related arts and skills, including calligraphy, type founding, papermaking, bookbinding, illustration, and publishing. From its headquarters in New York City, APHA publishes the APHA Newsletter and the semiannual journal Printing History. Click here to connect to the APHA homepage.

American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)

A reference serial published annually by Libraries Unlimited since 1970, ARBA provides comprehensive coverage of English-language reference books and electronic reference works published in the United States and Canada during the previous year, listing reviews in a classified arrangement, indexed by author/title and subject. The reviews are usually 100 to 300 words long, written by scholars, librarians, and library educators who are asked to examine new works as they are published and provide well-documented critical comments, both positive and negative. All reviews are signed. ARBA is usually shelved in the reference section of large academic and public libraries. In ARBAonline, reviews are provided in a searchable database that is available on subscription. ISSN: 0065-9959.

Americans for Libraries Council (ALC)

A newly established nonprofit organization that advocates for libraries at the national level and develops and promotes programs aimed at realizing the potential of libraries in the 21st century. Comprised of business, civic, educational, philanthropic, and library leaders, ALC is committed to developing a national agenda to: 1) focus attention on libraries as national assets essential for a healthy economy and vital democracy, 2) provide effective models for library services and library support, 3) establish a new base of financial support for library preservation and innovation, and 4) increase advocacy for libraries in the corporate, philanthropic, and civic sectors. Click here to connect to the ALC homepage.

American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T)

An affiliate of the American Library Association, ASIS&T is a nonprofit association established in 1937 to provide opportunities for professionals in the information science field to communicate across the disciplines of library science, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, and the physical sciences. Formerly the American Society for Information Science (ASIS). Click here to connect to the ASIS&T homepage.

ASIS&T publications:

ARIST: Annual Review of Information Science and Technology

Bulletin of the American Society of Information Science and Technology

Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)

Established in 1914, ASCAP is a membership association of over 160,000 American composers, songwriters, lyricists, and music publishers of every kind of music, dedicated to protecting the rights of its members by licensing and distributing royalties for nondramatic public performances of their copyrighted works. Through agreements with international affiliates, ASCAP also represents hundreds of thousands of music creators worldwide. Click here to connect to the ASCAP homepage.

American Society of Indexers (ASI)

Founded in 1968, ASI is an affiliate of the American Library Association that seeks to promote indexing, abstracting, and database construction. Its members are professional indexers, librarians, editors, publishers, and organizations that employ indexers. ASI publishes the semiannual journal The Indexer and the bimonthly bulletin Key Words. Click here to connect to the ASI homepage.

American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP)

Founded in 1966, ASPP is a national organization of persons who produce, sell, edit, catalog, and use photographic imagery. Open to professionals with at least four years experience in the picture field, ASPP provides a forum for the open exchange of information on industry ethics and standards, business practices, and new technology. The organization also provides opportunities for professional networking; seeks to inform and educate those interested in photography and visual communications; promotes a Code of Fair Practice for picture research, usage, and handling; and offers knowledge and support to persons interested in choosing a career as a picture professional. ASPP sponsors a conference and publishes the quarterly magazine The Picture Professional. Click here to connect to the ASPP homepage.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange

See: ASCII.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Legislation passed by Congress in 1990 guaranteeing right of access to public facilities and resources to persons with physical disabilities and prohibiting discrimination against them in employment. The ADA has had a profound effect on the delivery of library services in the United States, from architectural planning (ramps, elevators, automatic door-openers, signage in Braille, etc.) to the design and placement of furniture, equipment, and shelving and even the design of computer interfaces. Click here to learn more or see the print publication How Libraries Must Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by Donald Foos and Nancy Pack (Oryx, 1992). See also: adaptive technology.

American Theological Library Association (ATLA)

Founded in 1947, ATLA is an affiliate of the American Library Association with an ecumenical membership that includes theological librarians, persons interested in theological librarianship, and theological institutions dedicated to providing programs, products, and services in support of theological and religious studies libraries and librarians. ATLA publishes the quarterly ATLA Newsletter. Click here to connect to the ATLA homepage.

American Translators Association (ATA)

Founded in 1959, ATA is the largest professional association of translators and interpreters in the United States, with over 8,500 members from over 60 countries. The primary goals of ATA are to foster and support the professional development of translators and interpreters and to promote the translation and interpreting professions. ATA sponsors an annual conference and publishes the monthly professional journal ATA Chronicle. Click here to connect to the ATA homepage. See also: American Literary Translators Association.

AMIA

See: Association of Moving Image Archivists.

amicus curiae

A Latin term meaning "friend of the court." An individual, group, or organization seeking to advise the court on a point of law or fact in a legal case to which the amicus is neither party nor counsel but that may set a legal precedent affecting its interests. Although it is not required, the amicus is usually an attorney. Permission must be obtained from the court but is usually given if the parties consent. Such appearances occur most frequently at the appellate level in cases involving civil rights and issues of public interest, by formal brief or, in rare cases, oral argument. The American Library Association sometimes files an amicus curiae brief, as in the case of New York Times Co. v. Tasini. Plural: amici curiae.

amnesty

See: grace period.

ampersand

The symbol & derived from a fusion of the letters of the Latin word et, meaning "and." Under AACR2, when the title proper contains an ampersand (example: Notes & Queries), it is transcribed in the title and statement of responsibility area of the bibliographic description exactly as it appears on the chief source of information, and an added entry is made under the title with "and" spelled out.

-ana, -iana

A suffix added to the name of a person, place, or institution to signify the body of related literature, information, memorabilia, etc., that has accumulated over time (examples: Conradiana, Americana, librariana). In libraries such materials are usually housed in special collections. Click here to see examples of "Holmesiana" (materials related to the fictional character Sherlock Holmes), courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University. See also: local collection and regional book.

anaglyph

A composite stereographic image produced by printing the same image twice, in complementary colors slightly displaced laterally, rather than superimposed exactly. In cartography, red is normally used for the right component and green or blue for the left. Although the image appears to be out of register when seen with the naked eye, a three-dimensional effect is produced by viewing it through a pair of eyeglasses equipped with filters of corresponding colors. Click here to see a cartographic example (courtesy of North Dakota State University). To see other examples, try a keyword search on the term in Google Image Search.

anaglyphic map

See: anaglyph.

anagram

A word, phrase, sentence, name, or title made from another by the rearrangement of its letters. The basic rule of anagramming is that all the letters must be used once and only once, as in "cone" made from the letters of the word "once." The best anagrams are meaningful and related in some way to the original subject. Anagrams are often humorous (example: Adolf Hitler = Heil, old fart). Click here to see an anagram in the dedication of a 17th-century volume to Frederik III of Denmark (Royal Library of Denmark). and here to learn more about anagrams.

analects

From the Greek analekta, meaning "things gathered up." A collection or "gleaning" of miscellaneous literary excerpts or fragments (example: the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius).

analog

A representation of an object, physical condition, or process that closely replicates the original, reflecting any variations in its state. In technology, analog devices are designed to monitor conditions such as sound, movement, or temperature and convert the resulting measurements into electrical signals or mechanical patterns representing the fluctuations of the actual phenomenon, for example, sounds recorded on a phonograph record. Analog data is encoded in signals that are continuous over a range or interval of values, for example, data transmitted over a telephone line that must be converted by a modem into the discrete values of digital code in order to be processed by a digital computer.

analytical bibliography

The comparative and historical study of books as physical objects, including the methods and techniques of book production and their influence on texts. Synonymous with critical bibliography. Analytical bibliography has three main branches:

Historical bibliography - the history of books and their methods of production

Textual bibliography - the relationship between the text as conceived by the author and the text in published form

Descriptive bibliography - detailed account of the physical characteristics of books

analytical entry

An entry in a library catalog for a part of a work (chapter in a book) or an entire work (story, play, essay, or poem) contained in an item, such as an anthology or collection, for which a comprehensive entry is also made. Analytical entries are made under the author, title, and subject of the part and include a reference to the title of the work containing the part. Because preparation of analytical entries is time-consuming, the level of bibliographic description provided in a catalog depends on the administrative policy of the library and its assessment of local needs. Synonymous with analytics. See also: analytical note.

analytical note

The statement in an analytical entry indicating the relationship of the work, or part of a work, to the more comprehensive work of which it is a part, for example, giving the title of an anthology containing a short story, play, essay, or poem.

analytic classification

See: hierarchical classification.

analytics

See: analytical entry.

anamorphic

A special camera lens designed to squeeze the right and left sides of a widescreen image into the frame space of standard 35mm motion picture film stock during shooting without significantly reducing the total area of the recorded image. The aspect ratio (width to height) is reduced to 1.33:1 by differential magnification along the horizontal axis of the image (click here to see an example). In projection, a complementary anamorphic lens expands the image back to its original proportions. Developed during World War I, the technique was introduced in theatrical film production as CinemaScope by Twentieth Century-Fox in The Robe, released in 1953. Other studios followed suit, using different names, usually ending in scope. Panavision is a 35mm anamorphic lens system developed as an improvement on earlier versions. An anamorphic print is a copy of a motion picture in which each 35mm frame contains a widescreen image compressed to fit the smaller space. In AACR2, the fact that a print is anamorphic is indicated as a special projection characteristic in the physical description area of the bibliographic record. Click here to learn about anamorphic widescreen television.

ancillary map

A small secondary map inset in or placed outside the neat line of a larger map, often providing information that augments or supplements the main map. Click here to see an ancillary map showing detail of the Frijoles Canyon area of Bandelier National Monument and here to see three examples on a map of Acadia National Park, Maine, both courtesy of the Library of Congress. In library cataloging, any map appearing on a cartographic item that is not selected for description in the title statement, statement of responsibility, physical description area, etc., of the bibliographic record. Synonymous with marginal map. Compare with map continuation. See also: location map.

AND

See: logical product.

Anglo-American Cataloguing Committee for Cartographic Materials

The group responsible for developing and maintaining the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules pertaining to cartographic materials. Composed of institutions and associations that deal with the collection and description of cartographic materials by libraries, its members include the British Library, the Library of Congress, the Library and Archives Canada, the National Library of Australia, the National Library of New Zealand, and cartographic associations from the five countries. Representatives of the member institutions and associations are recognized experts on the bibliographic control of cartographic materials. The Committee prepared Cartographic Materials: A Manual of Interpretation for AACR2, 2002 Revision. Second Edition, published in 2003 by ALA Editions.

Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR)

A detailed set of standardized rules for cataloging various types of library materials that had its origin in Catalog Rules: Author and Title Entries, published in 1908 under the auspices of the American Library Association and the Library Association (UK), and the A.L.A. Cataloging Rules for Author and Title Entries (1949), with its companion volume Rules for Descriptive Cataloging in the Library of Congress. Cooperation between the ALA, the Library Association, and the Canadian Library Association resumed with the joint publication in 1967 of Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, which is divided into two parts: rules for creating the bibliographic description of an item of any type and rules governing the choice and form of entry of headings (access points) in the catalog.

A second edition (AACR2) was published in 1978 and revised in 1988 (AACR2R) to reflect changes in information formats. The 1998 revision includes changes and corrections authorized since 1988 by the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR (JSC), including amendments authorized through 1997. Additional amendments were issued in 1999 and 2001. The current version, Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second edition, 2002 Revision (AACR2 2002), includes extensive revisions to chapter 12 on continuing resources (formerly known as serials). AACR2-e is a hypertext version published by ALA Editions that includes all amendments through 2001. Click here to read a brief history of AACR, courtesy of the JSC. See also: catalog code and Paris Principles.

Anglo-Saxon minuscule

A distinctive minuscule script that developed in England beginning in the 8th century under the influence of Insular scripts and Carolingian minuscule. Click here to view an example of early Anglo-Saxon minuscule (c. 800) in a manuscript written in Latin by St. Aldhelm of Malmesbury (Schøyen Collection, MS 197).

animated graphics

A graphic design technique in which a sequence of related still images, such as cartoon drawings or diagrams, is displayed in such rapid succession that the illusion of continuous motion is created on a computer screen. Animated graphics require less bandwidth than full-motion video when transmitted over the Internet (and also less memory), so they can be downloaded more quickly when a Web site containing them is selected by the viewer.

animation

The optical illusion of continuous motion created on film by photographing a sequence of drawings, cartoon cels, or still images, each representing a slight change from the preceding one, then viewing them in rapid succession. Animation is also achieved by photographing three-dimensional objects one frame at a time (cut-outs, models, puppets, clay figures, posed people, etc.). Camera-less animation is done by applying paint or another medium directly to the surface of the film. In some works, animation is combined with live action. Developed into an art form by animators in the studios of Walt Disney, animation techniques have provided pleasure to audiences since the early 20th century. Animated films can be of any length. Click here to learn more about animation or see Animation World Network. See also: animated graphics and cartoon.

annals

A periodical in which the transactions of a society or organization, or events and developments in a specific discipline or field of study, are recorded (example: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, published since 1890). In a more general sense, a list of events recorded in chronological order. See also: chronicle.

annex

An addition to an existing library or archive, or a nearby facility used as an addition to the main building, usually of smaller size. A library annex is sometimes used to store low-use materials in closed stacks. Compare with auxiliary facility.

anniversary edition

A special edition of a previously published work of fiction or nonfiction, often containing revisions and/or additional material, such as a new introduction or preface (or an afterword), issued to commemorate the publication date of the first edition or (less often) the date of the event that is its subject. Cover design, format, and/or illustrations may also be altered. Most anniversary editions are of classic or standard works, reissued 20 or more years after the original edition.

annotate

To add notes to a written document to explain, comment on, or evaluate its content, as in an annotated edition. Also, to add a brief note, called an annotation, to an entry in a bibliography or catalog to describe, explain, or evaluate the source listed.

annotated bibliography

A bibliography in which a brief explanatory or evaluative note is added to each reference or citation. An annotation can be helpful to the researcher in evaluating whether the source is relevant to a given topic or line of inquiry. The Cornell University Libraries provide an online guide on How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography or try the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.

annotated edition

An edition that includes comments written by the author or another annotator, which are explanatory or supplemental rather than evaluative. Compare with critical edition.

annotation

A brief note, usually no longer than two or three sentences, added after a citation in a bibliography to describe or explain the content or message of the work cited or to comment on it.

Example:

Bradbury, Malcolm, ed. The Atlas of Literature. London: De Agostini Editions, 1997.

A heavily-illustrated international thematic history of the relationship between geography and literature, from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to the post-Cold War era. Includes references for further reading and a list of places to visit by country.

In a more general sense, any brief explanatory or descriptive comment added to a document, text, catalog entry, etc. (click here to see a heavily annotated copy of a 16th-century edition of Terence’s comedies). In a critical annotation, the commentary is evaluative. Also refers to the process of annotating a document or entry in a bibliography or catalog. Compare with abstract.

annual

Issued once a year, every year, as in an annual report or annual review. Also refers to a form of literary anthology popular during the 19th century, usually illustrated with engravings (see this example, courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University). According to Geoffrey Glaister (Encyclopedia of the Book, Oak Knoll, 1996), this type of publication was intended mainly for female readers.

In modern usage, a serial publication in any format, issued once a year (example: Annual of Urdu Studies). The title of the publication may not contain the word "annual" (example: Shakespeare Survey). Compare with yearbook. See also: biennial, triennial, quadrennial, quinquennial, sexennial, septennial, and decennial.

annual invoice

The consolidated billing for a library's subscriptions, sent once a year by the publisher or vendor, usually in late summer or fall. The invoice is based on the titles selected by the library for renewal from an annual renewal list sent by the publisher or vendor, usually in the spring. See also: supplemental invoice.

annual report

A printed publication, usually less than 100 pages in length, submitted each year by the officers of a publicly held company to its board of directors (or other governing body) and issued in softcover for distribution to current and prospective shareholders, describing the firm's activities during the preceding fiscal year and its current financial position. Some corporations make their annual reports available online. In business libraries, annual reports are usually retained in a company file for a fixed number of years and subsequently discarded. Some nonprofit organizations also publish annual reports (click here to read the annual report of the American Library Association).

annual review

A serial publication that surveys the most important works of original research and creative thought published in a specific discipline or subdiscipline during a given calendar year (example: Annual Review of Information Science and Technology). In most academic libraries, annual reviews are placed on continuation order. See also: review journal.

In the workplace, an inspection or personnel evaluation conducted once a year.

Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST)

Issued once a year by the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST) and Information Today, ARIST provides scholarly reviews of current topics in information science and technology, as substantiated by the published literature of the field. Publication of ARIST began in 1966 with the financial support of the National Science Foundation. Because the field is broad and dynamic, no single topic is treated on an annual basis. The reviews are critical in the sense of presenting the contributor's opinion concerning activities, developments, and trends within the subject area reviewed. Each volume includes a cumulative keyword and author index to the entire series. Indexing and abstracting of ARIST is provided in Library and Information Science Abstracts, Library Literature & Information Science, and ERIC. ISSN: 0066-4200.

anonymous

A work in which the author's name does not appear and cannot be traced with certainty in catalogs, bibliographies, or any other reliable source, hence a work is of unknown authorship (example: Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics published in 1996 by Random House). For an entertaining introduction to the methods used to detect the identities of writers of anonymous works, see Author Unknown: On the Trail of Anonymous by Don Foster (Henry Holt, 2000). Abbreviated anon. Compare with unattributed. See also: apocryphal and spurious work.

anonymous FTP

See: FTP.

ANSCR

See: Alpha-Numeric System for Classification of Recordings.

ANSEL

A character set for use in bibliographic records, formally defined in ANSI/NISO standard Z39.47 (Extended Latin Alphabet Coded Character Set for Bibliographic Use). ANSEL is nearly identical to, and sometimes used synonymously with, the extended character set defined in MARC documentation for use in the MARC record, informally known as the ALA character set.

ANSI

See: American National Standards Institute.

ANSS

See: Anthropology and Sociology Section.

answer print

The first composite print of an edited motion picture on which each scene has been corrected in the laboratory for brightness and color, allowing the quality of production, printing, or preservation elements to be checked. Several answer prints may be necessary before release prints can be made. The final answer print is usually presented to the customer for approval. Synonymous with approval print and trial print.

anthology

A collection of extracts or complete works by various authors, selected by an editor for publication in a single volume or multivolume set. Anthologies are often limited to a specific literary form or genre (short stories, poetry, plays) or to a national literature, theme, time period, or category of author (click here to see a 19th-century example, courtesy of the Glasgow University Library). The works anthologized are listed in the table of contents by title in order of appearance in the text. In the card catalog, analytical entries may be prepared for works published in anthologies. In the online catalog, the individual works contained in an anthology are listed in the bibliographic record in a contents note searchable by keyword(s) in most catalog software. Compare with compilation. See also: garland and miscellany.

Anthropology and Sociology Section (ANSS)

The section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) within the American Library Association (ALA) that brings together librarians and information specialists to discuss common issues; publish news, bibliographies, and reviews of important resources; and communicate with organizations devoted to scholarship in anthropology, sociology, and related fields. Click here to connect to ANSSWeb.

anthropomorphic initial

A figure initial in a medieval manuscript or early printed book, composed wholly or in part of one or more human figures (or parts of figures), used as decoration rather than elements of a picture or narrative scene. Anthropomorphic motifs are also used in ornamental borders and as line fillers. Compare with historiated initial and inhabited initial. See also: zoo-anthropomorphic initial and zoomorphic initial.

antiphonal

A liturgical work containing hymns, psalms, or verses chanted or sung responsively by the choir in a worship service. Also, the book containing the choral parts (antiphons) of the Divine Office (canonical hours) of the Catholic Church, sung alternately by two halves of the choir before and after a psalm or canticle. Because the antiphonal had to be visible to a group of singers, it was typically of large size, with text and notation written in large script. Many included decorated and historiated initials. Click here to view a 13th-century illuminated Italian antiphonal (permission of the State Libary of South Australia). Synonymous with antiphonary and antiphoner. Compare with hymnal.

antiphonary

See: antiphonal.

antiphoner

See: antiphonal.

antiquarian book

An old, used out of print book, more valuable than most secondhand books because of its rarity and/or condition, usually sold by an antiquarian bookseller. Very rare and valuable old books are sold at auction. Price guides are available for appraising old books. See also: AB Bookman's Weekly and first edition.

antiquarian bookseller

A bookseller who deals in old, rare, fine, out of print, and/or secondhand books, providing services to libraries and individual customers. Click here to connect to the Yahoo! list of antiquarian booksellers. AcqWeb also provides a list of antiquarian, out of print, and rare book agents. See also: AB Bookman's Weekly, Abebooks, Alibris, Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, and Oak Knoll.

Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA)

Founded in 1949, the ABAA encourages interest in fine and antiquarian books and manuscripts (and other rare or valuable printed materials), promotes ethical standards and professionalism in the antiquarian book trade, encourages collecting and preservation, advances technical and general knowledge useful to the trade, sponsors book fairs, and facilitates collegial relations among booksellers, librarians, scholars, and collectors. The ABAA publishes the quarterly ABAA Newsletter. Click here to connect to the ABAA homepage. See also: International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.

antique

In papermaking, the unpolished matte finish produced when uncoated paper is not processed through a calendering machine. Eggshell is a smooth, slightly pitted antique finish. Also refers to a contemporary calf binding designed to imitate an older binding and to gilding that has been left unburnished in binding or illumination.

antique binding

A modern binding done in the style of an earlier period, with no intent to mislead prospective buyers as to its actual age.

antique map

See: old map.

antitrust

Federal laws prohibiting businesses from monopolizing the market for a product or service, price-fixing, and other collaborations in restraint of free trade, enforced by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. On February 11, 2005, more than 50 lawyers and law professors, antitrust experts, federal and state regulators, economists, professors, librarians, and international delegates met at the Georgetown University Law School in Washington, D.C., to explore the effect of unconstrained mergers in the publishing industry on legal and scholarly communication, spurred by the spiraling costs of journal subscriptions. The symposium was sponsored by the American Antitrust Institute (AAI) and the Information Access Alliance (IAA), an advocacy group formed by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), the Medical Library Association (MLA), the Special Libraries Association (SLA), and the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC). Although there is, as yet, insufficient data to establish a connection between mergers and price escalation under current antitrust law, the group compiled a list of strategies for future action. For more information, see Lee Van Orsdel's report on Antitrust Issues in Scholarly and Legal Publishing in the May 2005 issue of C&RL News.

anti-virus software

A computer program designed to periodically check the hard drive of a computer (or all the computers attached to a network) for the presence of man-made computer viruses and eliminate them if found. The anti-virus software used on computer networks usually includes an update feature that automatically downloads profiles of newly created viruses soon after they are detected.

antonym

A word or phrase that is the opposite in meaning of another term. Dictionaries of antonyms are available in the reference section of larger libraries. In some indexing languages, one of the terms in a pair of opposites may be selected to represent both, with a cross-reference made from the other. The opposite of synonym.

APA

See: ALA Allied Professional Association.

APALA

See: Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.

APA style

A guide for typing research papers in the social sciences, developed by the American Psychological Association, which includes the proper format for typing notes and bibliographic citations. APA style is described fully in the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, available in the reference section of most academic libraries. Click here to connect to the Yahoo! list of APA style guides. Compare with MLA style. See also: electronic style.

aperture card

A piece of card stock with one or more small, cut-out windows in which individual frames from a strip of microfilm are mounted. In a marriage with IBM punch cards, information about the microfilm image is punched into the card in Hollerith code and printed across the top (click here to see an example). A special card reader is required for viewing. The format allows individual microfilm images to be filed and used independently and provides a convenient surface for recording pertinent data about each frame. 16mm aperture cards have been used for records of 25 or fewer documents, such as student or medical records, and 35mm aperture cards have been used extensively for maps and in engineering to preserve technical drawings. To digitize the medium, an aperture card scanner reads the punched data and scans the microfilm window, producing a digital image similar to that produced by a paper scanner. The punch-coded information may be used to automatically index the scanned image. Synonymous with image card.

APHA

See: American Printing History Association.

aphorism

A very concise sentence or statement ("nugget") that expresses, in a memorable and pointed way, a universally recognized truth or principle, for example, "Well begun is half done." Aphorisms published in collections are usually shelved in the reference section of a library (example: Oxford Book of Aphorisms). Synonymous with maxim.

Apocalypse

A medieval manuscript about the second coming of Christ and the events preceding it, as described in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament, intended not only for clerics but also for the educated laity. In Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Getty Museum/British Library, 1994), Michelle Brown notes that although Apocalypse manuscripts existed in the early Middle Ages, they were especially popular in 10th- and 11th-century Spain, where the text was often integrated with commentary and lavish illustration, and also in England from about 1250-1275. The manuscripts typically contain miniatures of episodes from the Book of Revelation, sometimes accompanied by scenes from the life of its author, Saint John the Evangelist. Click here to page through the Morgan Apocalypse (Morgan Library, MS M.524) and here to browse a 14th-century French example (British Library, Yates Thompson 10). Click here to see a 15th-century blockbook example (Glasgow University Library, Hunterian Ds.2.3) and here to view other examples from various periods (Library of the Medieval Institute, University of Notre Dame). See also: beatus manuscript.

apocryphal

Writings that scholars consider to be of dubious authorship or authenticity (not genuine), for example, the 14 to 15 books of the Greek translations of the Old Testament (Septuagint), known as the Apocrypha, accepted as authoritative by the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches but rejected in Judaism and not considered canonical in Protestantism. Compare with anonymous. See also: spurious work.

apograph

A text that is an exact copy made from an exemplar.

apostil

A marginal note or annotation in a book or manuscript. Also spelled apostille.

appendix

A part of a written work, not essential to the completeness of the text, containing complementary information such as statistical tables or explanatory material too long to be included in the text or in footnotes or endnotes (click here to see an example). An appendix differs from an addendum in having been planned in advance as an integral part of the publication, rather than conceived after typesetting occurs. Appendices usually appear in the back matter, following the text and preceding the notes, glossary, bibliography, and index. Abbreviated app.

applet

A small application program written in the Java programming language developed by Sun Microsystems for distribution over the Internet. Applets run on any Java-enabled Web browser independent of platform (Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, etc.). Click here to learn more about applets, courtesy of Sun Microsystems.

applicant

A person who has made a formal request to be considered for employment, usually by filling out an application form or by sending a resume or curriculum vitae with cover letter to a prospective employer in response to a job posting. Compare with candidate.

application

Computer software that allows the user to process data or perform calculations necessary to achieve a desired result, as opposed to the operating system designed to control the computer's hardware and run all other programs. Common microcomputer applications include word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, presentation graphics, desktop publishing, database management systems, and Web browsers. See also: multitasking.

Also refers to a formal request to be considered for employment, usually made by filling out a form or by submitting a resume or curriculum vitae with cover letter in response to a job posting. Each library develops its own application procedure, unless it is part of a larger organization that uses a uniform procedure.

applied cover

A thin, decorative plaque, usually made of carved ivory or fine enamel or metalwork, set into or onto one of the boards of a medieval manuscript book (usually the upper board). This form of decoration was used on bookbindings from the early Christian period on. Although many survive the binding (and in some cases, the book) for which they were made, their use can be inferred from their size and rectangular or oval shape and from small holes in the corners and along the sides, points of attachment to the cover. Click here to view a 12th-13th century French example in gilded copper and champlevé enamel, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

APPM

See: Archives, Personal Papers, and Manuscripts.

appraisal

The monetary valuation of a gift, usually determined at the request of a library, museum, or archives by a professional appraiser familiar with the market for the type of item. Knowing the value of an item may be necessary in case of theft, for insurance purposes, or in deciding whether the expense of restoration is justified. Appraisal can be an expensive undertaking because the appraiser's specialized knowledge of books, bibliography, and reference sources must often be extensive.

Also refers to the process of evaluating records to determine whether they are to be archived indefinitely, retained for a shorter period, or disposed of in some other way (sold, donated, destroyed, etc.).

Appraisal: Science Books for Young People

A nonprofit quarterly publication that for over 30 years has provided rigorous reviews of current science books for children and young adults, including new titles, series, reference books, photographic essays, picture books, science biographies, science activities and experiments, and educational software. Each title is reviewed by a practicing children's librarian as well as a scientist in the appropriate field. Each issue also includes a section on "Teacher Resources" and an article or essay on trends in science education.

approval plan

A formal arrangement in which a publisher or wholesaler agrees to select and supply, subject to return privileges specified in advance, publications exactly as issued that fit a library's pre-established collection development profile. Approval profiles usually specify subject areas, levels of specialization or reading difficulty, series, formats, price ranges, languages, etc. In a slip plan, the vendor provides advance notification slips instead of sending the actual item. Compare with blanket order and book lease plan. See also: continuation order.

approvals

New books sent automatically by a publisher or wholesaler in accordance with a pre-established profile of the library's needs, rather than ordered title by title by the selectors responsible for collection development. Approvals not returned within the agreed-upon time are understood to have been accepted by the library.

approval shelf

A shelf or shelves, usually located in or near the acquisitions department of a library, where new books ordered on approval are stored pending timely examination by the selectors responsible for deciding whether they are to be added to the collection or returned to the publisher or wholesaler.

approved library school

See: approved program.

approved program

In the United States, a postgraduate program in library and information science, recognized or certified by a state board or educational agency as meeting its standards of quality and professionalism. Some approved programs are also ALA-accredited.

approximate the whole

Said of a work that is nearly coextensive with the subject(s) represented by a class in Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), or that covers more than half the content of the heading, or that covers representative examples from three or more subdivisions of the class. The cataloger is permitted to add standard subdivisions to a work that approximates the whole of a subject (adapted from DDC). Compare with standing room.

apron

In printing, the area left blank to serve as the binding edge of a leaf that folds out. A full apron is a full-size leaf to which a fold-out is attached when the entire image printed on the fold-out must be displayed beyond the edges of the closed book.

aquatint

A form of etching in which a copper plate is sprinkled with finely powdered rosin which, when heated, adheres to the plate, serving as an acid-resistant ground. Areas between the melted rosin grains are etched in the acid bath, producing a network of very fine channels that hold ink in printing. The result is a veil of texture and tone resembling watercolor washes, rather than line. To achieve a darker tone, the plate is left longer in the acid bath, biting the texture deeper into the plate. Also refers to a print made by the process. Click here to see an example by the artist Goya and here to see a hand-colored aquatint from an 1820 edition of Doctor Syntax in Paris (University of Delaware Library). The technique is used extensively in William Daniell and Richard Ayton's A Voyage Round Great Britain published in London, 1814-1825 (Glasgow University Library). Click here to learn more about aquatint, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

AR

See: aspect ratio.

arabesque

An elaborate Islamic-style design consisting of intricately interlaced lines that may include flowers and foliage, or form geometric patterns, tooled or stamped as decoration on the covers of a book, or used by a printer to ornament a text. To see examples, try a keyword search on the term in the British Library's Database of Bookbindings. See also: arabesque initial.

arabesque initial

From the Italian arabesco meaning Arabian in style. An initial letter in a medieval manuscript, decorated with a complex, often interlaced, design of abstract or geometric and highly stylized foliate curvilinear forms. Adapted in about 1,000 A.D. by Muslim artisans from Hellenistic precursors, the decorative style eventually became formalized, with animal and human forms excluded for religious reasons. Click here to see examples in a 12th-century English manuscript (British Library, Arundel 74).

arabic numeral

One of the 10 digits (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9) developed in India in the 6th century to indicate number in a system of place value based on 10. Arabic numerals were adopted by the Arabs around A.D. 900, who introduced them in Europe via Spain about 100 years later, where they replaced roman numerals. Colonization introduced them to the rest of the world. Click here to learn more about the history of arabic numerals, courtesy of Wikipedia, and here to use an Arabic-Roman Numerals Converter.

The notation used in Dewey Decimal Classification is composed of arabic numerals. They are also used in Library of Congress Classification notation to indicate subclasses, following letters of the alphabet used to represent main classes and divisions. In printing, pagination is in arabic numerals, except for the front matter in books, usually paginated in roman numerals. Arabic numerals are also used to indicate the sequence of footnotes and endnotes. Under ALA Filing Rules, headings and titles that begin with arabic numerals (including dates) precede those beginning with letters of the alphabet and are arranged from lowest to highest value.

ARBA

See: American Reference Books Annual.

archetypal novel

Early fictional tales and romances considered to be precursors of the novel in its modern form (examples: The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu and Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, both of the 17th century).

architectural binding

A style of bookbinding popular during the 16th century in which the front cover is decorated with a motif suggesting a portico or the front of a building, usually of classical design, with columns on either side supporting an arch or lintel across the top, beneath which the title is displayed on a panel (style of cover bearing no relation to content of work). The architectural design may or may not include perspective features. Click here to see a copy of an Aldine edition published in 1516 and bound some years later in architectural style for the French bibliophile Jean Grolier (Columbia University Libraries). To see other examples, try a search on the keyword "architectural" in the British Library's Database of Bookbindings. See also: cathedral binding.

architectural drawing

A technical drawing or sketch of a proposed construction project done by an architect or architectural firm. A full set of drawings, showing all phases of the construction process, includes the specifications used by contractors for bidding, purchase of materials and equipment, etc. Also refers to a technical drawing of an already existing structure (see Architectural Drawings of the Temples in Bagan, Myanmar). The Getty Research Institute provides online access to A Guide to the Description of Architectural Drawings (2000) by Vicki Porter and Robin Thornes. Synonymous with blueprint, a term derived from the process used in duplication, producing a white image on a blue ground. Compare with architectural rendering.

architectural initial

An embellished initial letter in a medieval manuscript or early printed book composed wholly or in part of architectural motifs. This type of decorated initial is comparatively rare, foliate and figure initials being far more common. Click here and here to see examples from a 15th-century Italian gradual, courtesy of the Cornell University Library.

architectural rendering

A pictorial representation of a building or other structure, usually from an angle showing the front or main entrance, created by the architect or an architectural firm to give an accurate, if somewhat idealized, impression of how the structure will appear after it is constructed, sometimes used in fund-raising to promote capital projects, such as the construction of a new library facility or the renovation and/or expansion of an existing one. To see examples, try a keywords search on the term in Google Image Search. Compare with architectural drawing.

architecture library

A specialized library associated with a graduate school of architecture or a large architectural firm, containing books and periodicals on architecture and architectural engineering, building codes and standards, architectural drawings and renderings, abstracting and indexing services, databases, and other reference materials for research in architecture and related fields. Click here to connect to the homepage of the Architecture and Urban Planning Library at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Archival and Manuscripts Control Format (AMC)

See: MARC Format for Archival and Manuscripts Control.

archival box

A strong cardboard container specifically designed for the long-term storage of archival materials (manuscripts, papers, letters, periodicals, maps, prints, mounted photographs, etc.), made from strong acid- and lignin-free board, usually lined with buffered paper and fastened on the exterior with metal-edged corners, without the use of adhesive or staples. Containers made of inert polypropylene plastic are also used for this purpose. Archival boxes are available from library suppliers in a variety of sizes and designs (clamshell-hinged, drop-fronted, with telescoping lids, etc.), shipped flat or pre-assembled. They are usually neutral in color. Click here to see examples, courtesy of the Heritage Collections Council, Australia. Synonymous with archives box. See also: box list.

archival copy

A copy of a document specifically created or designated for archival storage by the company, government, organization, or institution that wishes to preserve it, usually for legal, evidential, or historical purposes. See also: archival quality and preservation photocopy.

archival database

An organized collection of records in digital format, containing information to be retained for an indefinite period of time, usually for future reference, for example, the messages received and distributed by an e-mail discussion list or the reference questions received by an digital reference service, including the answers provided.

archival journal

A journal published mainly for archival purposes, as opposed to one intended for distribution to retailers and individual subscribers, usually priced for the library market with little or no attempt to market it to a wider audience.

archival jurisdiction

The limits of responsibility (large or small) mandated to an archives by law, normally encompassing the agencies, organizations, departments, and individuals that create or receive records for which the archives is responsible, and the various functions for which it is accountable (appraisal and scheduling, screening for restrictions, and the preservation, transfer, use, display, and disposal of records). Not all archives operate under a legal mandate.

archival paper

A grade of paper that is permanent and highly durable, particularly with respect to fading and physical deterioration caused by acidity, used for printing materials of archival quality. See also: rag paper.

archival quality

The physical properties of records in all media (paper, microform, magnetic tape or disk, optical disk, etc.) that make them suitable for permanent storage in archives. Items printed on paper must have a pH of 7.0 or higher and be free of other contaminates (chemicals, mildew, etc.). The National Preservation Office of the British Library recommends that archival quality paper and board should also be neutral sized, with an alkaline residual buffer of approximately 2.5%. Synonymous with archival standard. See also: archival paper.

archival value

The decision, following appraisal by a knowledgeable expert (or experts), that a document, record, or group of records is worth preserving, permanently or for an indefinite period. Records are retained for their:

Administrative value - utility in the conduct of current or future administrative affairs

Evidential value - capacity to furnish proof of facts concerning their creator or the events/activities to which they pertain

Fiscal value - utility in the conduct of financial business or fiscal accounting

Historical value - capacity to document past events, providing information about the lives and activities of persons involved in them

Informational value - usefulness for reference and research

Intrinsic value - inherent worth based on content, cultural significance, antiquity, past uses, association, etc.

Legal value - utility in the conduct of future legal proceedings or as evidence of past legal decisions

Monetary value - worth in the market place, based on appraisal by a person experienced in making such judgments