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.

J

jacket

See: dust jacket and sleeve.

jacket cover

A removable covering made of thin, transparent, flexible plastic designed to fit over the dust jacket of a book published in hardcover, to extend the life of the binding and enhance the visual appeal of the jacket design, available from library suppliers in a range of sizes. Used more extensively in public and school libraries than in academic and special libraries, it allows the outside surface of a book to be easily cleaned with a rag or paper towel dampened with disinfectant cleaning solution. The ends should be securely fastened to the cover with adhesive tape of a type that can be removed without damage.

jade book

A book consisting of text inscribed on thin jade tablets bound along one edge or strung together on one or more cords, a luxury format reserved in traditional Chinese society for the most highly esteemed texts. Click here to see a Confucian text in Chinese and Manchu, inscribed on jade in the 17th century for the Emperor K'ang-hsi (Cornell University Library), and here to see an 18th-century Chinese example (Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS 12096).

jansenist binding

A bookbinding with an austere exterior, lacking ornamentation, except perhaps a small amount of gold tooling above and below the bands on the spine, but in some cases luxuriously decorated on the interior (turn-ins and doublures). Click here to see a contemporary example, courtesy of Weitz, Weitz & Coleman.

Japanese style

See: Chinese style.

Japanese tissue

A thin, strong, soft, absorbent, slightly transparent paper made from the fibers of various plants common to Japan, especially the paper-mulberry. When torn, the long fibers pull apart, instead of breaking (click here and here to see samples). Available in a variety of thicknesses and colors, Japanese tissue is widely used in conservation for patching torn leaves (see this example), lining paper to reinforce it (see this example), reinforcing the folds of sections, and mending hinges.

Japanese vellum

A smooth, thick, durable paper made in Japan from native plant fibers, sometimes used in printing and bookbinding as a substitute for vellum made from animal membrane. Click here to see volumes of poetry printed on Japanese vellum (University of Michigan, Special Collections). According to the Conservation OnLine Glossary, japon is an imitation made by treating ordinary paper with sulfuric acid.

japon

See: Japanese vellum.

japonisme

A term coined in the 1870s by French journalist and art critic Philippe Burty to describe the influence of Japanese artistic style on European fine and decorative art (and public taste in general). Japanese art objects were introduced to the public at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867. Japanese woodcut prints (ukiyo-e) had a profound influence on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters, such as Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh. To see examples of bookbindings in this style, try a keyword search on the term in Publishers' Bindings Online, 1815-1930, courtesy of the University of Alabama. To learn more about japonisme, see the Timeline of Art History (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

jargon

The specialized vocabulary and idioms of a group of people engaged in the same activity or line of work, for example, the MARCese used by library catalogers in reference to the bibliographic record and its component fields. In a more general sense, speech that is unintelligible or incoherent. Compare with slang.

Java

A high-level programming language widely used for writing application software for the World Wide Web. Introduced in 1995 by Sun Microsystems, Java allows programs to run on a Java-enabled Web browser regardless of platform (Windows, Macintosh, or UNIX), eliminating the need to write platform-specific versions of the same program. Netscape developed the JavaScript language to make programming in Java easier, especially in the design of interactive Web pages, but it is less powerful and limits the designer to the HTML interface. Click here to connect to the Java page at Sun Microsystems or try JavaWorld. See also: applet.

JavaScript

See: Java.

JCP

See: Joint Committee on Printing.

jeremiad

A fierce denunciation of a particular evil, or the evils of society in general, in which current misfortunes are considered a just penalty for past misdeeds and repentance extolled as the only road to a happier, more secure future. The term is derived from the Lamentations of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. The sermons of Puritan preachers in colonial New England provide abundant examples of this literary form.

jestbook

A collection of jokes, witty anecdotes, epigrams, exempla, and ribald tales, usually with didactic endings. Introduced into Europe from the Muslim world during the 8th century, jestbooks enjoyed greatest popularity during the 16th and 17th centuries. Because of their ephemeral nature, few early examples survive. Also spelled jest book. Synonymous with facetiae.

jeweled binding

A binding in which the boards are covered in designs done in gold or silver inset with ivory and/or precious or semiprecious stones, usually with a similarly decorated clasp to keep the leaves pressed firmly together. During the Middle Ages, this style was used for liturgical and devotional books commissioned by the Catholic Church and by members of the nobility from the 6th century on. The lavish use of costly materials was considered an act of religious piety rather than ostentation, and the colors of the gems often had symbolic significance. Extremely valuable, the rare survivals are sold by the world's most prestigious auction houses. Click here to view the jeweled binding on the Lindisfarne Gospels and here to see the repoussé gold and jeweled front cover of the Lindau Gospels. Click here to see an 11th-century Iberian example (Metropolitan Museum of Art). Jeweled binding underwent a revival in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Click here to see a 19th-century example (Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin) and here to see a 20th-century example on a copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Princeton University Library). Compare with treasure binding.

jigsaw puzzle

A type of puzzle introduced in 1739, originally called a "dissected puzzle" because its flat image-bearing surface is cut into pieces of various shapes that can be disassembled. Once the loose pieces have been mixed up, the challenge lies in reassembling them into the complete image. Jigsaw puzzles were originally made of wood, usually for children and in a limited number of pieces, but in 1934, when manufacturers began making them from die-cut cardboard, the number of pieces increased and the price dropped significantly, making them a common household pastime for children and adults. Click here to see a 19th-century example in hand-colored lithographed paper on wood (State Library of South Australia) and here to see an example in cardboard (Cornell University Library). Some public libraries circulate jigsaw puzzles, but maintenance can be a problem because small pieces are easily lost.

jobber

In the United States, a wholesaler that stocks large quantities of new books and nonprint materials (audiobooks, videotapes, music CDs, etc.) issued by various publishers and supplies them to retail bookstores and libraries on order, usually at a substantial discount (10-40 percent). Titles out of print from the publisher may still be available in limited quantity from a book jobber. Large jobbers also offer customized services such as continuation orders, approval plans, cataloging, technical processing, etc. Using a book jobber allows a library to operate more efficiently by consolidating orders. Directory information on book wholesalers is available in the reference serial Literary Market Place. Click here to see the Yahoo! list of book jobbers. Synonymous in the UK with library supplier. Compare with dealer. See also: Baker & Taylor and Ingram.

job description

A detailed description of the duties and responsibilities associated with a specific position in an organization, used in training, performance evaluation, and the allocation of workload. Compare with position description.

job lot

Copies of a book or other publication offered by the publisher at lower than list price to a wholesale bookseller known as a jobber, usually to reduce or close out stock of the title. Compare with remainders.

job performance

The skill and competence with which an employee executes the duties and responsibilities associated with the position filled, usually assessed periodically in a formal evaluation process. In academic libraries, peer evaluation is commonly used to assess the performance of librarians.

job posting

An announcement of a position to be filled, placed by the employer in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or electronic forum to attract qualified applicants. A good job posting includes position title and rank, name and brief description of employer, location of position, description of responsibilities/duties, list of qualifications (required and preferred), salary and benefits, required application materials, closing date, and contact information. Some employers also indicate compliance with diversity requirements and inform prospective applicants if a background check will be conducted. The following print publications include job postings for librarians and information professionals:

American Libraries

C&RL News

The Chronicle of Higher Education

School Library Journal

Job postings are also available electronically via the following Web sites:

ARL Career Resources

Career Central Electronic Job Board (Graduate School of LIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Jobs for Librarians and Information Professionals (LISjobs.com)

Jobs in Library and Information Technology (LITA)

The American Library Association (ALA) Website includes an Education & Careers section. See also: reposted.

job rotation

The systematic movement of employees from one job to another within an organization or between organizations, usually to a new position for a fixed period of time and then back to the former position. Uncommon in libraries, the practice has been tried with veteran librarians in both public and academic libraries. Participants report that the voluntary experience can provide a broader perspective on the profession, clarify job content and process, lead to improvements in procedures and collections, enhance capacity to cope with change, provide networking opportunities, and renew commitment. Rotation can be particularly rewarding for employees at risk of stagnation because their careers have reached a plateau. Disadvantages include temporary loss of productivity and increased stress for co-workers. Planning can mitigate negative effects. Compare with job sharing.

job sharing

An alternative work arrangement in which two qualified people are hired to fill a single full-time, often permanent, position, sharing duties and responsibilities usually according to a prearranged schedule. The voluntary practice began in the 1970s as a means of accommodating talented women who wished to pursue careers while rearing a family. Unlike most part-time employment, job sharing includes benefits (salary and benefits are usually prorated). The arrangement often increases job satisfaction and enhances productivity, reducing absenteeism and turnover and providing coverage for vacations, illnesses, conference attendance, etc. Communication needs are often met by scheduling a few hours of overlap between participants. Compare with job rotation.

John Cotton Dana Award

Inaugurated in 1946 at the annual conference of the American Library Association, the John Cotton Dana Award is given annually to several libraries for their achievements in public education and public relations. Each winner receives a cash development grant of $3,000 from the award's sponsor, the H.W. Wilson Foundation. The award is named after John Cotton Dana (1856-1929), a librarian who began his career in Denver in 1889 and closed it in 1929 in Newark, N.J., having become a key figure in innovative librarianship during the progressive era. Selections are made by the Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), a division of the ALA. Click here to see a list of past award winners.

joint

In bookbinding, the exterior junction of the covers and spine of a book, formed by the narrow portion of covering material affixed directly to the endpaper in case binding, along the groove separating the board from the inlay over the spine. On the inside, the hinge is formed by the fold in the endpaper, reinforced in some editions with a paper or cloth strip. Together, hinge and joint allow the cover to open and close like a door. A bound volume has a front joint connecting the front board to the spine and a back joint connecting the back board to the spine. Click here and scroll down to see an illustration. See also: rejoint.

joint author

In AACR2, a person who collaborates with one or more others to produce a work in which all who contribute perform the same function. The contributions of the individual collaborators may not be indicated and are usually not separable. In cataloging, main entry is made under the name of the author listed first on the chief source of information (the primary author), with added entries for the other authors, unless primary responsibility clearly rests with one author. Bibliographic style manuals differ in the maximum number of joint authors included in a citation. Synonymous with coauthor. Compare with composite work. See also: et al. and shared responsibility.

Joint Committee on Printing (JCP)

The congressional committee responsible under Title 44 U.S.C. for overseeing the functions of the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and general printing procedures of the federal government. The Committee includes members of the Senate and House of Representatives from both political parties. Click here to connect to the JCP homepage.

joint imprint

The imprint of two or more publishers appearing on the title page of the same edition of a work. In most instances, the co-publishers market and distribute the work in different countries or regions of the world. For a recent example, see The Great Libraries: From Antiquity to the Renaissance, published in 2000 by Oak Knoll Press and the British Library and assigned separate ISBNs for the United States and the United Kingdom.

joint pseudonym

See: pseudonym.

joint publication

Publication (by prior agreement) of the same work by two different publishers in separate editions, often in hardcover by a university press and in paperback by a trade publisher. Compare with co-edition. See also: simultaneous publication.

Joint Steering Committee for Revision of Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (JSC)

The committee responsible for developing and maintaining Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules for the construction of catalogs and other lists in general libraries of all sizes, covering the description of, and provision of access points for, all library materials commonly collected. The Committee is devoted to formulating, in a timely and proactive manner, a catalog code responsive to user needs and to changes in the information environment and supportive of cost-effective cataloging. Its members are the American Library Association (ALA), the Australian Committee on Cataloguing, the British Library, the Canadian Committee on Cataloguing, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), and the Library of Congress. Proposals for revisions are submitted to the committee in a formal rule revision process. Click here to connect to the homepage of the JSC.

joint use

A cooperative arrangement between a library and another institution, such as a school, community college, or university, in which both institutions share the same facility and/or collections for example, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in San Jose, California, a partnership between the City of San Jose and San Jose State University in which the San Jose Public Library and the University library share the same building and collections.

journal

A periodical devoted to disseminating original research and commentary on current developments in a specific discipline, subdiscipline, or field of study (example: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology), usually published in quarterly, bimonthly, or monthly issues sold by subscription (click here to see an example). Journal articles are usually written by the person (or persons) who conducted the research. Longer than most magazine articles, they almost always include a bibliography or list of works cited at the end. In journals in the sciences and social sciences, an abstract usually precedes the text of the article, summarizing its content. Most scholarly journals are peer-reviewed. Scholars often use a current contents service to keep abreast of the journal literature in their fields of interest and specialization. See also: impact factor.

A library usually binds the all the issues for a given publication year in one or more annual volumes or converts its print issues to microform. Articles from some journals are available in digital format in full-text bibliographic databases, usually by licensing agreement. Some journal publishers also provide an electronic version accessible via the World Wide Web. Abbreviated jour. Compare with magazine and journal of commentary. See also: archival journal, commercial journal, core journal, early journal, electronic journal, hybrid journal, interdisciplinary journal, letters journal, LIS journal, methods journal, multidisciplinary journal, synoptic journal, technical journal, and trade journal.

Also refers to a record of events, experiences, thoughts, and observations kept on a regular basis by an individual for personal use. Writers often keep a daily journal to record ideas and material that may subsequently be incorporated into their works. Click here to connect to an online exhibition of The Endeavor Journal of James Cook, courtesy of the National Library of Australia. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition are another historic example. Synonymous in this sense with diary.

journal club

A formal or informal group that meets professionally to discuss recently published scholarly journal articles on topics in an academic discipline or profession. Often moderated, journal clubs are common in the sciences and medicine, serving as vehicle for continuing education. For an application of the concept to academic librarianship, see "A Librarians Journal Club: A Forum for Sharing Ideas and Experiences" by Theodore Hickman and Lisa Allen in the October 2005 issue of C&RL News.

journalese

The rather trite style of writing used by some newspaper and broadcast journalists who rely on clichés and hackneyed expressions to pitch a story to the widest possible audience ("rattlesnake roundup rattles rights groups"), avoided in serious journalism.

journalism

The art of gathering news, writing and editing copy, or directing the publication of a newspaper, magazine, or journal. A person who turns news into copy is a journalist (also refers to the person who keeps a journal or diary). A photographer who specializes in capturing news on camera is a photojournalist. In the United States, Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually for distinguished public service in journalism and for reporting in a variety of categories (feature writing, commentary, criticism, editorial writing, cartooning, and photography).

journalist

See: journalism.

journal of commentary

A periodical that specializes in the publication of news analysis and discussion of political, social, and cultural issues, usually from an editorial position somewhere on the political spectrum, for example, the National Review on the Right and The Progressive on the Left. Journals of commentary are usually issued monthly and sold at newsstands, in bookstores, and by subscription. Compare with journal and magazine.

journal pagination

In journal publishing, page numbers often begin with the first page of the first issue in a volume and continue in a single numeric sequence through the last page of the last issue in the volume. This means that the pagination in each issue (except the first) begins where the previous issue ended. Since most journals are published quarterly and bound into annual volumes, continuous pagination makes it easier for the user to find a specific article by page number in the appropriate volume. Compare with magazine pagination.

journals consortium

An organization that handles the production and distribution of a number of journals but does not necessarily exercise editorial control over them if they are owned by other organizations. In the United States, perhaps the best-known example is the journals publishing division of the Johns Hopkins University Press, which provides online access through Project MUSE to the full-text of its own journals, plus 60 titles from other scholarly publishers.

JPEG

An acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, a standard for compressing still images in digital format at ratios of 100:1 and higher. Data compression is accomplished by dividing the image into small blocks of pixels, halved again and again until the desired ratio is reached. Data is lost each time the compression ratio increases. Pronounced "jay-peg." Compare with MPEG. See also: GIF and TIFF.

JSC

See: Joint Steering Committee for Revision of Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules.

JSTOR

A nonprofit organization that began as a digital text initiative of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation aimed at easing the space problems faced by libraries that own long runs of journal back files, JSTOR provides searchable bibliographic databases containing the complete full-text of core scholarly journals in a wide range of disciplines, current to within 2-5 years. Click here to learn more about JSTOR homepage. See also: Project MUSE.

jukebox

See: CD-ROM changer.

jumbo file

A collection of prints, pictures, and/or documents of unusually large size, organized for ease of access in a folder, portfolio, or other container of a size sufficient to accommodate them.

jump page

The page of a newspaper, magazine, or journal on which a story or article that begins on the first page (or near the front of the issue) is continued, usually indicated by the references "Continued on page..." and "Continued from page..." at the break in the text.

junk mail

Unwanted postal mail and e-mail messages, usually advertising not solicited by the recipient. See also: spam.

juried

See: peer-reviewed.

justification

In typesetting, the equal and exact spacing of words and letters in a line of type to make the text block appear vertically even at the right- and/or left-hand margins. Type aligned with the left margin is said to be left-justified. Aligned with the right-hand margin, it is said to be right-justified. Type can also be centered on a page, as in headings. Compare with alignment. See also: ragged.

justified

See: justification.

juvenile collection

A library collection of books and other materials intended specifically for children under 12-13 years of age, shelved separately from the adult and young adult collections, sometimes in a children's room with separate sections for juvenile fiction and nonfiction, beginning readers and easy books, picture books, and books for very young children (alphabet books, counting books, board books, cloth books, etc.). Juvenile collections are usually managed by a librarian with specialized training in children's services. See also: Association for Library Service to Children.

juvenile literature

See: children's literature.

juveniles

A term used by publishers and serious collectors to refer to children's books as a type of publication. Compare with juvenilia.

juvenilia

Works produced during the childhood or youth of an artist or writer, which may reveal literary or artistic immaturity but often compensate with an abundance of youthful enthusiasm and a style or approach that is highly innovative (example: Evelyn by Jane Austen).