- fable
- A fictitious story that uses animal characters to express or teach a moral lesson (example: Animal Farm by George Orwell). Click here to connect to the full-text of Aesop's Fables and here to see an 18th-century illustrated edition of Fables Choisies by Jean de La Fontaine. Compare with bestiary. See also: allegory and parable.
- fabliau
- In medieval literature written in old French, a humorous metrical story told in eight-syllable lines that relates incidents of ordinary life in a realistic style and at the same time conveys a moral message. Fabliaux often satirize the faults of clergymen or other prominent persons or the foibles of ordinary people. They can be broadly humorous, as in some of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
- face
- In publishing, the outside of the front cover of a book. In printing, the raised surface of a unit of metal type from which the impression of a single character is taken in printing. Also used as an abbreviation of typeface. In binding, the outer side of one of the boards of a book, as opposed to the inside surface or the edge.
Also refers to the unbroken front of a single-sided bookcase or shelving unit, or one side of a double-sided bookcase or shelving unit, or range of double-sided units.
In cartography, the area of a map that lies within the neat line and bears information, i.e., excluding any margin and/or border.
- face out
- Placement of a book or periodical on edge with the front cover forward, usually to attract browsers to a library display or exhibit or to encourage sales in a retail outlet. In some libraries, current issues of periodicals are displayed on sloping shelves designed to allow the front covers to face forward (see this example). Also spelled face-out. Compare with spine-out.
- facet
- In indexing, the entire set of subclasses generated when a class representing a subject in a classification system is divided according to a single characteristic, for example, the subclasses "children," "adolescents," and "adults" generated by the division of the class "people" according to the characteristic "age." The number of subclasses depends on the specific characteristic applied. In his Colon Classification, S.R. Ranganathan identified five basic characteristics recognizable in any class: personality, matter, energy, space, and time (abbreviated PMEST). In a more general sense, any one of several distinct aspects of a subject.
- facet analysis
- Examination of the various aspects of a subject to identify the basic characteristics by which it can be divided into subclasses, the first step in developing a faceted classification system.
- faceted classification
- A classification system developed through analysis of the fundamental characteristics of subjects by which they can be divided into subclasses. For example, in his Colon Classification, S.R. Ranganathan identifies five basic characteristics: personality, matter, energy, space, and time (abbreviated PMEST). In such a system, the notation representing a subject is created by combining the notations of its facets.
- faceted initial
- An initial letter in an illuminated manuscript or early printed book drawn to appear three-dimensional, like a gemstone cut into a number of intersecting plane surfaces, or a Roman capital carved in stone, a style inspired the antiquarian movement in Renaissance Italy (see this example, courtesy of the British Library, Burney 353). Other examples can be seen by browsing images in this 15th-century Virgil (British Library, King's 24).
- faceted notation
- A notation in which the facets of the classification system are indicated by symbols, for example, the colon in S.R. Ranganathan's Colon Classification.
- facetiae
- Witty sayings or writings, sometimes of a coarse, indecent, or blasphemous nature. In bookselling, the term is sometimes used as a euphemism for erotica and pornography. See also: jestbook.
- facet indicator
- In Dewey Decimal Classification, a digit used to introduce notation representing a characteristic of the subject, for example, the "0" often used to introduce concepts represented by standard subdivisions (DDC).
- face up
- In printing, the position of a full-page illustration printed on the recto of a leaf so that it appears on the right-hand side of the opening in a book or other publication. Compare with double spread.
- facilitator
- A person who makes it easier for others to do their work and accomplish their goals. Ideally, a library director should facilitate the work of staff under his or her supervision. Also refers to a person with exceptional communication skills selected to lead the discussion at a conference, workshop, planning session, etc.
- facilities report
- In the exchange of special collections materials for exhibition, a concise document prepared by the borrowing institution, to accompany the request letter sent to the lending institution, describing the borrower's exhibition program and facilities. For traveling exhibitions, a separate report is submitted to the lending library for each institution. In Guidelines for Borrowing and Lending Special Collections Materials for Exhibition (January 2005), the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) recommends that the report include a description of the 1) borrowing institution, 2) building and exhibit space (size, date and type of construction, etc.), 3) fire protection system, 4) security system, 5) environment (range of temperature and humidity, lighting, UV exposure, etc.), 6) procedures to be used in handling the lent objects, and 7) insurance coverage, with a list of references (other institutions that have lent items to the borrowing institution). A standardized facilities report is available from the American Association of Museums (AAM).
- facsimile
- A reproduction or copy intended to simulate as closely as possible the physical appearance of a previous work. A facsimile of a handwritten or printed document is an exact replica of the original text, without reduction or enlargement. A facsimile edition duplicates as closely as possible the appearance and content of the original edition. Adeva and Faksimile Verlag are two companies that specialize in producing fine quality facsimile editions of rare and valuable books, the latter having produced a facsimile edition of the Book of Kells. Click here to see selected facsimiles of historical children's books, courtesy of Kay E. Vandergrift, and here to see facsimile editions available from the Huntington Library Press. For examples of digital facsimiles, see Project Runeberg. Abbreviated facsim. Compare with forgery. See also: facsimile binding and facsimile catalog.
- facsimile atlas
- A bound collection of facsimile maps or a printed reproduction of an older atlas made to duplicate as closely as possible the physical appearance of the original. Click here to see several openings in an example.
- facsimile binding
- A binding intended to duplicate as closely as possible the binding on a previously published edition of the same work or an earlier style of binding typical of the period in which the work was first published (click here to see a modern example). Compare with retrospective binding.
- facsimile catalog
- A catalog that includes in each entry a small reproduction of the picture, slide, map, or other item it represents, usually affixed to or printed on cards larger than standard size or on sheets of heavy paper filed in a loose-leaf or other type of binder.
- facsimile edition
- See: facsimile.
- facsimile map
- A printed reproduction of an old map that is intended to be identical to the original in every respect except the date and method of its production. A facsimile map should (1) have the same scale and dimensions as the original, (2) include all the details of the original with no additions, (3) match the original in color(s), and (4) be reproduced using printing techniques that introduce no elements foreign to the original, such as screen-tone. To avoid confusion, name of publisher, year of publication, location of the original, and original publisher should be given in the margin of a facsimile sheet map. Click here to see a collection of examples, courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University, and here to learn more about facsimile maps.
- facsimile reprint
- See: type facsimile.
- facsimile transmission
- See: fax.
- faction
- A term coined in the 1960s with the publication of Truman Capote's novel In Cold Blood to describe a new literary genre consisting of fictional narrative based on real events and/or characters, depicted without disguise. Unlike historical fiction in which the author attempts to interpret a more distant past with a reasonable degree of accuracy, faction is based on contemporary events or the recent past, often leaving the distinction between what is real and imaginary to the reader. Some critics and serious writers consider it a "mongrel genre." Synonymous with documentary fiction. See also: nonfiction novel and roman à clef.
- factotum
- A printer's ornament in wood or metal, designed with a space in the center, into which a unit of type bearing any letter of the alphabet can be inserted to print a large capital letter at the beginning of a chapter. In early printing, factotum initials were usually decorated.
- fact sheet
- A brief printed handout or publication, sometimes available online, giving basic information about a subject, organization, program, etc. Currency is essential. Click here to examples provided online by the National Safety Council and here to see state fact sheets keyed to a map of the United States, courtesy of the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Also spelled factsheet.
- faculty library advisory committee
- See: library advisory committee.
- faculty status
- Official recognition by a college or university that the librarians in its employ are considered members of the faculty, with ranks, titles, rights, and benefits equivalent to those of teaching faculty, including tenure, promotion, and the right to participate in governance. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has established Standards for Faculty Status for College and University Librarians (January 2001). Compare with academic status.
- faded
- The condition of a dust jacket or a cloth or paper binding on which the colors have lightened as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun or to some other strong light source. The spine often fades relative to the sides of the cover on books stored upright on the shelf (click here and here to see examples).
- FAFLRT
- See: Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table.
- fair
- A description of condition used in the book trade to indicate that a copy shows definite signs of age and/or wear, such as a torn dust jacket, foxing, a loose binding, slightly dog-eared corners, etc., but retains all the text pages, although endpapers, half title, etc., may be lacking. Defects must be noted by the bookseller. Compare with good.
- fair copy
- In publishing, the final version of the manuscript or typescript of an original work, containing few mistakes and no corrections, having been carefully prepared from the final draft by the author, or by a copy editor, for the use of the printer. Click here to see the autograph fair copy of a concerto by Mozart (Cornell University Library). Synonymous with clean copy.
- fair use
- Conditions under which copying a work, or a portion of it, does not constitute infringement of copyright, including copying for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Click here for more information about Copyright & Fair Use, provided by the Stanford University Libraries.
- U.S. Copyright Act: Fair Use
Title 17. Chapter 1. Section 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair use the factors to be considered shall include:
- (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
- (2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
- (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
- (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
- fairy tale
- A fanciful story written for or told to children, usually containing at least one supernatural element (magic, dragons, elves, ghosts, hobgoblins, witches, etc.) affecting adults and children, animals, and/or inanimate objects. Most fairy tales are based on the traditional folklore of a specific culture. Some are didactic (example: "The Three Little Pigs"). Often published in illustrated collections, fairy tales are usually shelved in the children's room of a public library or in the curriculum room of an academic library. Fairy tales are included in Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts, maintained by D.L. Ashliman of the University of Pittsburgh. Compare with folktale.
- fake
- Something that is not genuine, having been counterfeited, usually with intent to deceive or defraud, for example, The Poems of Ossian, which the 18th-century Scottish poet James Macpherson claimed were translations of ancient Gaelic manuscripts but whose authenticity was eventually disproved. Click here to learn more about the Ossian controversy. See also: forgery.
- fallen in
- The condition of the spine of a book that has become concave with use, usually the result of faulty binding or improper handling by the owner (see this example) Thick volumes are especially prone to this problem, which may be due in part to the force of gravity acting on the sections as the book sits upright on the shelf. See also: rounding.
- fallout
- A measure of the effectiveness of information retrieval, computed as the ratio of nonrelevant entries or items retrieved in response to a query to the total number of nonrelevant items indexed in the database (adapted from the ASIS Thesaurus of Information Science and Librarianship, Information Today, 1998). As a practical matter, the number of nonrelevant items in a given database is often difficult (if not impossible) to ascertain, except in very small databases, so this measure remains largely conceptual. See also: precision and recall.
- false bands
- Fake ridges added to the spine of a decorative binding in imitation of the raised bands produced by an older binding method in which the cords (sewing supports) were not recessed in grooves cut across the sections perpendicular to the binding edge. Click here to view a 19th-century example in black morocco with four wide false bands made of onlaid leather in red and green (Koninklijke Bibliotheek). Compare with half bands.
- false date
- A date such as a birth or death date or publication date given incorrectly, whether intentionally or inadvertently. In library cataloging, the correct date is interpolated in square brackets following the incorrect date in the bibliographic description (example: 1950 [1952]).
- false document
- A work (text, photograph, motion picture, etc.) created with a degree of verisimilitude calculated to fool the reader or viewer into believing in its factual authenticity, often by including one or more pieces of forgery. An example in fiction is Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe (1719), presented as a factual autobiography. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1973) is an example of a film that claims to be based on fact, but is fictional. Blurring the line separating fact from fiction is a technique often used in the fantasy, mystery, and horror genres to heighten the feeling of wonder, suspense, or fear in the reader or viewer. Compare with mockumentary.
Also used in reference to falsified identity documents (passports, visas, driver's licenses, birth certificates, etc.) and legal documents (licenses, bills of sale, etc.), often produced for criminal purposes.
- false drop
- In information retrieval, a bibliographic record retrieved in a keywords search that is unrelated to the subject of the search, usually because it meets the syntactic requirements of the query but not its semantic requirements. False drops generally occur when meaning is contingent on the order of search terms (library + school retrieves "library school" and "school library") or when a term used in a search statement has more than one meaning. For example, a search on the keyword "aids" will retrieve records for items about HIV infection and also items about hearing aids, teaching aids, band-aids, etc. To avoid this problem, a qualifier such as "disease" must be added to the search statement to make retrieval more precise. Synonymous with false combination. See also: semantic factoring.
- false imprint
- See: fictitious imprint.
- family
- See: type family.
- family name
- See: surname.
- family tree
- A diagram, chart, or other graphic representation of the genealogy of a family, often a branched figure showing the descendants of a given pair of progenitors. Click here to see an example for the Ptolemaic Dynasty and here to see the family tree of Ludwig van Beethoven. The category includes decorative or pictorial charts containing blank spaces for the insertion of names and/or portraits.
- fan
- A book bound at only one point, usually one of the four corners.
- fan binding
- A style of leather binding developed in France and Italy during the second half of the 17th century in which the center of the boards is embellished with a design in the shape of a fan open 360 degrees, composed of small hand-tooled motifs repeated to resemble lacework. The four corners were often tooled in matching quarter-fans. Geoffrey Glaister notes in Encyclopedia of the Book (Oak Knoll/British Library, 1996) that the style was adopted by Scottish binders of the 18th century. Click here to see a 17th-century Italian example (Princeton University Library) and here to see a 19th-century example on an early 16th-century Bible (Glasgow University Library, Special Collections, Du-d.7). To see other examples, try a search on the keyword "fan" in the British Library's Database of Bookbindings. See also: wheel binding.
- fancy type
- In printing, a general term for decorative type in any size, used mainly for display purposes (ornamental book titles, chapter headings, etc.).
- fan drying
- When a book has become wet but not saturated, it can usually be dried by standing it on its head on several layers of clean paper toweling or unprinted newsprint, with the covers open wide and the leaves fanned out to expose them to the air. Electric fans hasten drying by increasing air circulation. Former Yale University conservator Jane Greenfield recommends supporting the book block to the height of the squares, if possible, by resting it on one or more thin, pie-shaped pieces of styrofoam (The Care of Fine Books, Nick Lyons Books, 1988). Fan drying will reduce some of the swelling caused by exposure to water but does not return the book to its former condition. Vacuum freeze drying must be used for books printed on coated papers that fuse when wet.
- fanfare binding
- A style of leather binding developed in France during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, featuring interlaced ribbons dividing nearly the entire surface of the covered boards into compartments of various shapes, each filled with small tooled foliate designs, except for the compartment in the center. Geoffrey Glaister notes in Encyclopedia of the Book (Oak Knoll/British Library, 1996) that the interlace was typically bounded by a single line on one side and a double line on the other (click here and here to see examples). This 17th-century example bears the arms of James I of England (Princeton University Library). To see other examples, try a search on the keyword "fanfare" in the British Library's Database of Bookbindings. Synonymous with à la fanfare.
- fan fold
- See: accordion fold.
- fantasy
- A highly imaginative novel, short story, poem, etc., in which the action occurs in an unreal and nonexistent time and/or place outside the realm of possibility. Examples include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Also refers to genre fiction in which the writer's imagination is not constrained by the limitations of conventional reality. To learn more about the genre, see the fantasy section of Genreflecting. See also: science fiction and utopia.
- fanzine
- A contraction of "fan magazine." A serial publication in electronic or print format containing news and information of interest to enthusiasts of a particular pastime, phenomenon, or notable person or group (living or dead), which may also serve as a forum for readers to share their common interest. When published on the Web, such a publication may be called a fansite (see StalloneZone). See also: zine.
- FAQ
- Frequently Asked Questions, a text file available online or in print, containing answers to commonly asked questions about a specific topic, that may serve as a mini-help file for inexperienced users of a computer system or software program. Usually maintained by one or more persons who have an active interest in the subject.
- farce
- A light, boisterous form of comedy in which the characters are exaggerated stereotypes, the action improbable to the point of being ludicrous, and the verbal and visual humor lacking in subtlety (example: Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas). Farce bears the same relationship to "high" comedy as melodrama to tragedy. For other examples, try Wikipedia.
- farrago
- In literature, an unorganized mixture ("hodgepodge") of humorous prose and light verse. Also used in the context of vaudeville and musical theater to indicate a disjointed medley of tunes, dramatic skits, and comedy routines.
- fascicle
- For convenience in publishing or printing, a book or other item is sometimes issued in numbered or unnumbered installments, each incomplete and not necessarily coincident with any formal division of the work. Usually issued in paper wrappers, fascicles may eventually be bound together in correct sequence to form a complete volume or uniform set of volumes (example: Middle English Dictionary, published by the University of Michigan Press). They differ from parts in being temporary rather than permanent. Click here to see an 18th-century Chinese edition published in this manner (Bibliothèque Nationale de France) and here to see a contemporary example published under a separate title. Abbreviated fasc. Synonymous with fascicule and fasciculus.
- fascicule
- A sewn gathering of leaves that allows individual items to be inserted, each with its own support, in the manner required, usually tipped in to a supporting sheet or attached to a guard (Preservation Policies: Glossary, National Preservation Office, The British Library). Designed as an improvement on the guard book. Also used synonymously with fascicle.
- fashion plate
- An illustration printed in a periodical to advertise a current fashion design (or designs). Fashion plates first appeared in the late 18th century and were very popular from the 1830s onward, particularly in women's magazines. Click here to see a hand-colored engraving from Godey's Lady's Book, courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution. To see other examples, try a keywords search on the term in Google Image Search.
- fast back
- See: tight back.
- fastening
- A device used to keep a book closed. The earliest fasteners were wrapping bands, thongs, and ties made of fabric or leather. Metal clasps eventually replaced leather strap-and-pin fittings on medieval manuscript books. Their use helped prevent the parchment or vellum leaves from cockling in response to changes in temperature and humidity. As paper replaced parchment in the 16th century, the use of fastenings declined. Today, they are seen mainly on portfolios and on personal diaries and albums.
- fat face
- A novelty typeface in which the degree of contrast between the thick and thin strokes of each character is highly exaggerated.
- fat matter
- A printer's term for copy that does not take long to set because it contains a high proportion of white space, for example, extended passages of dialogue in a work of fiction. The opposite of lean matter.
- fax
- A shortened form of facsimile transmission. The transfer, over telephone lines, of text and/or images printed or handwritten on a sheet of paper, producing output that is an exact reproduction of the original. The method requires a fax machine at the each location (sending and receiving), consisting of a scanner, printer, and modem with a dedicated line and fax number. Transmission speed depends on the standard of the sending machine, with Group 3 (9600 bits per second) the most common. Click here to learn more about fax, courtesy of HowStuffWorks.
- FCC
- See: Federal Communications Commission.
- FDLP
- See: Federal Depository Library Program.
- feasibility study
- A preliminary investigation and report on a proposed policy, project, or plan to ascertain if it can be successfully carried out, for example, to determine if a new library building can be constructed on a particular site.
- feature
- A comparatively long article in a magazine or newspaper given special emphasis by the editor(s) or publisher, as opposed to a short article, regular column, or editorial. In magazines, the article illustrated on the front cover is called the cover story. Other feature stories in the same issue may also be noted on the front cover, often by subject.
In cartography, an object in a landscape or represented on a map or chart, whether naturally occurring (river, lake, island, mountain, canyon, etc.) or man-made (city, park, airport, road, etc.). In geographic information systems (GIS), a shape in a spatial data layer (point, line, or polygon) representing a geographic object.
- feature film
- A motion picture released theatrically or direct to video in which the dialogue and characters are largely fictional, although the plot may be derived from a true story. Variable in length, feature films are at least 40 minutes long, with 90 minutes the norm. Libraries that circulate feature films usually make them available on videocassette or DVD. Compare with documentary and short film. See also: television feature.
- Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table (FAFLRT)
- A round table of the American Library Association (ALA), FAFLRT is dedicated to promoting library and information services and the LIS profession within the U.S. federal government/military community, encouraging appropriate utilization of federal and military library and information facilities and resources, and stimulating research and development related to the planning, development, and operation of federal and military libraries. FAFLRT publishes the quarterly newsletter Federal Librarian. Click here to connect to the FAFLRT homepage.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Established by the Communications Act of 1934 to succeed the Federal Radio Commission, the FCC is charged with regulating all non-federal government use of the radio spectrum (including radio and television broadcasting), and all interstate telecommunications (wire, satellite, and cable), as well as all international communications that originate or terminate in the United States. The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms. No more than three Commissioners may be members of the same political party, and commissioners are barred from holding a financial interest in any FCC-related business. Click here to connect to the FCC homepage.
- Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP)
- Established by Congress as part of the Printing Act of 1895 to assure access for the American public to government information, the FDLP authorizes the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and contractors to distribute without charge copies of federal government documents to designated depository libraries in the United States (and its territories) that agree to provide unrestricted access and professional assistance at no charge to the user. The legal requirements of the FDLP are found in Chapter 19 of Title 44, U.S. Code. There are currently about 1,350 depository libraries, some receiving less than the full complement of available publications. The FDLP also provides free online public access to government information via GPO Access. The Public Printer and Superintendent of Documents are advised on policy matters concerning the FDLP by the Depository Library Council (DLC) established in 1972. Click here to connect to the FDLP homepage. See also: state plan.
- federal library
- A library owned and operated by the federal government of the United States, usually containing a collection of government documents pertaining to the field(s) it is mandated to cover. The largest are the Library of Congress, the National Library of Medicine, the National Library of Education, and the National Agricultural Library. The Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC) of the Library of Congress has provided the FEDLINK guide to federal libraries since 1965. Federal librarians are organized in the Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table (FAFLRT) of the American Library Association (ALA).
- Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC)
- Created in 1965 as the Federal Library Committee, FLICC is composed of the directors of the four national libraries (Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine, National Library of Education, and National Agriculture Library) and representatives of cabinet-level executive departments and federal agencies with major library programs, chaired by the Librarian of Congress.
The mission of FLICC is to enhance utilization of federal library and information center resources and facilities through professional development, publicity, and coordination. FLICC is also responsible for recommending policies, programs, and procedures to federal agencies concerning libraries and information resources and for providing guidance and direction for the Federal Library and Information Network (FEDLINK), the purchasing, training, and resource sharing consortium of federal libraries and information centers. Click here to learn more about the FLICC and FEDLINK.
- Federal Research Public Access Act
- Bipartisan legislation co-sponsored in the U.S. Senate in 2006 by John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut) requiring federal agencies that fund more than $100 million in annual external research to make electronic copies of peer-reviewed journal articles stemming from their nonclassified research publicly accessible over the Internet at no charge within six months of publication. According to C&RL News (June 2006), a coalition of library and public interest groups led by SPARC worked with the offices of Senators Cornyn and Lieberman on the development and introduction of the bill, which is supported by the Alliance for Taxpayer Access (ATA) whose members include the Genetic Alliance, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the Christopher Reeve Foundation, and 67 other patient, academic, research, and publishing entities, including the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). For more information, see "Public Access to Federally Funded Research" by Ray English and Peter Suber in the June 2006 issue of C&RL News or Sen. Cornyn's Web site.
- federated search
- A search for information using software designed to query multiple networked information resources via a single interface. The metasearch engines developed in the second half of the 1990s were capable of searching only publicly accessible Web sites. However, the new generation of federated search engines available in the 21st century are designed to search local and remote library catalogs, abstracting and indexing databases, full-text aggregator databases, and digital repositories using standardized protocols, such as Z39.50. Some federated search systems provide deduping and rank results by relevance or allow sorting by other criteria. The current lack of a uniform authentication standard means that some databases are not accessible to federated search services. Click here to learn more about federated searching, courtesy of the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) of the American Library Association (ALA), and here to learn more about the limitations of federated searching, courtesy of Information Today, Inc. See also "Federated Searching: Friend or Foe?" by William Baer in the October, 2004, issue of C&RL News.
- FEDLINK
- See: Federal Library and Information Center Committee.
- fee
- A sum of money paid for a service. The amount may be fixed, depending on type of service, or variable, depending on the amount of time required to perform the service. In some libraries, document delivery service is fee-based. Fees may also be charged for the use of items in rental collections, but for the most part, libraries in the United States are committed to offering basic services at no charge to their clientele. Persons who live outside a public library's service area, or who are not faculty or students entitled to use the resources and services of an academic library, may be charged a fee for limited borrowing privileges. See also: copyright fee.
- fee-based service
- An information service provided by a library or information broker in exchange for monetary payment. In most academic and public libraries in the United States, fee-based services, provided on a cost-recovery basis, are limited to document delivery and rental collections. Synonymous with fee-for-service. See also: fee-or-free.
- feedback
- In computing, output put back into the same system as input to achieve a degree of self-regulation. In library operations, the views (solicited or unsolicited) of the users of a resource or service concerning its quality and/or usefulness, whether positive or negative. Libraries rely on user surveys and the suggestion box to obtain feedback from patrons.
- fee-or-free
- The ongoing debate in libraries over the ideal of providing unlimited free access to information versus charging, usually on a cost-recovery basis, for certain services. In the United States, most libraries limit fee-for-service to document delivery, interlibrary loan when the lender charges, and rental collections. Libraries may also charge users to print from computer workstations, and in most libraries, photocopiers and reader-printer machines are coin-operated.
- feint
- Parallel horizontal lines drawn lightly with a ruler or printed in light-colored ink across a sheet or page, as in an account book to keep entries separate or in a medieval manuscript to guide the hand of the scribe, as in this example on a leaf of the Burnet Psalter (University of Aberdeen Library, AUL MS 25).
- fellowship
- A position at a university, research institute, or library for which a stipend is granted for a limited period of time, usually 1-2 years, to allow an outstanding scholar to pursue advanced study or research. The term is also applied to the stipend itself and, in some cases, to the foundation providing it. Senior fellowships are awarded to scholars who are well-established in their fields, junior fellowships to scholars at earlier stages of their careers. A teaching fellowship involves some classroom responsibilities. Click here to learn about fellowships offered at the Huntington Library in California and here to search a database of internships and fellowships maintained by the Library of Congress.
- feltboard
- See: flannel board.
- Feminist Task Force (FTF)
- Founded in 1970 as a task force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Libraries Association (ALA), FTF focuses on women's issues, including sexism in libraries and librarianship. FTF hosts an electronic mailing list and publishes the quarterly newsletter Women in Libraries. Click here to connect to the FTF homepage. See also: Women's Studies Section.
- fence diagram
- In cartography, a three-dimensional rendering of the subsurface of a geographic area consisting of three or more geologic cross sections in which the perspective is created by the intersection of the sections and their correlation lines. Click here to see an archaeological example and here to see a generalized fence diagram of the Floridan Aquifer System, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. To see other examples, try a keywords search on the term "fence diagram" in Google Image Search.
- ferrotype
- See: tintype.
- festival book
- A factual and/or pictorial description of a celebration (coronation, wedding, etc.) or other formal event (spectacle, pageant, performance) that occurred at a royal court or in connection with a religious establishment, usually compiled by a court or Church official and issued by an approved publisher/printer. Careful records of previous celebrations were kept by the courts of England and Europe as precedents on which to base preparations for new festivities. Diplomats also included descriptions of state occasions in reports to their home chancelleries. Written in the vernacular in prose or verse, the genre flourished from about 1550 to 1725.
Varying considerably in content and form, festival books may be entirely textual, contain text with illustrations, consist mostly of plates (usually engraved), include celebratory verse or genealogical information, or consist entirely of the libretto of an opera or ballet. Often printed before the event for distribution as souvenirs to attendees, festival books may provide an idealistic rather than a realistic account of the occasion. They are valued by historians as cultural and political literature documenting the development of national identity and traditions. Click here to see an example commemorating the coronation of James II, courtesy of Octavo Editions.
- Festschrift
- From the German words Fest ("festival") and Schrift ("writing"). A memorial publication, usually in the form of a collection of essays or speeches by distinguished persons, issued in honor of a scholarly person or society, sometimes on the occasion of an anniversary, birthday, or retirement celebration. The subject or theme encompassing the collected works is usually related to the field in which the person (or organization) achieved distinction. The contributors are often friends, colleagues, and former students of the person (or entity) honored. Click here to view an online Festschrift in honor of James M. Buchanan, Jr., winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Economics. Plural: Festschriften.
- FIAF
- See: International Federation of Film Archives.
- fiberboard
- A very rigid form of paperboard made from heavily pressed sheets of pulped vegetable fiber, laminated together.
- fiber content
- A statement of the various kinds of fiber present in a material manufactured from fiber (paper, board, cloth, thread), usually expressed in percentages to indicate relative proportions, useful information because type of fiber affects the properties of a product, for example, its color, chemical stability, strength, and durability. Synonymous with fiber composition. See also: pulp.
- fiber optics
- The high-speed transmission of data encoded in pulses of laser light via cable constructed of optical fiber made of pure silicon dioxide, a technology that revolutionized the telecommunication industry in the late 20th century, making it possible to interconnect computers large and small in a worldwide network. Click here to learn more about fiber optics, courtesy of HowStuffWorks.
- fiche
- See: microfiche.
- fiction
- From the Latin fictio, meaning to "make" or "counterfeit." Literary works in prose, portraying characters and events created in the imagination of the writer, intended to entertain, enlighten, and vicariously expand the reader's experience of life. In historical fiction, characters and events usually bear some relationship to what actually happened, but any dialogue is reconstructed or imagined by the author. All fiction is fictitious in the sense of being invented, but good fiction remains "true to life." In Western literature, the traditional forms of literary fiction include the novel, novelette, and short story. Compare with nonfiction. See also: faction, genre, popular fiction, and pulp fiction.
- In libraries that use Library of Congress Classification (LCC), fiction is shelved in the Ps, the section for language and literature, subdivided by language. To locate a specific work of fiction in the stacks, the patron must first look up the LC call number in the catalog. In libraries that use Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), long fiction is shelved separately from nonfiction, alphabetically by last name of author, to facilitate browsing. In some public libraries, genre fiction is shelved separately from general fiction, usually by category (mystery, science fiction, etc.), sometimes indicated by a graphic label on the spine.
- fictitious imprint
- An imprint that has no real existence because the publisher has given incorrect information about when, where, or by whom the edition was printed or issued, usually for profit or to evade legal or other restrictions, avoid charges of copyright piracy, or conceal the identity of the author (see this 16th-century example, courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library). In AACR2, the real imprint, when known, is given by the cataloger in the publication, distribution, etc., area of the bibliographic description as an interpolation following the fictitious one (example: Paris : Impr. Vincent, 1798 [i.e. Bruxelles : Moens, 1883]). In actual practice, it is not uncommon for the real imprint to be given as an interpolation and the fictitious one in a note. Synonymous with false imprint.
- field
- In library cataloging, a relative location of fixed or variable length in a machine-readable record, reserved for a specific data element or group of elements that constitute a single logical category of bibliographic description, for example, the area of physical description reserved for information about the physical characteristics of an item. In the MARC record, each field is indicated by a three-digit tag, but in the catalog display, textual field labels are provided to assist users in identifying the various categories of description.
Repeatable fields (R) may appear more than once in the same record; for example, there is no restriction on the number of topical subject headings (MARC field 650) that may be assigned to a work. Nonrepeatable (NR) fields can be used only once and may be mutually exclusive, for example, the personal name main entry (field 100) and uniform title main entry (field 130). Fields for areas of description containing more than one data element are divided into subfields. Only about 10 percent of available MARC fields are used in most bibliographic records; the other 90 percent are used infrequently. See also: control field, directory, leader, local field, and variable data field.
In a more general sense, a logical unit of data that, together with other units, comprises a record in a database or other system of recordkeeping, for example, the name, address, or phone number field of each patron record in a library's patron database.
In academic research, a subject or group of related subjects studied in depth, for example, "anthropometry" in the subdiscipline "physical anthropology" within the discipline of anthropology.
- field guide
- A handbook designed to help readers identify and learn about the flora and/or fauna of a geographic area, often published as part of a series. The content of a field guide is usually arranged according to biological classification, with each entry describing a single species or group of related species (genus). Entries typically include the Latin species name, descriptive text, at least one illustration to facilitate identification, and one or more maps showing geographic distribution. Click here to browse fields guides published by the National Audubon Society. Printed field guides are shelved in the reference section or in the circulating collection, depending on local library policy. Compare with natural history book.
- field label
- An abbreviation or descriptive word or phrase appearing in the record display in an online catalog or bibliographic database, usually in italics or distinguished typographically in some other way, aligned with the left-hand margin to indicate the category of data that follows, for example, Source used in periodical databases to indicate the journal title, volume number, publication date, and page numbers of the article indexed. In the MARC record, numeric tags are used instead of textual labels to distinguish fields of the record.
- fieldwork
- The gathering of information or scientific data about a subject through observation, interviewing, and other methods of direct investigation, usually conducted in a location closely associated with the topic, as opposed to researching the subject in books and other publications, conducting experiments in a laboratory setting, administering mail surveys, etc.
In archives, the process of locating, identifying, and securing materials for an archival collection, including any negotiations required to acquire custody if the materials have monetary value. Also spelled field work.
- figure
- Illustrative matter printed with the text, rather than separately in the form of plates. Figures are usually fairly simple line drawings, numbered consecutively in arabic numerals in order of appearance to facilitate reference. Figures not individually captioned may be listed with captions on a separate page, usually in the front matter of a book. Abbreviated fig. Also, synonymous in printing with numeral.
- figure initial
- An initial letter in an illuminated manuscript or early printed book composed wholly or in part of designs representing animals, humans, and/or imaginary beings unrelated to the text. Figure initials can be anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, or zoo-anthropomorphic. Click here to see a zoomorphic example from a 15th-century Italian antiphonal (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and here to see an anthropomorphic initial "I." Compare with historiated initial and inhabited initial. See also: gymnastic initial.
- figure of speech
- A form of expression employed mainly in rhetoric and literary writing in which words or entire sentences are used in a way that deviates from conventional order or literal meaning to achieve an unusual or unexpected poetic or aesthetic effect, for example, the phrase "a flood of tears." Click here to learn more about figures of speech in Wikipedia or see Grant Williams' Figures of Speech Tables. See also: metaphor.
- file
- A collection of documents usually related in some way, stored together, and arranged in a systematic order. In computing, a collection of structured data elements stored as a single entity or a collection of records related by source and/or purpose, stored on a magnetic medium (floppy disk, hard disk, Zip disk, etc.). File type, indicated by an extension at the end of the filename, depends on the code in which the data is written (example: .html for HTML script). In AACR2, the term is defined as a basic unit in which electronic resources are organized and stored, some e-resources containing more than one file.
In manual data systems, the contents of a manila folder or other physical container used to organize documents, usually of a size and shape designed to fit inside the drawer of a standard-size filing cabinet or other storage space. Also refers to a collection of information about a specific subject or person, stored together as a single unit, sometimes with other files on related subjects or people, for example, a personnel file maintained by an employer. See also: case file, convenience file, and reading file.
- file break
- See: cutoff.
- file copy
- A copy of a document, report, periodical article, etc., kept on file, usually with related items, for reference or future use.
- file name
- See: filename.
- filename
- A brief name assigned by a programmer or computer user to a data file to identify it for future retrieval. Filenames usually provide a clue to the content of the file (example: resume.txt or home.html). The three- or four-letter extension added to the end of a filename indicates file type (example: .txt for a file in ASCII or .html for a file in Hypertext Markup Language). Also spelled file name.
- file server
- See: server.
- file sharing
- Also spelled file-sharing. See: peer-to-peer.
- File Transfer Protocol
- See: FTP.
- file type
- In electronic data processing, the type of code in which a data file is written, indicated by a three- or four-letter extension at the end of the filename (example: dictionary.html for a file in HTML script). Common file types and their extensions:
For a more complete list of file formats, see Every File Extension in the World from Whatis.com. Synonymous with file format. Compare with Internet media type and MIME media type.
- filigree
- An elegant style of decoration used in manuscripts and fine printing in which an initial letter or border is edged with a delicate tracery of curved lines resembling lacework. In medieval manuscripts and early printed books, this type of decoration is usually done in pen using colored ink. Click here to view filigree initials on a vellum leaf from a 14th-century French illuminated breviary (Cary Collection, Rochester Institute of Technology).
- filigree letter
- An initial letter in a manuscript or printed book given a decorative outline or background of delicately interlaced lines resembling lacework. Click here to see polychrome examples in a 15th-century French missal and here to see gilt examples in a 14th-century French breviary (Cary Collection, Rochester Institute of Technology). See also: pen-flourished initial.
- filing rule
- A guide established to determinine how a specific type of decision is to be made concerning the order in which entries are filed in a library catalog. Published in 1942, the first edition of the A.L.A. Rules for Filing Catalog Cards was revised in 1967 to correlate with Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. New ALA Filing Rules published in 1980 apply to all bibliographic display formats (print, microform, digital, etc.). Under the current guidelines, filing is character-by-character to the end of each word, and word-by-word to the end of each filing element. Numerals precede letters, and letters of the English alphabet precede those of nonroman alphabets.
- filing title
- See: uniform title.
- filing word
- See: entry word.
- filler
- Blank unnumbered leaves added at the end of a publication to increase its bulk when bound, known in the book trade as padding.
- fillet
- In bookbinding, one or more thin decorative bands or lines impressed in gilt or blind on the boards and/or spine of a book, usually around the circumference of the cover. Also refers to the rolling tool used, when heated, to apply such lines. A French fillet consists of three unevenly spaced gilt lines. Click here to see an example by a binder of the Victorian period (Glasgow University Library, Special Collections, Mu30-b.5) and here to see an early 20th-century example (Otto G. Richter Library, University of Miami, Florida). See also: Oxford corners.
- fill rate
- In acquisitions, the percentage of materials ordered by a library from a publisher, jobber, or other vendor actually supplied within a specified period of time. See also: back order and canceled.
In interlibrary loan/document delivery, the number of requests from library users to borrow materials, or from other libraries to lend materials, that are successfully fulfilled within a given amount of time, in proportion to the total number of requests received, often used as an output measure in evaluating library performance.
- film
- A thin strip or sheet of flexible, transparent or translucent material (usually plastic) coated with a light-sensitive emulsion that, when exposed to light, can be used to develop photographic images. Motion picture film, produced in various gauges for different markets, has perforations along one or both edges by which it is advanced by sprockets inside the camera or projector. The instability and flammability of the cellulose nitrate used as a film base prior to 1950 has created a preservation imperative of massive proportions. To prevent deterioration, older films must be copied onto a more permanent base such as acetate or polyester, a time-consuming and expensive process. Click here to learn more about the physical composition of film (National Film and Sound Archive, Australia) and here to learn about how photographic film works, courtesy of HowStuffWorks. The National Film Preservation Foundation provides a Web site on film Preservation Basics. Compare with plate. See also: film format, filmstrip, microfilm, reversal film, and safety film.
Also refers to commercial and educational motion pictures in widths of 8, 16, 35, or 70mm, including documentaries, feature films, and short films. See also: film archives, film library, filmography, International Federation of Film Archives, National Film Preservation Board, National Film Registry, and orphan film.
- film archives
- An organization or unit within a larger organization or institution responsible for maintaining a permanent collection of motion pictures in support of study and research, and for their restoration and preservation. Environmental control is essential in film archives to prevent deterioration of the medium. The UCLA Film & Television Archive maintains the largest university-held moving image collection in the world. Some film archives specialize in films of a particular type (example: newsreels). For an international list of film archives, see the directory of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) or the Library of Congress list. Compare with film library. See also: National Film Preservation Foundation.
- film can
- A shallow disk-shaped container made of metal or hard plastic with a tightly-fitting lid, available in various diameters for storing and transporting motion picture film on reels or cores (click here to see examples). ISO standards recommend polypropylene or polyethylene for plastic film cans. If metal is used, it should be noncorroding. Films are also stored in wide, flat archival cardboard boxes. Containers should not be made with adhesives or additives that might react chemically with film. The Image Permanence Institute (IPI) has developed the Photographic Activity Test (PAT) for film storage materials. Size of enclosure should match the diameter of the film roll and containers should be stacked horizontally to allow the rolls to lie flat.
To open a rusted or dented film can, bang it gently against a hard, flat surface to loosen the lid. If necessary, a screw driver or similar implement can be used to pry the lid off, but care must be taken to keep the blade from damaging the film. Gloves should be worn when opening an old film can and the lid tilted away to protect the face and eyes from flying particles and fumes. Vented cans are available for storing nitrate film. Cans containing old films sometimes bear marks and labels that can be important sources of documentation. Click here to learn more about film cans, courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Also spelled filmcan.
- film cement
- A special combination of solvents and solids used to make overlap splices in the editing and repair of motion picture film. In a cement splicing machine, the ends of the film are aligned on pins through the perforations, and both the removal of the emulsion layer by scraping and the application of cement may be done automatically. With a "hot splicer" an electric heating element hastens the drying of the cement, resulting in a stronger bond. For safety, film cements should always be used as directed by the manufacturer. Commercially available film cements cannot be used on polyester base film, which must be spliced with tape or by using an ultrasonic splicer.
- film cleaner
- A solvent used in the conservation of film to remove dust, oil, and wax from the plastic surface. Commercially available film cleaners can be toxic and should always be used as directed by the manufacturer on the product specifications sheet. They should not be used on magnetic sound film or on films with magnetic sound tracks. Also refers to a machine used in the film lab to clean motion picture film, especially the original negative after it has been handled in editing, usually equipped with pads or squeegees that wipe the surface with cleaning solution. In an ultrasonic cleaner, the film is passed through a solvent bath in which high-frequency vibrations dislodge dirt and grime. Mechanical film cleaners can also be attached to a rewind bench or film projector to clean release prints after use. As ageneral rule, a film should be cleaned before preservation copying.
- film clip
- A short piece of motion picture footage taken from a longer work, usually for promotional use or review purposes, to give viewers a brief impression of the whole. Compare with trailer. See also: video clip.
- film format
- The characteristics that distinguish a particular type of motion picture film, including width (gauge), image height and position, and size and placement of perforations. Each format requires its own equipment and supplies, for example, the cameras, printers, and projectors used to shoot, print, and show most theatrically released films have apertures with dimensions standardized to accommodate 35mm film. Click here (Wikipedia) and here (Ani-Mato) to learn more about film formats.
- film library
- A type of special library containing a collection of 8, 16, 35, or 70mm motion pictures, videorecordings, DVDs, and other materials related to cinematography and film studies, classified for ease of access and retrieval, for example, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Viewing or borrowing privileges may be restricted to registered members or subscribers who are required to pay fees. Compare with film archives.
- film loop
- A work composed of a length of motion picture film with the ends spliced together to allow it to run through a film projector or other viewing device continuously until the equipment is turned off. The actualities shown in the last years of the 19th century up to about 1910 were often of this form.
- film noir
- Literally "black film," a term coined by French film critics for fictional crime films made during the 1940s and 1950s in which the action is a dark, potent metaphor for human weakness and the ills of society, rather than an isolated example of aberrant behavior. The world evoked in this style of cinematic work is one of melancholy, disillusionment, and pervasive evil inhabited by hard-boiled private detectives and devious, corrupt, unrepentant criminals, often involving a duplicitous femme fatale and a strong undercurrent of moral conflict. Filmed in black and white, film noir relies on visual devices borrowed from German expressionism--deep shadows, low-key lighting effects, and oblique, unharmonious composition. Flashbacks and voice-over narration are also common ingredients. Identification of the culprit(s) is usually less important than revealing facts that justify the hero's cynical view of life, in which there are no happy endings (examples: Kiss Me Deadly by Robert Aldrich; Double Indemnity by Billy Wilder; and Touch of Evil by Orson Welles). The category also includes motion pictures made before the 1940s and after the 1950s (post-noirs and neo-noirs) that evoke the same mood as classic noirs (Scarface [1932] by Howard Hawks and Chinatown [1974] by Roman Polanski). Click here to learn more about film noir in Wikipedia and here to browse a list of film noir titles.
- filmography
- A list of motion pictures, usually limited to works by a specific director or performer, in a particular genre, of a specific time period or country, or on a given subject, usually listed alphabetically by title or chronologically by release date. The entries in a filmography include some or all of the following elements of description: producer, distributor, director, cast, release date, running time, language, color or black and white, etc. Click here to see an online filmography of Alfred Hitchcock, courtesy of the Internet Movie Database. Compare with discography.
- film preservation
- The fact that nitrate and acetate base films decay under normal environmental conditions has created a preservation imperative of a magnitude matched only by the use of acid paper in printing. Ideally, motion picture preservation involves the creation of surrogates for public use and one or more film masters that can be used to create new copies without subjecting the original source to further wear and tear. Masters are usually copied on film and access copies on videotape, DVD, or some other digital medium. If the original is in poor condition, restoration may be required. Whenever possible, preservationists use carefully documented measures that are reversible and do not damage the original. Because film preservation is an expensive, time-consuming process, cold and dry storage is often used to retard deterioration while copying is prioritized to be accomplished over an extended period. Click here to learn more about film preservation courtesy of the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA). The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) also provides online information, including the 120-page Film Preservation Guide. See also the Film Preservation Handbook provided by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
- film ruler
- A calibrated linear scale, usually made of metal, used to estimate the total length of a motion picture (usually in linear feet) by measuring from the center of the core outward to the edge of the roll (the radius). Split film reels are sometimes hatch-marked for the same purpose.
- film series
- A group of motion pictures, related in theme or subject and often uniform in style of presentation, released in succession (numbered or unnumbered) by a single producer or distributor, each bearing, in addition to its own title, a collective or series title applied by the producer to the group as a whole. In AACR2, the series title is entered in the series statement in the bibliographic record describing the item. Also refers to a group of related feature films released in succession under the same title, following upon the box office success of the initial work, with the sequels identified by a numeral added to the end of the title (example: The Godfather [1972], The Godfather Part II [1974], and The Godfather Part III [1990]). If the relationship of the sequel to the original title is indicated in the bibliographic description, it is given in the note area.
- filmslip
- A very short filmstrip mounted like a slide in a rigid holder instead of stored in a short flexible roll.
- film storage
- Temperature and humidity are the two most important variables affecting the longevity of motion picture film. The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) states in The Film Preservation Guide (2004) that, "Fresh acetate film stored at a temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 50% RH (relative humidity) will last approximately 50 years before the onset of vinegar syndrome. Simply reducing the temperature 15 degrees, while keeping the humidity at the same level, delays the first signs by 150 years." A storage temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit meets ISO standards for nitrate, acetate, and polyester base films. A temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing) provides extended life and is recommended for films in a state of decay to buy time if means are not available for immediate duplication. If a cold storage
