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.

R

RA

See: readers' advisory.

radio frequency identification (RFID)

The use of microchips to tag library materials and the library card, enabling patrons to check out items by walking through a self-service station equipped with an antenna that emits low-frequency radio waves. When an RF tag (transponder) passes through the electromagnetic zone, a reader (antenna + transceiver) decodes the data encoded in the tag's integrated circuit, passing it to a computer that automatically links data from the physical item(s) to the patron record that corresponds to the library card. Line-of-sight is not required for this noncontact system. RFID technology may eventually replace the barcode and optical technology in library circulation systems. Tags are available in various shapes and sizes for use in a wide range of applications, with read/write capability for interactive applications.

Because high-frequency radio waves can be used to track moving objects at a distance, the introduction of RFID technology in libraries has raised concerns about privacy. In January 2005, the Council of the American Library Association adopted a Resolution on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology and Privacy Principles to address issues of privacy and confidentiality. Click here to learn more about RFID technology. Biblio Tech Review provides information online about the implementation of RFID technology in libraries, or see "Considering RFID: Benefits, Limitations, and Best Practices" by Laura J. Smart in the January 2005 issue of C&RL News. See also: skimming.

radiograph

An image produced by exposing a photosensitive surface (film or plate) to radiation other than visible light (X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons) through an opaque object (click here to see a radiograph of a human wrist and hand). Collected mainly by medical libraries, radiographs are cataloged in AACR2 as graphic materials. They are also used in the study of watermarks.

radio play

An original drama or dramatic adaptation written for broadcast through the medium of radio. Because the action in a radio play is heard but not seen by the audience, the dramatist must use auditory props (sound effects) and the actors must rely on qualities of voice (tone, pitch, loudness, etc.) to convey emotion. A famous example is the broadcast by Orson Welles of the H.G. Wells story War of the Worlds on CBS on October 30, 1938, which caused panic among listeners who accepted it as fact. Click here to see a pair of Sherlock Homes radio plays by Anthony Boucher (pseudonym of William Anthony Parker White), a writer and a critic of science fiction and mystery fiction (Lilly Library, Indiana University).

rag book

See: cloth book.

ragged

Refers to a page of type with lines of variable length, usually ragged right, set flush (aligned) with the left-hand margin but unjustified on the right, as in the lines of a poem.

rag paper

Paper made from cotton and/or linen rags, stronger and more permanent than paper made from wood pulp and most other fibers but also more expensive. Rag content is usually indicated as a percentage. Paper made from 100 percent rag fiber is called all-rag. See also: bible paper.

railway edition

An inexpensive edition of a popular work (fiction, biography, history, etc.), often printed in pocket-size format, for sale to train travelers at bookstalls in railroad stations during the 19th century. Synonymous with railway library edition.

raincheck

A slip issued with a shipment of materials when the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) does not have enough copies of the document for distribution to all the depository libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) that have selected it. The raincheck informs the depository that a claim should not be filed for the missing item because a copy will be sent as soon as the publication is reprinted.

raised bands

Narrow, slightly elevated ridges visible at intervals across the spine of a hand-bound book, produced by the underlying sewing supports to which the sections are attached. Click here to see raised bands on the spine of a 17th-century leather binding (Glasgow University Library, Special Collections, BD2-h.2) and here to see a 16th-century example decorated in gilt (Royal Library of Denmark). On some bindings, raised bands were made more prominent by nipping up the leather on either side, as the covering material was applied (see this example, courtesy of George Mason University). In this example, the single-thong sewing supports beneath the raised bands are exposed (Princeton University Library). When faked on a decorative binding, raised ridges are called false bands. Compare with sunk bands. See also: smooth spine.

raised capital

In printing, an initial letter, usually at the beginning of the first paragraph of a chapter, projecting above the line of type on which it appears. Synonymous with cocked-up initial. Compare with drop initial.

RAM

See: random access memory.

ramie

Fiber of the Asiatic plant species Baehmeria nivea, in the nettle family, one of the most durable materials for weaving and papermaking, used in printing bank notes. Click here to learn more about the plant in Wikipedia. See also: rag paper.

random access memory (RAM)

A group of high-speed memory chips that perform most of the processing in a computer, allowing users to access bytes of data in any order, rather than sequentially. At startup, the operating system and any application programs are routinely loaded from the hard disk into RAM to allow processing to begin. Any data in current use is also stored in RAM. To retain their content, RAM chips must have electric power, which is why users must save data to a slower storage medium (hard disk, floppy disk, Zip disk, etc.) before powering down. Click here to learn more about RAM, courtesy of HowStuffWorks. See also: buffer.

Ranganathan, S(hiyali) R(amamrita) (1892-1972)

A former mathematics professor who, after receiving an honors certificate in library science from the University of London in 1925, served as first librarian of the University of Madras until 1944, where he developed Colon Classification (1933), a classification system used in research libraries worldwide.

Ranganathan's pioneering work in library education established him as the "father" of librarianship in India. He helped found the Indian Library Association in 1933 and served as its president from 1944 to 1953. From 1948 to 1958 he served on the Indian national committee for cooperation with UNESCO, focusing his attention on issues of concern to libraries, and from 1951 to 1962 he was rapporteur-general for the documentation classification section of the International Federation for Documentation.

In 1956, Ranganathan gave his life savings to endow a professorship in library science at the University of Madras, the first such chair outside the United States. In 1962, he used the royalties from his books to establish an endowment for annual lectures given in India by eminent contributors to library science from around the world. He is famous for his Five Laws of Library Science (1931):

1. Books are for use.

2. Every reader his book.

3. Every book its reader.

4. Save the time of the reader.

5. A library is a growing organism.

Click here to read Eugene Garfield's tribute to S.R. Ranganathan (Current Contents, February 6, 1984).

range

A component of a library stack, consisting of a row of two or more sections of single- or double-faced fixed or adjustable shelving, with common uprights or shelf supports between sections. The row may be free-standing or assembled against a wall.

Also refers to the difference between the largest value and the smallest in a given set of numerical data, for example, a publication date range (example: 1950-1960) specified by the user in a search of an online catalog or bibliographic database to limit retrieval to items published within a certain period.

range aisle

The narrow corridor or passageway between two ranges of shelves in the stacks of a library. In the United States, the standard minimum aisle width in new and renovated facilities is 36 inches. Some kinds of compact shelving allow the distance between ranges to be adjusted as needed. Synonymous with stack aisle. Compare with cross aisle.

range line

One of the two north-south boundaries of a township in the United States surveyed under the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). Range lines are numbered east and west of the principal meridian used in the survey (click here to see an illustration, courtesy of GeoSTAC).

rank

Any one of a number of grades of employment within a library or library system, reflecting the qualifications, experience, skill, and length of tenure of the person occupying the position to which the rank applies, usually associated with a given rate or range of compensation. In academic libraries at institutions that grant faculty status to librarians, the ranks are usually Instructor, Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, and Librarian. Ranks for library staff who do not hold the M.L.S. or M.L.I.S. degree are based on technical skill and experience. See also: promotion.

Also, to put a series of items, records, citations, applications, etc., in sequence based on one or more evaluative criteria such as relevance, usefulness, merit, etc. The presence of an option allowing users to select search results ranked by relevance is a mark of sophistication in database search software. Compare with sorting.

ranking

In information retrieval, the presentation of search results in a sequence based on one or more criteria that, in some systems, the user may specify in advance. The most common are currency (publication date) and relevance, usually determined by the number of occurrences of the search terms typed as input and their location in the record (in title, descriptors, abstract, or text). Compare with sorting. See also: weighting.

RAP

See: Regional Alliance for Preservation.

rare book

A book so difficult to find that only a few copies are known to antiquarian booksellers. Those that do exist seldom appear on the market and are consequently coveted. Rare books are often valuable, but not all highly valuable books are rare. Most libraries keep their rare books in a secure location to which access is restricted (usually in special collections). Very rare books are sold at book auctions and by dealers serving collectors (see for example the Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts Company). For a detailed discussion of the history of rare book libraries, see the entry by Daniel Traister in the International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science (Routledge, 2003). Many libaries are digitizing images from their rare books collections (see this exhibition by the Missouri Botanical Garden Library). Rules for cataloging rare books are given in Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Books, 2nd edition (Library of Congress Cataloging Distribution Service, 1991). The Rare Book School at the University of Virginia is the only one if its kind in the United States. See also: first edition, incunabula, price guide, and Rare Books and Manuscripts Section.

Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS)

Created in 1948 as a special committee of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), RBMS exercises leadership in local, national, and international special collections communities to represent and promote the interests of librarians, curators, and other specialists concerned with the acquisition, organization, security, preservation, administration, and use of special collections, including rare books and manuscripts, archives, graphic materials, music, ephemera, etc. RBMS publishes the semiannual RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage and the semiannual RBMS Newsletter. Click here to connect to the RBMS homepage.

rare map

Rarity in maps depends on the history of the country or region depicted. As a general rule, any map of the United States published before 1900 is considered rare, especially if it depicts an area west of the Rocky Mountains. In Great Britain, a map is considered rare if published prior to 1825. As historical documents, rare maps are often of considerable interest to scholars and collectors. They can also be aesthetically pleasing. Click here to view a 16th-century manuscript map of the world (Glasgow University Library, Special Collections, MS Hunter 492) and here to see an example from an illustrated edition of Cosmographia by Claudius Ptolemaeus, printed from woodblocks and hand-colored in 1482 (Morgan Library). A Map of New England was the first map printed in America, from a woodcut by John Foster in 1677 (Osher Map Library, University of Southern Maine). To see other examples, try the Yahoo! list of historical map collections. Compare with old map.

rarity

The degree to which a book, map, or other item is scarce or uncommon, which, in combination with its age, condition, and aesthetic qualities, helps determine its value in the market place. In the antiquarian book trade, degrees of rarity are generally classified as follows:

Scarce - comes to the attention of an expert in rare books no more than once in a year

Rare - comes to the attention of an expert once in a decade

Very rare - comes to the attention of an expert once in a lifetime

Unique - one-of-a-kind, no other copies known to exist

See also: Rare Books and Manuscripts Section and rare map.

raster data

Digital data represented as a cellular grid matrix composed of rows and columns (a raster) representing space as a continuum (example: a digitally scanned image or photograph). Each cell or pixel in the matrix is referenced by an x, y coordinate stored as an identifier to which values can be assigned to indicate the magnitude of attributes in space. A group of cells with the same value represents a map feature, for example, terrain of a given elevation class. Georaster data is georeferenced, either to the globe or to a specified map projection, each pixel of data representing a known patch of territory on the surface of the earth. The same cell in another matrix of similar specifications referenced to the same space can be used to represent data of a different type, permitting the accumulation of layers of data. A digital elevation model (DEM) is a raster data set of elevation values derived from a printed topographic map (click here to see an example). Because a line defined by a group of pixels along its length requires more file space than a line defined by a vector, certain map features are more economically stored as digital line graphs (vector data) than as digital raster graphics. Click here to learn more about raster data, courtesy of NOAA.

rate adjustment

A change in the price of a serial subscription that occurs after the publisher or vendor has billed the library, usually handled with either a supplemental invoice or credit memo.

ratings

See: content rating and library rating.

raw stock

See: stock.

RBB

See: Reference Books Bulletin.

RBMS

See: Rare Books and Manuscripts Section.

RCL

See: Resources for College Libraries.

Rea Award for the Short Story

An annual literary award established in 1986 by the late Michael M. Rea, writer and passionate reader and collector of short stories, to honor a living American or Canadian writer who has made a significant contribution to the short story form. The award is given not for a specific title, but rather for literary power, originality, and influence on the genre. Previous winners include Eudora Welty, Paul Bowles, and Joyce Carol Oates. Recipients of the $30,000 prize are nominated and selected by a jury of distinguished writers. Click here to learn more about the Rea Award.

readability

In typography, the characteristics of a typeface that make it easy for the human eye to read large blocks of printed matter, in contrast to legibility, which allows the eye to comprehend a few words or phrases on a page rapidly and accurately. As a general rule, roman typefaces have the highest readability and sans-serifs the highest legibility. Most italic typefaces are too light to be readable en masse. Nearly all typefaces lose readability in condensation.

In literary composition, prose written in a style that makes the content easy to comprehend. Some publishers use a fog index to measure readability.

readable

Capable of being read. Also refers to reading material that is interesting and written in a style that makes the content easy for most readers to comprehend. Sometimes used synonymously with legible. See also: fog index.

read aloud marathon

An event in which participants take turns reading aloud without interruption in an attempt to exceed a previously established record length of time. In June 2005, six librarians from the Henderson District Public Libraries in Nevada read aloud nonstop for 100 hours, breaking the standing world record of 81 hours. To meet the requirements of The Guinness Book of World Records, an audience had to be present at all times. The event also served a fundraising purpose, bringing in about $6,000 to support HDPL's Mobile Extension Library, a service that makes books available to patrons in rural areas. Compare with read-a-thon.

read-a-thon

A contraction of reading marathon, a school or library event in which young readers are given an incentive to read a certain number of pages or books within a designated period of time. The event may be tied to fund-raising, with sponsors pledged to contribute a certain amount to a worthy cause when the reading goal is met. Click here to learn about Readathon in the UK. Compare with read alound marathon.

reader

A person who reads silently to himself (or herself) or aloud to others, from a book other other written or printed source, or an electronic medium displaying text. One of the primary goals of libraries is to encourage reading and literacy. Reading preferences are of particular interest to publishers who use survey techniques to measure them. See also: new adult reader, nonreader, and reluctant reader.

In publishing, a person asked to read and evaluate for potential publication manuscripts submitted by authors and their agents. Large publishing houses often employ a first reader to screen incoming manuscripts and select those deemed worthy of further consideration, usually by specialists. In printing, a person responsible for reading proofs and comparing them with the original copy to detect typographical errors, a process called proofreading. Also, a person who volunteers or is paid to read a book onto audiotape for distribution as an audiobook, sometimes the author but more often a professionally trained actor or actress.

In special libraries, a staff member responsible for scanning current materials to select items for routing to persons within the organization who have requested current awareness service, based on their interest profiles.

Also refers to a textbook containing reading exercises, especially one intended for young schoolchildren (click here to see early examples, courtesy of the Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas). Synonymous in this sense with primer.

reader-printer

A machine designed for enlarging, viewing, and making printed copies of microforms (microfiche, microfilm, microopaque), usually coin-operated (fee varies). Libraries with microform holdings usually provide at least one reader-printer for patron use. Compare with photocopier. See also: copy card.

readers' advisory (RA)

Services provided by an experienced public services librarian who specializes in the reading needs of the patrons of a public library. A readers' advisor recommends specific titles and/or authors, based on knowledge of the patron's past reading preferences, and may also compile lists of recommended titles and serve as liaison to other education agencies in the community. The same type of information is provided by reference works such as Reader's Adviser: A Layman's Guide to Reading published by R.R. Bowker. For genre fiction, the standard guide is Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction (Libraries Unlimited, 2000) by Diana Tixier Herald. For online readers' advisory, try Find a Good Book: If You Like... from the Hennepin County Library, or Book Browser from Barnes & Noble. Readers' advisory for juveniles is usually provided by a librarian specializing in services for children or young adults, based on the patron's age, interests, and reading level. KidsReads.com is an example of a Web site that provides advisory services for children. Compare with bibliographic instruction.

readership

The total number of people who read, or are estimated to read, a given publication, not necessarily equal to the number who purchase or subscribe to it. In periodical publishing, total readership equals base circulation plus pass-along. The term is also used to refer to a particular class of reader, for example, educated readership as opposed to general readership.

reading copy

A complimentary copy of a forthcoming book sent at no charge by the publisher to selected booksellers in advance of the publication date to promote sales. Reading copies may be printed as part of the regular edition and distributed in the same binding as the trade edition. Compare with advance copy.

Also refers to a used book so worn that it is not considered collectible in the antiquarian book trade unless rebound but is suitable for reading because the text is complete.

reading disability

Difficulty in learning to read, a serious obstacle to individual achievement in a literate society. The causes can be physical (e.g., dyslexia or ADHD), psychological (fear of failure), or cultural (lack of exposure to basic language skills in early childhood). In the public schools in the United States, reading failure is disproportionately prevalent among children living in poverty, but Dr. G. Reid Lyon of the Child Development and Behavior Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has noted that through "systematic, explicit, and intensive instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension" the majority of kindergarten and elementary school children at risk of reading failure can learn to read at average or above levels. Research by NICHD reveals that failure to develop basic reading skills by age nine predicts a lifetime of illiteracy. The key to effective prevention is early identification and intervention.

reading file

In archives, a circulating file containing copies of documents arranged in chronological order to allow the reader to follow the development of an activity or event over time. Compare with chronological file.

reading group

An organized group, usually sponsored by a library, school, church, or bookstore, whose members meet to talk about books they have read. Most groups coordinate their reading so that everyone has read the same book, or a work by the same author, in advance of meeting. In some groups, a facilitator is selected, sometimes on a rotating basis, who begins the session with a brief talk about the author or the book before opening the floor to discussion. See also: Great Books.

reading habits

See: reading preference.

reading lamp

A man-made light source specifically designed to provide the optimum amount of illumination for a person sitting and reading in a chair or at a desk, usually shaded to direct the light downward onto the page without glare. Very small models designed to clip onto the cover of a book can be purchased for reading in bed. To see examples, try a keywords search on the term in Google Image Search.

reading level

One of several degrees of proficiency in reading, usually defined in reference to a specific academic grade level (example: third-grade level) or stage of reading development, applicable to both reader and reading material. Factors determining reading level include vocabulary, sentence structure, length of text, and difficulty of content.

reading list

A list of recommended resources (books, articles, Web sites, etc.) on a topic, usually compiled by a teacher or librarian with an interest in or expertise on the subject, for distribution to students enrolled in a course of study or available to readers on a library display rack, kiosk, or bulletin board, not as comprehensive or scholarly as a research bibliography. Compare with pathfinder and research guide.

reading matter

Anything that can be read, from the back of a cereal box to a philosophical treatise. Reading material need not be written or printed on paper, merely text-based, for example, a news article published at a Web site. Choice of reading material reflects a person's interests, tastes, education, and experience. See also: readers' advisory and reading preference.

reading preference

A reader's taste in reading matter as to format (books, magazines, comic books, etc.), genre (fiction or nonfiction), subject (biography, crime, travel, etc.), and author. Although reading preferences often change with age, studies have shown that in some individuals they remain remarkably constant. Gender and age are important factors in fiction preferences (adventure and westerns for men, mystery and romance for women, science fiction and fantasy for adolescents). Psychological factors such as mood may also influence reader choice. Niche publishing appeals to consumers who have developed specific interests. Publishers rely on survey research to examine consumer choice. User surveys enable librarians to develop typologies of borrowers, based on habitual preferences. In public libraries, experienced public services librarians often make an effort to learn the reading habits of regular patrons, and may select materials with the preferences of specific individuals in mind. See also: readers' advisory.

Reading Rainbow

A television series designed to interest children 4-8 years of age in the pleasures of reading outstanding books for children, Reading Rainbow is broadcast daily (M-F) for one-half hour by 95 percent of the public television (PBS) stations in the United States. Its fast-paced magazine-style format has garnered over 150 awards since its inception, including 13 Emmy Awards. Click here to connect to the Reading Rainbow homepage.

reading room

A specially designated room in a library, usually furnished with comfortable chairs, study tables, and reading lamps, where a person can study or read quietly without being disturbed. Reading rooms may also contain library materials such as reference books. Some libraries have wired their reading rooms to accommodate patrons with laptops, who require Internet access. Reading rooms in very large libraries, such as the New York Public Library at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, are often beautifully designed and furnished.

Also refers to a community facility administered independently of a library, equipped with tables, chairs, and illumination but containing little or no reading matter, to which a person in need of a quiet retreat may bring his or her own materials for study, more common in less developed countries where comfortable space for individual study is at a premium.

readme

A small text file containing important instructions on how to use a computer program, or information about new developments affecting the user of a software system, which may not be included in the printed documentation. To avoid computer viruses, caution should be exercised when opening a readme file sent as an e-mail attachment.

read-only

A digital storage medium capable of being read but not modified or erased, used for data that is to be retained permanently, for example, ROM (read-only memory) and CD-ROM. The opposite of rewritable. See also: WORM.

read-only memory (ROM)

A memory chip containing instructions and/or data that cannot be changed or erased because the manufacturer created it in unalterable form. Usually contains the programs required to start the computer. Click here to learn more ROM, courtesy of HowStuffWorks. Compare with CD-ROM.

ready reference

A reference question that can be answered by a reference librarian in one or two minutes by providing a fact or piece of information found in a single source. However, upon further inquiry, what at first appeared to be a simple query may turn out to be an opening gambit in a more extensive search, once the nature of the information need is fully understood.

Also refers to the reference materials used most often in answering such questions, shelved for convenience in a separate location near the reference desk rather than in the reference stacks (Books in Print, Encyclopedia of Associations, Statistical Abstract of the U.S., world almanacs, city directories, Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, etc.). Shelf dummies are used in the reference stacks to direct users to the correct location. Some libraries also provide online ready reference resources via their Web pages. Selection decisions are usually made by the public services librarians who work at the reference desk, based on consensus developed over time. For online ready reference resources, try Lii.org, Gary Price's Fast Facts, or the Fugitive Fact File maintained by the Hennepin County Library.

realia

Three-dimensional objects from real life, whether man-made (artifacts, tools, utensils, etc.) or naturally occurring (specimens, samples, etc.), usually borrowed, purchased, or received as gifts by a library for use in classroom instruction or in exhibits. Archival and manuscript collections often receive items of memorabilia such as jewelry, leather goods, needlework, etc., in connection with gifts of personal papers (see this example). In AACR2, the term is added inside square brackets [realia] as a general material designation following the title proper in the bibliographic description. Compare with replica.

real time

Happening immediately, in the present moment, for example, a report on or record of events made simultaneously with their occurrence. In computing, an electronic process, operation, or routine that occurs quickly enough to affect or respond to a related process taking place simultaneously in actual time, for example, chat reference. The opposite of asynchronous.

ream

As originally used in papermaking, the term referred to a unit of measurement consisting of 20 quires or 480 sheets of handmade paper, but the number of sheets in a ream eventually became standardized at 500 sheets of machine-made paper. More recently, European papermakers have adopted 1,000 sheets as the standard number.

rebacked

A book given a new spine and mended hinges, usually because the spine was cracked or the hinges weakened. Original materials are used where possible, but when new cover material is required, a close match is usually attempted by the binder. Rebacking is not as extensive as rebinding since some of the original binding (usually the boards) is retained. Click here to see the steps in the process. See also: backstrip.

rebinding

The complete rehabilitation of a book too worn to be mended or repair, a process that usually entails removing the cover or case, resewing the sections, and applying a new cover or case. In some instances, parts of an old binding can be incorporated into a new one. When this is impossible and the old binding is important, it should be kept as part of the book's history. The steps involved in preparing a book for rebinding are collectively known as pulling. Very large libraries are often equipped to perform rebinding in-house, but smaller libraries must rely on the services of a commercial bindery. Click here to see the process documented by the University of Washington Libraries. Compare with recased and recover. See also: covers bound in.

reboot

To cause the files in the operating system of a computer to be re-executed, usually by selecting the option to "Restart" or "Reset" or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del on the keyboard. This procedure is sometimes helpful in getting a computer "unstuck" after it locks up unexpectedly during processing. If it fails, the user can cold boot the system, but powering down will result in the loss of unsaved data. Synonymous with warm boot. See also: boot.

rebus

A type of puzzle in which certain words in a sentence are replaced by pictures of objects whose names suggest the meaning or sound of the words they are intended to represent, for example, a picture of a bed to suggest "sleep" or of an eye to represent the pronoun "I." According to James Bettley (The Art of the Book, V&A Publications, 2001), the earliest known example appears in a treatise on penmanship by Giovambattista Palatino printed in 1540. Rebus motifs were sometimes used in medieval manuscript decoration (see this example, courtesy of the British Library, Arundel 366). Click here to see an American Civil War letter written as a rebus.

recall

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

In information retrieval, a measure of the effectiveness of a search, expressed as the ratio of the number of relevant records or documents retrieved in response to the query to the total number of relevant records or documents in the database; for example, in a database containing 100 records relevant to the topic "book history," a search retrieving 50 records, 25 of which are relevant to the topic, would have 25 percent recall (25/100). One of the main difficulties in using recall as a measure of search effectiveness is that it can be nearly impossible to determine the total number of relevant records in all but very small databases. Compare with precision. See also: fallout.

recased

A book block that has come loose in, or fallen out of, its case or cover and been reglued into it. The procedure usually requires new endpapers but not resewing. Click here to see recasing illustrated, courtesy of the University of Illinois Library. The term is also used for a book rebound in a case taken from another copy of the same title or in an entirely new case. Compare with rebinding and recover.

recataloging

The process of making substantial revisions in bibliographic records for items that have already been cataloged, usually in response to changes in the needs or policies of the library, for example, the addition of contents notes to records representing anthologies and other collected works. Also spelled recataloguing. Compare with reclassification.

receipt

A written document stating that something has been received, usually in exchange for payment of an amount noted in the acknowledgment. Sometimes found among personal and family papers, receipts may contain information of historical importance. Click here to see a receipt for tobacco purchased by Meriwether Lewis for the Lewis and Clark expedition to the West (National Archives and Records Administration). Also used synonymously with recipe, as in receipt book.

receiving

In acquisitions, the initial processing of an item shipped to the library by a publisher, jobber, or vendor, including verification that the correct item was shipped with all parts included, routing the invoice to the appropriate accounting office for payment, and updating the order record, usually with date received, number of parts received, and an indication of where the item was sent for the next step in processing.

recension

A revision of the text of a work, often a literary classic, based on a critical examination of earlier texts and authoritative sources, usually undertaken only after a consensus has developed among leading scholars concerning the weight of evidence. Compare with redaction. See also: textus receptus.

recently returned

A code used in online catalogs and circulation systems to indicate the circulation status of an item returned by a borrower and checked in by library staff so recently that it may still be on a holding shelf or in the process of being reshelved. The temporary designation assists staff in tracing the item if it cannot be located by call number in the stacks. Unless the item is checked out again immediately upon return, the status code automatically changes to "available" after a predetermined interval of time.

recessed monitor

See: monitor.

reciprocal agreement

A mutual understanding between libraries, usually concerning fees for lending via interlibrary loan, typically "We will not charge you if you do not charge us."

reciprocal borrowing privileges

Loan privileges granted by independent cooperating libraries to registered members of each other's user groups, sometimes for a modest fee. In September 2004, the Office of Research and Statistics (ORS) of the American Library Association (ALA) surveyed the state data coordinators of each state or territorial library agency concerning the presence of statewide reciprocal borrowing, reciprocal borrowing between similar libraries (public, academic, school, and special), multistate reciprocal borrowing, and whether the state had issued a statewide library card. The results were summarized in the January 2005 issue of American Libraries. Click here to read the results.

reclassification

Revision of the call numbers assigned to selected items to make their relationship to other items in the collection more consistent, for example, to reflect the merger of two classes very similar in subject. Also refers to the conversion of a collection (or part of a collection) originally cataloged under one classification system to another, for example, from Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) to Library of Congress Classification (LCC), or vice versa.

Also refers to the removal of previously declassified government documents from public access. American Libraries reported in its March 2006 issue that U.S. Archivist Allen Weinstein called upon all intelligence and security agencies on March 2, 2006 to cease removing documents from the open shelves of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and to return as many records as possible which they pulled as part of a secret program in operation since 1999. His call for the moratorium was prompted by a letter from a group of historians who complained that the CIA, the Defense Department, and the Department of Justice had withdrawn approximately 9,500 documents from the Korean War and Cold War periods for purposes of reclassification. See also: sensitive but unclassified.

recognition program

A management tool designed to inspire and reward outstanding performance outside the normal process of promotion, tenure, and increase in salary, usually by symbolic means (certificates, name plaques, ceremonial honors, thank-you letters, etc.). Some recognition programs offer more tangible rewards (cash bonuses, free parking, gift certificates, etc.).

recon

See: retrospective conversion.

reconfigure

To change the way data is structured in a computer system.

reconnaissance map

A map that is the result of a preliminary survey or exploratory examination of a geographic area, usually less accurate than the cartographic product of a subsequent survey in which more rigorous methods are employed (see this example).

record

An account of something, put down in writing, usually as a means of documenting facts for legal or historical purposes. Also, to make such an account. In a narrower sense, a formal document in which the content is presented in a named set of standardized data elements treated as a single unit, for example, a certificate, deed, lease, etc. In archives, a document created or received, and subsequently maintained, by an institution, organization, or individual in the transaction of official or personal business or in fulfillment of a legal obligation. See also: bibliographic record and catalog record.

In computing, a collection of related data fields organized and accessible as a single entity. A machine-readable data file is a collection of such records.

Also, to use an audiorecording or videorecording device to capture and store audio or video signals for playback. Also refers to any sound recording made on a vinyl disk, for example, a phonograph record.

record album

One or more paper sleeves designed to hold phonograph records, usually enclosed in a colorful pasteboard cover, often with a list of the contents and descriptive notes printed on the back or on the inside (see this example). The sleeves may have wide circles cut from the center, sometimes replaced with transparent material to allow the record labels to remain visible. Also used in reference to the recording itself.

record copy

In records management, the single copy of a document (handwritten, printed, photographic, or machine-readable), designated as the official copy or most important copy for purposes of reference and preservation, usually held by the creating office or another office of record, for example, the official transcript of a student's grades, usually held by the administrative offices of the educational institution at which the course work was undertaken. The record copy is often but not always the original. Convenience copies may be retained in other departments within the organization. Synonymous with copy of record, official copy, and principal copy.

recorded book

See: audiobook.

record group

In archives, an aggregation of all the records of a particular agency or person, or a body of records known to be related on the basis of provenance, usually stored together in their original order (see respect des fonds). A record subgroup consists of records within a record group, related in some way (functionally, chronologically, geographically, etc.) or produced by a subordinate unit of the agency responsible for creating, receiving, or accumulating the group. Subgroups may be further subdivided. See also: collective record group.

recording company

A commercial enterprise in the business of producing and selling sound recordings (CDs, audiocassettes, phonograph records, etc.). In AACR2, the name of the recording company or one of its subdivisions (or a trade name or brand name used by the recording company) appearing on the chief source of information is given as publisher in the publication, distribution, etc., area of the bibliographic description (example: New York : RCA Victor). See also: record label.

record item

In archives, the smallest separate and distinct unit of recorded material that, when accumulated, constitutes a record series, for example, a file in a group of related files. Compare with bibliographic item.

recordkeeping system

The methods and procedures used in creating, arranging, and maintaining records of the activities of an agency or individual, usually in some kind of systematic order (alphabetical, chronological, topical, functional, etc.), which may appear idiosyncratic to outsiders unfamiliar with the system. See also: original order.

record label

A small, round printed paper label glued to the center of a phonograph record, giving the name of the recording company, the title and/or contents of the recording, the name(s) of the performer(s), and other information such as price, recording number, name of manufacturer, etc., often including the recording company's logo. In AACR2, the chief source of information for cataloging a sound disc is the disc itself and any label permanently affixed to it. Click here to see an early Paramount record label, or try a keywords search on the term "record label" in eBay to find other examples. Often used synonymously with recording company, although a record label may give the name of a subdivision of the recording company or a trade name or brand name used by the company. Collectors often focus on recordings of a given label. For more information, see American Record Labels and Companies: An Encyclopedia (1891-1943) by Allan Sutton and Kurt Nauck (Mainspring Press, 2000).

records

Documents in any form, created or received by an agency or person, accumulated in the normal conduct of business or affairs, and retained as evidence of such activity, permanently or for a limited period of time, usually arranged according to a discernible system of recordkeeping. See also: active records, electronic records, housekeeping records, inactive records, intermediate records, machine-readable records, official records, program records, records management, temporary records, time-expired records, and vital records.

record series

In archives, records of the same provenance, determined upon inspection to belong together because they (1) are part of a recognizable filing system, (2) have been stored together because they were produced by the same activity, (3) are related to the same function or activity and are similar in format, or (4) comprise a set logically grouped in some other way. A record series is usually identified by a unique series number and may in some cases consist of a single record item.

records inventory

A detailed listing of the volume, scope, and complexity of an organization's records, usually conducted for the purpose of creating a disposition schedule, but the results may be used for various purposes, including retention and preservation. A complete inventory should include the following information for each record series: date the inventory was prepared, office maintaining the files, name of person conducting the inventory (with contact information), series location, inclusive dates, series description, medium, arrangement, volume of materials (usually expressed in cubic feet or as an item count), annual accumulation, cutoff, reference activity (current/active, semicurrent/semiactive, or noncurrent/inactive), vital records status (if applicable), duplication, finding aids, restrictions on access or use, condition of permanent records, and disposition authority. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publishes a FAQ About Records Inventories. Compare with records survey.

records management

The field of management devoted to achieving accuracy, efficiency, and economy in the systematic creation, retention, conservation, dissemination, use, and disposition of the official records of a company, government agency, organization, or institution, whether in physical or electronic form, usually undertaken by a professionally trained records manager on the basis of a comprehensive and thorough records survey. Security and disaster preparedness are essential elements of a good records management program.

records schedule

See: disposition schedule.

records survey

The systematic process of examining archival records in their administrative context to determine their content, format, provenance, original order, physical quantities and condition, rates of accumulation, and other characteristics, before beginning the work of systematically describing and arranging them. The information gained in such a survey is also of use in developing disposition schedules, planning conservation, determining access policy, and estimating the amount of space required to store them. Compare with records inventory.

record structure

The pre-established sequence of fields and subfields used to describe a single item in a library catalog or bibliographic database, each field containing one or more related elements of description. For example, the journal title, volume number, date of issue, and page numbers in the source field of a record representing a journal article in a periodical database. Most catalogs and databases include textual field labels in the record display to help users distinguish the various categories of description.

recover

To apply a new or reconstructed cover to a volume, without resewing the sections. The process of making the new cover and attaching it to the sections is called recovering (click here and here to see it illustrated, courtesy of the University of Illinois Library). Compare with rebinding and recased.

Also, to get back something that was lost, for example, library materials known to have been stolen or checked out and lost by the borrower. Fees may be refunded, depending on the circumstances. See also: replevin.

recruitment

The process of attracting qualified personnel to work in a library or library system by posting a notice and position description in appropriate LIS journals and to library-related electronic mailing lists and by publicizing the vacancy at job fairs and word-of-mouth. Also refers to the efforts of library schools and professional library associations to attract promising students to careers in library and information science. See also: Office for Human Resources Development and Recruitment.

recto

The upper side of a leaf of parchment, vellum, or paper, or the right-hand page in a bound volume when opened, usually assigned an odd page number. The opposite of verso. Click here to see a recto in the 15th-century Burnet Psalter and here to see the verso of the same leaf (University of Aberdeen Library). The title page and dedication, and the first page of the preface, introduction, table of contents, chapters, appendices, indexes, and other major parts of a book are usually printed on the recto. Also, the side of a single printed sheet intended to be read first, unless both sides are identically printed. Also known as the obverse.

recycled paper

Paper manufactured from reclaimed wastepaper that has been reduced to pulp and processed to remove ink and other impurities. Recycled paper is used in printing and as writing paper to conserve natural resources and reduce the volume of refuse in sanitary landfills. Book publishers consider the highest grades suitable for printing fiction.

redaction

The process of editing, revising, and/or arranging to publish a work left incomplete or in a condition not suitable for publication, usually at the death of the author, work accomplished by a redactor. Also refers to the result of such an endeavor. Compare with continuation and recension.

red book

The popular name given to a manual containing official lists of state employees or other eminent people, for example, members of the British peerage, known by the color of its cover. Compare with blue book.

redimensioning

A last-ditch preservation measure, used only on severely shrunken motion picture film, in which the plastic base is subjected to a chemical reaction that returns it to a state closer to its original dimensions. The treated film is then printed before the reaction wears off causing the film to reshrink. According to The Film Preservation Guide (National Film Preservation Foundation, 2004), redimensioning is a destructive process that may permanently damage the original and should only be used to preserve deteriorated works that are irretrievable by other means.

redirect

Forwarding by a Web server that changes an incoming URL to another URL, usually when the Internet address of a Web page has changed. The simplest method is a dummy page at the old address displaying a link to the new address, or the Webmaster may insert an HTML "meta refresh" statement that automatically transfers the user to the new address, usually after an interval of a few seconds. Some Web servers are capable of handling redirection with look-up tables that pair the old URL with the new URL. Redirection based on the IP address of the incoming user is accomplished by writing a CGI script.

red rot

Disintegration of the fibers in leather into a reddish powder, caused by the chemical breakdown of sulfuric acid in vegetable-tanned leather and by exposure to industrial pollutants, most common in book bindings produced during the last three decades of the 19th century. Red rot is accelerated by low humidity. Cellugel is recommended by some conservators to help stabilize this type of deterioration. Leather dressing (see oiling) is not a remedy for red rot. Click here and here to see examples on older bindings.

reduction

A reproduction or copy produced on a smaller scale than the original, usually indicated as a percentage of the initial size (a 50 percent reduction of an 8 x 10 inch original produces a copy measuring 4 x 5 inches). Most photocopiers available in libraries have reduction capability for the convenience of users. The opposite of enlargement. See also: micrographics, reduction print, and reduction ratio.

reduction print

A positive print of a motion picture made in a smaller film format than the original, for example, a 16mm print made from a 35mm original. The opposite of blowup.

reduction ratio

In microphotography, an indication of the number of times the size of a document or other object is reduced to form a microimage. For example, 25X means that the image is 25 times smaller than the linear dimensions of the original. Reduction ratios are classified as follows:

Low - up to 15X

Medium - 15X to 30X

High - 30X to 60X

Very high - 60X to 90X

Ultrahigh - above 90X

redundancy

In communication, the use of repetition to reinforce a message and prevent misunderstanding, as in a sign that reads, "This Way to the Library" instead of simply "Library" or "To the Library." In a more general sense, any words or symbols not essential to the meaning of a message.

In computer systems, devices that stand ready to handle transmission or processing if and when the units normally used for the purpose fail or have to be taken offline.

reel

A flanged circular holder with a spindle hole through the center around which a roll of processed photographic film is wound, usually designed to be inserted in a projector, reader, reader-printer, or other display device. Initially open reels were also used for magnetic tape but they have been largely replaced by cartridges. Compare with spool.

Reels for motion picture film, made of metal or hard plastic, consist of a hub of the appropriate gauge (16mm, 35mm, 70mm) with open extended sides between which the film is wound. The supply reel holds the film to be projected and the take-up reel holds film after it has gone through the gate of the projector (see this example). On a split reel the two flanges can be separated and the hub is designed to accommodate a standard plastic core to facilitate the transfer of film from reel to core for storage and from core back to reel for projection. In the silent film era, the term "reel" was an approximate measure of running time, each 1,000-foot 35mm reel running 10 or 18 minutes, depending on projection speed.

referee

In scholarly publishing, an expert whose areas of specialization include the subject of a journal article or book, usually a professional peer of the author, to whom the editor or publisher sends the manuscript for critical evaluation before accepting it for publication. A referee may recommend changes, corrections, or clarification of points in the text. In most circumstances, the identity of a referee is kept confidential. See also: peer-reviewed.

refereed

See: peer-reviewed.

reference

A conventional word or phrase used in a work to refer the reader to another part of the text (see above or see below) or a similar word or phrase used in an index, catalog, or reference work to direct the user from one heading or entry to another (see or see also). Also refers to any Latin phrase used in footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies to refer the reader to works previously quoted or cited, for example, ibid. and op. cit. Sometimes used synonymously with citation.

Also refers to a letter written in support of a person's application for employment or housing, usually by someone familiar with the applicant's qualifications or reputation, or to a person who agrees to be contacted for such a recommendation, usually by telephone.

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

Established as a division of the American Library Association (ALA) in 1972, RUSA has a membership of librarians and other individuals committed to promoting the delivery of reference and information services to all persons, regardless of age, in libraries of all kinds. RUSA publishes the journal Reference and User Services Quarterly (RUSQ). Click here to connect to the RUSA homepage.

reference book

A book designed to be consulted when authoritative information is needed, rather than read cover to cover. Reference books often consist of a series of signed or unsigned "entries" listed alphabetically under headwords or headings, or in some other arrangement (classified, numeric, etc.). The category includes almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, biographical sources, catalogs, concordances, dictionaries, directories, discographies and filmographies, encyclopedias, glossaries, handbooks, indexes, manuals, research guides, union lists, yearbooks, etc., whether published commercially or as government documents. Long reference works may be issued in multivolume sets, with any indexes in the last volume. Reference works that require continuous updating may be published serially, sometimes as loose-leaf services.

In libraries, reference books are shelved in a separate section called the reference stacks and are not allowed to circulate because they are needed to answer questions at the reference desk. Reference books are reviewed in American Reference Books Annual, CHOICE, Library Journal, the Reference Books Bulletin section of Booklist, Reference Services Review, and Reference and User Services Quarterly published by RUSA. The Gale Group provides a searchable database of Reference Reviews. The two leading bibliographies of English-language reference materials are Guide to Reference Books published by the American Library Association and Walford's Guide to Reference Materials published by the Library Association (UK). For online reference resources, see lii.org's directory of Reference Sources or Services. Compare with circulating book. See also: open access reference work.

Reference Books Bulletin (RBB)

A separate section at the end of the review publication Booklist, providing reviews of approximately 500 reference books and electronic reference materials annually. General encyclopedias and certain types of dictionaries are often reviewed together to facilitate comparison. RBB has its own editorial board and, unlike Booklist, publishes reviews of items not recommended for purchase. ISSN: 0006-7385.

reference collection

Books containing authoritative information not meant to be read cover to cover, such as dictionaries, handbooks, and encyclopedias, shelved together by call number in a special section of the library called the reference stacks. Reference books may not be checked out because they are needed by librarians to answer questions at the reference desk. Their location and circulation status is usually indicated by the symbol "R" or "Ref" preceding the call number in the catalog record and on the spine label. See also: ready reference.

reference desk

When a person has a question about how to find specific information or how to use library services and resources, assistance can be obtained by contacting the public service point, usually located near the library's reference collection, in person, by telephone, or in some libraries via e-mail. A professionally trained reference librarian scheduled to work at the reference desk will provide an answer or refer the inquirer to a knowledgeable source. In large public and academic libraries, the reference desk may be staffed by two librarians, especially during periods of peak use. For an example of an online reference desk, see Librarian's Internet Index or refdesk.com. Compare with information desk. See also: digital reference, reference interview, and roving.

reference interview

The interpersonal communication that occurs between a reference librarian and a library user to determine the person's specific information need(s), which may turn out to be different than the reference question as initially posed. Because patrons are often reticent, especially in face-to-face interaction, patience and tact may be required on the part of the librarian. A reference interview may occur in person, by telephone, or electronically (usually via e-mail) at the request of the user, but a well-trained reference librarian will sometimes initiate communication if a hesitant user appears to need assistance. For more information, see The Reference Interview as a Creative Art by Elaine and Edward Jennerich (Libraries Unlimited, 1997) or try the ORE on the Web online tutorial, courtesy of the Ohio Library Council. See also: digital reference and roving.

reference librarian

A librarian who works in public services, answering questions posed by library patrons at a reference desk, by telephone, or via e-mail. A reference librarian may also be called upon to provide point-of-use instruction on the use of library resources and information technology (see this example). Most reference librarians also assist in the selection of a balanced collection of reference materials to meet the information needs of the library's clientele. In the United States, reference librarians are represented in the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). RUSA publishes Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers (June 2004).

reference mark

A printer's symbol used in text to refer to material printed in a different place, for example, in a footnote or in another passage on the same page. When more than one reference is given on a page, the order of symbols is the asterisk (*), dagger (†), double dagger (‡), section mark (§), parallel mark, and paragraph mark (¶). When necessary, the sequence can be repeated, but most publishers prefer to indicate multiple references by the use of numerals in superscript.

reference matter

See: back matter.

reference question

A request from a library user for assistance in locating specific information or in using library resources in general, made in person, by telephone, or electronically. In most libraries, reference questions are answered by a professionally trained reference librarian during a regularly scheduled shift at the reference desk, but in small libraries this function may be performed by a paraprofessional. A reference interview may be required to determine the precise nature of the information need. Questions are usually recorded in a transaction log by category (directional, informational, instructional, referral) for statistical purposes.

reference serial

A publication used by reference librarians to find authoritative information, issued successively at regular or irregular intervals with no indication of an ending date. The category includes almanacs (example: The Bowker Annual Library and Book Trade Almanac), dictionaries (Dictionary of Literary Biography), directories (American Art Directory), annuals (Europa World Year Book), handbooks (CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics), statistical publications (Statistical Abstract of Latin America), loose-leaf services (Facts on File), etc. Reference serials are normally placed on continuation order and shelved with other reference materials in the reference stacks.

reference services

All the functions performed by a trained librarian employed in the reference section of a library to meet the information needs of patrons (in person, by telephone, or electronically), including but not limited to answering substantive questions, instructing users in the selection and use of appropriate tools and techniques for finding information, conducting searches on behalf of the patron, directing users to the location of library resources, assisting in the evaluation of information, referring patrons to resources outside the library when appropriate, keeping reference statistics, and participating in the development of the reference collection. For an online guide to reference services, see the tutorial ORE on the Web, courtesy of the Ohio Library Council. See also: collaborative reference, cooperative reference, digital reference, ready reference, and Reference and User Services Association.

reference source

Any publication from which authoritative information can be obtained, including but not limited to reference books, catalog records, printed indexes and abstracting services, and bibliographic databases. Individuals and services outside the library that can be relied upon to provide authoritative information are considered resources for referral.

reference stacks

The area of a library in which the reference collection is shelved in call number order, usually located near the reference desk, open to the public in most public and academic libraries in the United States. Printed periodical indexes may be shelved separately from the reference book collection, usually alphabetically by title or in a classified arrangement. See also: ready reference.

reference statistics

In most libraries, the librarians who work at the reference desk keep a daily transaction log in which they record reference questions, usually by hour and type of question (informational, directional, instructional, referral, etc.). Compiled by week, month, and year, the results are analyzed to reveal patterns and trends helpful in anticipating staffing needs, scheduling the reference desk, developing the