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.

S

SA

An abbreviation of see also.

SAA

See: Society of American Archivists.

sabbatical

A paid leave of absence granted to an academic professional for the purpose of research or scholarly or creative endeavor, usually for one semester or a full academic year, following six or seven years of full-time service, sometimes involving travel. At many colleges and universities, applications are evaluated on a competitive basis by a faculty committee or in some other manner determined by institutional governance. Librarians employed in academic libraries may be eligible for sabbatic leave, depending on the provisions of the contract governing terms of employment.

SACO

See: Program for Cooperative Cataloging.

sacramentary

A liturgical book containing prayers recited by the celebrant during the consecration of the Eucharist at high Mass (other parts were contained in the evangelary, gradual, and epistolary). Michelle Brown notes in Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Getty Museum/British Library, 1994) that by the end of the 13th century the sacramentary had been superseded by the missal, a new book combining the various texts in a single volume, introduced during the Carolingian period to standardize Church ritual. Click here and here to view two leaves from a beautifully illuminated 9th-century Carolingian sacramentary (Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Lat. 2290) and here to page through an 11th-century Ottonian sacramentary (Getty Museum, MS Ludwig V 2).

sacred text

A written work revered by people who believe in one of the world's organized religions. In library cataloging, such works are entered under a uniform title (Bible, Torah, Qur'an, Vedas, etc.). Most libraries in the United States keep at least one English translation of the Bible in the reference collection, usually with commentaries, concordances, etc. The sacred books of the other major world religions may be available in the circulating collection of academic libraries, especially at universities offering a major or graduate degree in comparative religion. Compare with liturgical work. See also: scripture.

saddle-stitching

A method used to bind magazines and pamphlets in which the leaves are secured by round wire staples driven completely through the back fold at two or more places, usually by machine. Metal staples were introduced in about 1875. Unlike side-stitching, the method allows the leaves to open flat, but its strength is not sufficient to bind publications of more than about 100 pages. Over time, metal staples may rust, staining the pages and causing the adjacent paper to disintegrate. Preservation requires that the staples be removed and the section(s) properly sewn. Synonymous with stapling and saddle-wire stitching. Compare with fold sewn.

safety film

An umbrella term applied to all motion picture film made with a nonflammable plastic base. Beginning in the 1890s, most 35mm film was manufactured with a base of highly combustible cellulose nitrate, which made handling film a hazardous occupation. In the early 1950s, nitrate film was replaced with slow-burning cellulose acetate. Today, noncombustible polyester film is used in most commercial film production and many old prints have been preserved by transfer to safety base.

saga

From the Old Norse word for "thing said," a lengthy narrative in prose or verse, telling of adventure and heroic events, usually involving the history of a legendary Norse lineage. Click here to see a leaf in a 13th-century copy of the historical Heimskringla sagas of Iceland and here to learn more about Norse sagas in Wikipedia. In modern usage, any long, complicated tale in which the plot has many unexpected twists and turns, particularly one recounting the fortunes of an extended family (example: The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy).

salary

A sum of money paid to an employee on a regular basis (weekly, biweekly, monthly) for performing a specific job. In the United States, most full-time librarians and technical support staff are salaried. Statistical information on salaries for librarians employed in the United States and Canada is reported annually in Library Journal (usually in the October 15 issue) and in The Bowker Annual Library and Book Trade Almanac. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) publishes the ARL Annual Salary Survey covering over 12,000 professional positions in ARL libraries. Compare with wages.

SALIS

See: Substance Abuse Librarians & Information Specialists.

salted paper print

Invented by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1840 as a result of his experiments with "photogenic drawing," salt prints were the earliest positive photographic prints, made by immersing a sheet of high-quality writing paper in a solution of sodium chloride (table salt) and coating one side with a solution of silver nitrate to produce light-sensitive silver chloride. Placed inside a frame under a calotype or glass negative, the paper was exposed to ultraviolet light (sunlight) and then fixed by washing to dissolve the unexposed silver salts. Because they are contact prints, salted paper prints are the same size as the negative. Embedded in the fibers of the paper, rather than on a surface layer, the image appears grainy and mottled when affected by the texture and any imperfections in the paper negative. Glass negatives produced a much sharper image. Salted paper prints are usually a warm brown color with limited tonal range. They were superseded as a photographic medium by the albumen print, invented in 1850, which gave clearer definition. Click here to see examples (Getty Museum) and here to see another selection, courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Click here to learn more about the process, courtesy of James M. Reilly.

salt print

See: salted paper print.

salvage

Measures taken to recover materials, equipment, and furnishings damaged outside of normal use, for example, by water as a result of a major leak or flood. Salvaged materials may require special conservation procedures such as vacuum freeze drying or fumigation. Items not salvageable are usually discarded. Also refers collectively to the materials recovered.

same size

Instructions from the publisher to the printer to reproduce an illustration submitted as copy without enlargement or reduction in size.

sample book

An album or other volume containing specimens, usually of a commercial product such as cloth, yarn, leather, wood, wallpaper, or paint, from which the customer may make a selection. Click here to see a 19th-century French example containing samples of dyed yarn (University of Delaware Library) and here to see a 20th-century example containing fabric samples, courtesy of Fabrics.net. Typefaces and printing papers are also displayed in sample books. Also, a book containing models of designs and lettering for the use of medieval scribes (see this example, courtesy of The Lilly Library at Indiana University).

sample issue

An issue of a periodical, usually the first of an entirely new publication, sent at no charge by the publisher to a potential subscriber for inspection. In libraries, such copies are usually received and evaluated for selection by the serials department. In academic libraries, they may be routed to the appropriate department of the teaching faculty for evaluation.

SAN

See: Standard Address Number.

sanction

A penalty imposed by an employer on an employee for cause, whether minor, as in the case of a formal reprimand, or major, as in a suspension of service for a specified period of time. Sanctions are usually imposed as a result of proceedings governed by established procedures, including proper employee notification of the basis for the action.

sans-serif

A style of typeface, often used for headlines, that lacks short finishing projections, called serifs, at the end of each main stroke (see this illustration, courtesy of Strohm Graphics). Also spelled sanserif. See also: block letter.

SASS

See: Systems and Services Section.

satire

The use of sarcasm, irony, and wit to expose to ridicule the weaknesses or foibles of a person, group, or institution, often used to call public attention to a moral lapse or abuse of public trust, to damage the reputation of the victim for political or personal reasons, or as entertainment (example: An Ideal Husband, a comic drama by Oscar Wilde). See also: caricature, cartoon, lampoon, and libel.

save

To preserve a data file by copying it from main memory (RAM) to a permanent storage medium, such as a hard disk or floppy disk, at the end of a session on a computer. Unsaved data may be lost when the application is closed or the computer powered down.

sawn-in cords

See: sunk bands.

SBU

See: sensitive but unclassified.

scale

The ratio of distance shown on a map, globe, relief model, section, aerial photograph, or other cartographic item to its corresponding dimension on the ground or to another graphic representation. On maps and charts, the scale is usually printed beneath the title or in the legends in the form of a bar scale, representative fraction (example: 1:24,000), or statement of equivalency (One Inch = 500 miles). As a general rule, resolution (the capacity to depict detail) is enhanced as map scale increases, which means that geographic features will be represented in greater detail when mapped at a scale of 1:10,000 than at 1:100,000 or at a scale of 1:100,000 than at 1:1,000,000. Digital images of printed maps do not necessarily preserve scale. When a map is cataloged by a library, the statement of scale is given in the mathematical data area of the bibliographic description. Click here to learn more about map scale. The U.S. Geological Survey also provides information about map scales. See also: intermediate-scale map, large-scale map, small-scale map, and vertical exaggeration.

Also, the ratio of the size of a model or reproduction to the size of the original object. Also refers to the size of an item relative to others of its class. Compare with reduction ratio.

scanner

In data processing, a peripheral device that reads and converts handwritten or printed text, graphics, or barcodes into digital format (a bitmap) for processing or display on a computer screen, without actually recognizing the content. In libraries, optical scanners are used to create digital images of materials for interlibrary loan, document delivery, and electronic reserves and in circulation to read the barcode on the patron's library card and on items in the collection. Some barcode scanners require an external decoder. Click here to learn more about scanners, courtesy of HowStuffWorks. See also: book digitizer.

scatter

The separation of entries on the same subject in a catalog or index, a condition that occurs when entries are made under (1) both the singular and plural forms of a heading, (2) variant forms of a name or title, or (3) a broad heading in one instance and a more specific heading in another. Scatter may also occur when there is inadequate control of synonyms or lack of precision in the assignment of subject headings or descriptors. Scatter is reduced by authority control and vocabulary control.

scattered

See: completeness.

scatter note

A note in a classification schedule instructing the cataloger to classify works in multiple locations. In Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), the instruction is given in a class-elsewhere, see-reference, or relocation note, for example, the instruction under 023.7 (Title and job descriptions) to class titles and job descriptions for specific types of library positions in 023.2-023.4 (Types of positions).

In a list of pre-coordinate indexing terms, a note indicating that a term is used as a subheading under one or more categories of headings, for example, the note in the Library of Congress Subject Headings list under the heading "Catalogs, Union" indicating that "Union lists" is used as a subdivision under "types of printed or non-book materials, e.g. Italian imprints--Union lists."

scenario

An outline or sketch of the plot of a dramatic work (play, opera, ballet, etc.) indicating the order of scenes and the characters involved in the action. Compare with treatment.

schedule

See: classification schedule.

schedule reduction

The elimination of some of the provisions made in a previous edition of a classification schedule, resulting in the discontinuation of certain class numbers, usually because the literature on the subject has dwindled significantly or because the class represents a distinction no longer recognized in the discipline or field.

schematic

A clear, simple line drawing or diagram used in textbooks and technical books to illustrate an operating principle or mechanism (or one of its parts). To see examples, try a search on the keyword "schematic" in Google Image Search. See also: schematic map.

schematic map

A special-purpose map on which features are represented in highly simplified or diagrammatic form. Designed to convey information of limited scope, a schematic map requires the skills of a graphic artist who tailors the design to a specific class of potential users based on queries that the content might be expected to answer. Click here to see a schematic map of the railroads in Greater Pittsburgh, designed for travelers, and here to see a schematic map of the city of St. Petersburg, Russia, designed for tourists. Compare with cartogram.

scholar-librarian

A librarian engaged in the pursuit of serious scholarly interests for personal reasons and to benefit the institution with which he or she is affiliated, the library profession, or the humanities, for example, Dr. James A. Pegolotti, retired public services librarian (Western Connecticut State University) and author of Deems Taylor: A Biography (Northeastern University Press, 2003). The last two Librarians of Congress, Daniel J. Boorstin and James H. Billington, have been published historians. New York University's (NYU) Graduate School of Arts and Science and Long Island University's (LIU) Palmer School of Library and Information Science collaborate in a dual master's degree program intended to prepare students for careers in academic and research institutions, cultural organizations, and other research settings. For more on this subject, see The Scholar-Librarian: Books, Libraries, and the Visual Arts (Oak Knoll/Boston Athenaeum, 2005) by Richard Wendorf. Compare with renaissance librarian.

scholarly book

A publishing term for a book that is: (1) written in a scholarly style (2) about a specialized subject, (3) aimed at a relatively narrow, clearly defined market segment, (4) sold primarily within that market, (5) often purchased on the basis of imprint, (6) not price-sensitive, (7) not highly profitable for the publisher, (8) usually published by a university press or the publishing arm of a scholarly society, (9) reviewed mainly in scholarly journals, and (10) indexed, with a bibliography or list of references for further reading at the end. Scholarly books normally generate little income from the sale of subsidiary rights but attract a more sustained readership than most trade titles (adapted from Bodian's Publishing Desk Reference, Oryx Press, 1988). See also: monograph.

scholarly communication

The means by which individuals engaged in academic research and creative endeavor inform their peers, formally or informally, of the work they are engaged in or have accomplished. Following a tradition that began with the Academy in ancient Athens, scholars communicate by writing monographs and journal articles for publication, presenting conference papers that may subsequently be published in proceedings and transactions, submitting reports in fulfillment of grant requirements, creating and maintaining Web sites for the academic community, and corresponding with peers via e-mail and electronic mailing lists. Broadly defined, the process includes not only the creation and dissemination of scholarly works but also evaluation of quality (peer review) and preservation for future use. One of the goals of academic libraries is to facilitate scholarly communication in all its forms. Click here to read the statement of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) on Principles and Strategies for the Reform of Scholarly Communication (C&RL News, September 2003). See also: Information Access Alliance and SPARC.

scholarly journal

See: journal.

Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)

An international alliance of approximately 200 universities, research libraries, and library associations, SPARC was created in 1998 by several Association of Research Libraries (ARL) directors to address the pricing practices and policies of scientific, technical, and medical (STM) journal publishers. The coalition seeks to educate faculty on academic serials issues, fosters competition in the scholarly communication market, and advocates fundamental changes in the system and culture of scholarly communication. Click here to connect to the SPARC homepage. See also: Open Archives Initiative.

scholium

A marginal note explaining, interpreting, or commenting on a text, especially an annotation added by a classical grammarian on a passage from a work by Greek or Latin author of Antiquity. Plural: scholia. See also: exegesis.

schoolbook

In the context of medieval manuscripts, a book made for the purpose of teaching and learning, mainly in an ecclesiastical or academic setting, often containing marginal notes made by the reader. From the 12th century on, the production of textbooks increased with the growth of European universities. Copied from authorized exemplars available for hire from stationers under the pecia system, schoolbooks included biblical texts and commentaries, grammars, legal and medical texts, scientific treatises, and classical works in Greek and Latin. Abecedarii designed for juvenile instruction are also included in this category. Click here to view selection of medieval schoolbooks (Cornell University Library).

school librarian

See: library media specialist.

school library

A library in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves the information needs of its students and the curriculum needs of its teachers and staff, usually managed by a school librarian or media specialist. A school library collection usually contains books, periodicals, and educational media suitable for the grade levels served. Click here to connect to the Libweb directory of special and school libraries in the United States. Synonymous with learning resources center, library media center, and school library media center. See also: American Association of School Librarians, International Association of School Librarianship, and School Library Journal.

school library edition

A special edition of a serial publication, issued specifically for distribution to school libraries. In August 2005, American Libraries reported that tobacco advertisements will be removed from school library editions of Time, Newsweek, People, and Sports Illustrated under an agreement between publishers, tobacco companies, and the state attorneys general. The action follows a similar agreement, reached in 2003, under which publishers provide classroom editions of magazines for schools, containing no tobacco advertising.

School Library Journal (SLJ)

Published by R.R. Bowker since 1961, SLJ is a monthly trade journal and review publication for school, children's, and young adult librarians. In addition to regular columns, feature articles, and news of interest to the profession, SLJ reviews approximately 4,000 new trade books for children and young adult readers each year and over 1,000 educational media titles, including CD-ROMs. The reviews are short but evaluative, written by and for librarians. Click here to log on to the homepage of School Library Journal. ISSN: 0362-8930. Previous title: Junior Libraries.

school library media center

See: school library.

school prize binding

See: prize binding.

Science and Technology Section (STS)

Established in 1961, STS is the section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) within the American Library Association (ALA) that provides a forum for librarians in scientific and technical fields to achieve and maintain awareness of the impact and range of information with which they work. STS also seeks to enhance the accessibility and active use of scientific and technical information. The section publishes the electronic journal Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship (ISTL). Click here to connect to the STS homepage.

science fiction (SF)

A highly imaginative form of fiction or motion picture based on scientific speculation, usually depicting life and adventure in the future or on other worlds, not outside the realm of possibility, sometimes prophetically (example: 1984 by George Orwell) or as a commentary on existing conditions (Brave New World by Aldous Huxley). Science fiction is so popular that most large cities in the United States have at least one bookstore specializing in the genre. Science fiction readers communicate through fanzines (see Science Fiction Review) and at conventions. Click here to view an online exhibition of early science fiction (Monash University Library) or try Out of This World, courtesy of Library and Archives Canada. To learn more about the genre, see the science fiction section of Genreflecting. Serious enthusiasts prefer the abbreviation SF, rather than sci fi. Compare with fantasy. See also: Arthur C. Clarke Award and Hugo Awards.

scope

The area or field within which a specific activity occurs. Also, the range or extent of action, observation, meaning, inquiry, etc. In libraries, the range of subjects or fields covered in a catalog, index, abstracting service, bibliographic database, reference work, etc. Compare with coverage. See also: scope note.

scope note (SN)

A brief statement included in an entry in a list of subject headings or in a thesaurus of indexing terms to indicate the intended use or meaning of the term in the indexing language and any special rules for assigning it in indexing. Scope notes are usually added for clarification or to restrict the use of a term to one of several possible meanings. Not all terms require a scope note, but if one is given, it normally precedes any synonyms (UF), broader terms (BT), narrower terms (NT), or related terms (RT). Compare with parenthetical qualifier.

In Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), a note in the schedules indicating that the subject represented by a class number is broader or narrower than the heading implies.

score

A record of a musical work in which the parts to be played or sung are written or printed in musical notation on separate staves, vertically aligned to enable them to be read at the same time. A score written or printed on unbound sheets of paper is called sheet music. See also: autograph score, chorus score, close score, condensed score, full score, miniature score, part, piano score, short score, and vocal score.

scoring

To make a linear indentation on a piece of paper or card to allow it to turn or fold more easily without damaging the fibers. When done with a dull rule or disk, the process is called creasing. When a sharp rule is used, the fibers are partially broken, producing an effect similar to perforation, which allows the paper to tear more cleanly along the fold. In binding, to compress the fibers of a leaf in a line along the inner edge to allow the volume to open more easily.

Scott O'Dell Award

An annual award of $5,000 to the author of a meritorious work of historical fiction published in the previous year for children or young adults, established in 1982 by writer Scott O'Dell to encourage other writers, particularly new authors, to focus their talents on historical fiction. Selected by the Scott O'Dell Award Committee, the book must be set in the New World, published in the United States, and written in English by a citizen of the United States. Click here to see a list of past winners of the Scott O'Dell Award.

scout

A person with experience in the book trade, employed by a publisher to seek out new writers and illustrators whose early works show promise and to explore with them possibilities for new books. In the motion picture industry, producers also employ such persons to locate books, manuscripts, etc., with potential for film adaptation. Compare with book scout.

scrapbook

A blankbook, usually of large size, containing unprinted leaves for mounting or inserting photographs, pictures, clippings, letters, invitations, and other memorabilia, usually to preserve them for sentimental reasons. Click here to see a 19th-century example (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and here to see an example of an online scrapbook, courtesy of the town of Auburn, Wisconsin. The Library of Congress provides the searchable Lewis Carroll Scrapbook. Click here for advice on how to make archival scrapbooks, courtesy of the Florida Bureau of Archives and Records Management. Compare with album. See also: memorabilia.

scratch

A scrape or abrasion to either the base or emulsion side of motion picture film that appears in projection as a distracting line, a type of damage that is difficult to repair. Scratches can be avoided by handling film only by the edges with gloves on a smooth, clean surface and by using proper projection equipment that is in good repair. Click here to learn more about scratching, courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. See also: scratch print and wet gate printing.

scratch print

Motion picture or video footage that has been intentionally scratched to discourage unauthorized duplication, for example, sample footage from a stock footage library sent on approval. If used by the film editor or director, a clean copy is sent for use according to terms specified by agreement. Also refers to a duplicate of a workprint of a finished motion picture, usually black and white, made without corrections for lighting for use in dubbing and sound mixing, not for release. Also spelled scratchprint. Synonymous with slash print and slop print.

screen capture

See: screen dump.

screen dump

The process of saving as a file, or sending to a printer, a copy of the image displayed on the monitor of a computer, usually to create a record that can be used to document and/or diagnose a malfunction. Synonymous with screen capture.

screenplay

A story written in a form suitable for motion picture or television production or adapted for that purpose from an existing novel, short story, stage play, or other work by a screenwriter whose name is given in the credits. Compare with teleplay. See also: script and treatment.

screen printing

A method of stencil printing in which the areas of a design to be left unprinted are masked on the underside of a screen made of fabric, plastic, or woven metal stretched tightly across a frame. Ink or paint is forced through the holes in the unmasked areas onto the printing surface by hand using a squeegie or by machine. Each color must be applied separately using a different stencil. Screen printing is often used for signs and posters when vivid colors are desired and for printing on surfaces such as glass, metal, plastic, wood, etc. Examples of screen printing can be seen in the online exhibition What Is a Print? from the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Click here to learn more about the process in Wikipedia. Synonymous with serigraphy and silk screen.

screen saver

A utility program that blanks out the image displayed on the monitor of a computer, or replaces it with a continuously changing pattern, to prevent ghosting, the permanent etching of a still image on the monitor. Most screen savers can be set to commence after a designated period of inactivity and remain on the screen until the mouse is moved or a key is depressed, restoring the original image. Screensavers are available free at many sites on the Web (see Freesaver.com).

screenwriter

The person responsible for writing the screenplay for a motion picture, videorecording, or television program or the scripted narration for a documentary, whose name is usually given in the credits. In library cataloging, the name of the screenwriter is entered in the note area of the bibliographic record representing the item.

scribal copy

A written work produced by hand by an experienced copyist usually working from an exemplar, as distinct from the original manuscript produced by the author or at the author's dictation. Before the invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century, production of multiple copies was done entirely by scribes.

scribe

A professional penman who copied manuscripts by hand before the invention of printing from movable type. Throughout Antiquity, scribes and notaries were members of a profession (click here and here to see examples from ancient Egypt). During the Middle Ages, most copyists were attached to a court or chancery (official record office) or were monks working in the scriptoria of Catholic religious establishments, often as part of a team that included parchmenters, illuminators, and binders.

With the rise of universities in the 12th century, scribes and illuminators of both sexes began to function independently in urban centers, often in association with stationers. Christopher de Hamel notes in Scribes and Illuminators (University of Toronto Press, 1992) that a medieval scribe could be an author, student, notary, moonlighting royal clerk, parish priest unable to live on his stipend, book collector making a copy for personal use, or even an inmate working toward release from debtor's prison. Some scribes were women. Click here to view St. Jerome at his writing desk in a miniature from a late 15th-century French manuscript (Brigham Young University Special Collections) or here to see a monastic scribe at work in the 12th-century Eadwine Psalter (Trinity College, Cambridge University). See also: calligraphy.

scrinium

A container in the shape of a cylinder with a removable lid, used by the ancient Romans for storing manuscripts in the form of scrolls. See also: capsa.

script

The text of a play, motion picture, videorecording, or television or radio program indicating the lines to be spoken by each character, with directions for staging the work (see this example, courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University). Compare with acting edition and promptbook.

Also refers to a set of alphabetic, syllabic, or ideographic characters used in writing one or more languages (see Ancient Scripts of the World). In early majuscule scripts, the letters are of uniform height (uppercase). Majuscule is bilinear, its letterforms bounded by two horizontal lines. In the minuscule scripts adopted in the 8th century, the letters are of unequal height (lowercase), some having ascenders and descenders. Minuscule is quadralinear, bounded by four horizontal lines. As Michelle Brown notes in Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Getty Museum/British Library, 1994), the form and function of a medieval manuscript book determined the general appearance of the script (its aspect), the speed and care with which it was written (ductus), and the devices employed to conserve space (abbreviations, etc.).

Classified by time period, the scripts used in Europe were subject to far stricter conventions than personal handwriting because they were used for book production. With considerable overlap, the following succession of scripts occurred from Antiquity through the medieval period, ending with the advent of printing from movable type: square capitals, rustic capitals, uncial, half uncial, Insular majuscule, Carolingian minuscule, Anglo-Saxon minuscule, gothic, and humanistic. Less formal hands, written with greater speed and less lifting of the pen, are cursive. Bastard scripts, a fusion of formal and cursive, exhibit greater variability. In the early 15th century, efforts by the Italian humanists to reform medieval scripts inspired many early typefaces. Click here to learn more about the history of scripts and here to explore an online exhibition of paleography, courtesy of The Schøyen Collection (Oslo and London). See also: chancery script.

In printing, a typeface or font that has the appearance of continuously flowing handwriting or calligraphy.

In computer programming, a program or set of instructions associated with a particular event or condition, interpreted or carried out by another program, rather than by the processor. Programming languages conceived as script languages include Perl and JavaScript, often used by Web servers to handle forms input. Also refers to the set of rules used by a filter to eliminate unwanted content sent to an Internet user, for example, the rules governing a filter designed to reject e-mail spam.

scriptio continuo

Latin for "continuous writing." In Antiquity and the early Christian period, writing was in capital letters with no word or sentence division and no punctuation. In scriptio continuo, the preceding sentence would look like this:

INANTIQUITYANDTHEEARLYCHRISTIANPERIOD
WRITINGWASINCAPITALLETTERSWITHNOWORD
ORSENTENCEDIVISIONANDNOPUNCTUATION

Click here to see an example in the Codex Sinaiticus, a Greek Old and New Testament of the mid-4th century. In some manuscripts, raised points or full stops were used between words to make the text easier to read. Use of a space to separate words did not become standard practice until the late 8th century. Synonymous with scriptura continua.

scriptorium

The room or area of a medieval monastery reserved for the preparation of manuscripts, in some establishments a single large room, in others partitioned into individual cells. Standard furnishings included a sloping writing desk for each copyist, equipped with chalk, pumice, inkhorns (one for each color of ink), plummet, pens and brushes, and a sharp knife, straight edge, pointed stylus, and ruling stick. A scribe might work independently until a book was completed or as part of a team that included illuminators, correctors, and binders. After the parchment or vellum sheets were ruled, the text was written, then rubricated, illuminated, corrected and cleaned, and bound. To minimize distraction, silence was maintained while work was in progress. Click here and here to see photographs of existing scriptoria and here to see an illustration of a medieval scriptorim in use. Plural: scriptoria. See also: armarian.

scriptura continua

See: scriptio continuo.

scripture

Originally, any written composition, but the term is now used mainly for the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, sometimes in the plural (Holy Scriptures). In a more general sense, any religious or sacred text or record. Click here to browse the Getty Museum's online exhibition of medieval scripture books.

scroll

Originally, a manuscript in the form of a length of papyrus, usually rolled around a sturdy wooden rod (umbilicus) with knobbed ends, sometimes with a vellum tag attached to one end for identification. In Antiquity, texts were written in columns on sheets of papyrus glued together in a continuous roll called a volumen by the Romans (papyrus tends to delaminate when folded). Click here to see an image of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The codex (book of bound leaves) replaced the scroll after animal skin (parchment and vellum) came into widespread use as a writing surface. Centuries later, the Chinese made scrolls from paper (see Diamond Sutra). Scrolls are still used in Jewish synagogues to preserve the Torah (see this 17th-century Esther Scroll, courtesy of the Jewish Theological Seminary Library). Click here to view a beautifully illuminated 17th-century vertical scroll of the Bahagavata Purana in Sanskrit on silk paper (John Rylands University Library, Manchester) and here to see a 17th-century Armenian manuscript prayer scroll, also on paper (University of Glasgow, Special Collections). See also: capsa, scrinium, scroll cover, and scroll map.

Also refers to a design motif in the form of a scroll appearing in the margin or within a miniature in a medieval illuminated manuscript. Examples can be seen in the 15th-century Hours of Pierre de Bosredont, courtesy of the Morgan Library (MS G.55). In the 13th-century Morgan Apocalypse, hand-drawn scrolls are used to display text within the borders of miniatures (MS M.524).

Also, to cause the text or images on a computer screen to move vertically or horizontally by typing strokes on a keyboard or by using a pointing device such as a mouse to manipulate a scroll bar along one side, or across the top or bottom, of a window or frame in a graphical user interface.

scroll cover

A cylindrical container designed to protect a manuscript in the form of a scroll, usually made of wood, sometimes covered in leather. A long slit is sometimes made in the wood from end to end through which the scroll can be pulled, then rewound around a wooden rod in the center of the cylinder. Click here to see a 14th-century example (Royal Library of Denmark) and here to see a modern example by the book designer Richard Minsky. Also refers to a piece of fabric used in Asian cultures for wrapping a scroll manuscript. Click here to see an 18th-century example from the Qing dynasty in China (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

scroll map

A map of elongated format made in the form of a roll, usually showing a linear feature such as a road, mountain range, or coastline. Click here to see an 18th-century manuscript map showing the Tokaido, the primary land-sea route from Edo (Tokyo) to Nagasaki, and here to see a scroll map of the coast of China, both courtesy of the Library of Congress. See also: strip map.

scuffed

The condition of a book with a binding so badly scraped that it has become frayed or roughened in places. Compare with rubbed.

sculptural binding

A bookbinding in the form of an object, natural or man-made, often related in theme to the content of the book. Click here to see a 20th-century binding in the shape of a pear, designed by the Czechoslovakian binder and conservator Jan Bohuslav Sobota for Solomon's Song of Songs (Southern Methodist University). Compare with shaped binding.

SDI

An abbreviation of selective dissemination of information. See: current awareness service.

seal

A stamp, carved cylinder, signet ring, etc., used to make an impression in molten wax to secure a letter or other document, confirming the identity of the sender and/or authenticity of the contents. The gummed envelope eliminated the need for sealing wax. Click here to see an example of an ancient Mesopotamian cylinder seal (ca. 2,800 B.C.) and its impression (Oriental Institute, University of Chicago) and here to see other examples from the Schøyen Collection (Oslo and London). The Metropolitan Museum of Art also provides images of cylinder seals and stamp seals in its collections. Click here to see the Great Seal of Queen Elizabeth I, courtesy of the National Archives of the UK. Also refers to the impressed design or mark itself (see this 17th-century example), a broken seal indicating that the document has been opened (see this exhibition), and to the impression used as a symbol, usually representing a government or institution (click here to learn about the 175-year history of the seal of Amherst College).

Also, a soft but coarse-grained leather made from the skin of a seal. According to The Bookman's Glossary (R.R. Bowker, 1983), leather made from the skin of a very young or baby seal, called pin seal, is finer-grained and has a lustrous finish. Click here to view black sealskin used on a 19th-century Art Nouveau silver binding from the collections of the British Library.

sealskin

See: seal.

search

A systematic effort on the part of a library user or librarian to locate desired information by manual or electronic means, whether successful or not, as opposed to browsing a library collection casually with no clear intention in mind. See also: mediated search, search statement, search strategy, and serendipity.

Also refers to an attempt by a member of the circulation staff of a library, sometimes at the request of a patron, to find an item listed as available in the catalog but not in its correct location on the shelf. See also: missing.

In employment, the formal process of seeking qualified candidates to fill a vacant position, often undertaken by a search committee composed of staff members and/or supervisors who will work closely with the new employee. In libraries, national searches are usually announced in professional publications, such as American Libraries, College & Research Libraries News, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.

searchable

An electronic resource running on software designed to allow the user to type a word, phrase, or string of words or phrases as input to find all the records, entries, or text containing the search term(s). Most online catalogs and bibliographic databases can be searched by author, title, subject heading (descriptor), and keywords. Boolean logic and truncation are permitted in a keywords search in most library catalogs and databases; wildcard and proximity searching in some.

search behavior

The manner in which a library user proceeds with a search for information once the research topic has been selected, including choice of search tool(s) and access point (author, title, subject, or keywords), selection of heading(s) or search term(s), formulation of search statement(s), evaluation of results, modification of search strategy in response to results, decision as to when the information need is satisfied, and any efforts to obtain professional assistance. Search behavior is studied by analyzing transaction logs recorded by automated catalogs and databases, and through direct observation and subjective reports of users.

search committee

A group of people, usually three or more library staff members, elected or appointed to assist in the process of selecting a candidate (or list of candidates) to fill a vacant position in the library. Their responsibilities may include drafting the position description, posting the vacancy, evaluating applications, selecting candidates for interviewing, drafting interview questions, conducting interviews, and selecting and recommending finalist(s) to library administration.

search engine

Originally, a hardware device designed to search a text-based database for specific character strings (queries) typed as input by the user. More recently, computer software designed to help the user locate information available at sites on the World Wide Web by selecting categories from a hierarchical directory of subjects (example: Yahoo!) or by entering appropriate keywords or phrases (Google, Hotbot, etc.). Most Web search engines allow the searcher to use Boolean logic and truncation in search statements. Results may be ranked according to relevance or some other criterion. Functionality varies, but many search engines provide both basic and advanced search modes. For more information about search engines, see the entry by Mark Hepworth and Ian Murray in the International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science (Routledge, 2003) or try HowStuffWorks. See also SearchEngineWatch.com and Search Engine Guide. See also: crawler and metasearch.

search history

A feature of some search software systems and Web browsers that allows the user to view a consecutive list of all the searches executed during the current search session or all the sites visited in a browsing session. Some systems allow the user to select a previous search from the list and re-execute it or print or save the search history, if desired.

search mode

Most bibliographic databases provide a basic approach for novices and more advanced methods for experienced users. In basic mode, keywords typed as input are located by default in predetermined fields of the bibliographic record (usually in the title, abstract, and full-text). In some databases, the user may also limit search results within certain parameters and decide whether the system will search for all words, any words, or the exact phrase as entered. In advanced mode, most search software allows the user to specify the fields to be searched and provides a wider range of limit options. Some Web search engines are also designed to allow the user to select advanced search, rather than the default, which is usually basic mode (see AltaVista Advanced Web Search or Google Advanced Search).

search service

A business that specializes in locating out of print books at the request of libraries and private collectors, often a dealer in used, old, or rare books. Acquisitions librarians sometimes rely on such services when a replacement copy is needed for a title still in demand but no longer in print. See also: Abebooks and Alibris.

search software

A computer program designed to execute a search for information when queried by a user. User-friendly search software provides both a menu-driven interface for novices and a command-driven interface for experienced searchers. Sophisticated search software permits the use of Boolean logic, nesting, truncation, wildcard, and proximity operators in search statements and allows the user to limit search results by various parameters. Compare with search engine. See also: functionality.

search statement

In information retrieval, an information need or query entered as input in a form acceptable to the search software used by the retrieval system. Most online catalogs, bibliographic databases, and search engines allow Boolean logic, nesting, truncation, wildcard, and proximity operators to be used in keyword(s) search statements and permit the user to limit search results. See also: controlled vocabulary and natural language.

search strategy

In information retrieval, a systematic plan for conducting a search. In most cases, the first step is to formulate a clear and concise topic statement. The next step is to identify the main concepts in the topic. Then the most appropriate finding tools for the subject must be identified and located. Lists of authorized subject heading(s) and descriptors in the appropriate indexing systems can then be consulted to find preferred terms to represent the main concepts.

In computer-based information retrieval, keywords can be combined using Boolean logic to form one or more queries expressed in syntax acceptable to the catalogs, bibliographic databases, and search engines most likely to contain information on the subject. If the initial results of a search are unsatisfactory, the user can modify the search statement by adding related terms or substituting broader terms to expand retrieval, or by substituting narrower terms to restrict retrieval. In most systems, limiting can be employed to restrict retrieval to entries that meet specific parameters. See also: heuristic, proximity, and truncation.

search term

A word or phrase representing one of the main concepts in a research topic, used alone or in combination with other terms in a search statement, to query an online catalog, bibliographic database, or search engine and retrieve relevant information. A search term can be a keyword or phrase supplied by the user, an authorized subject heading or descriptor selected from a prescribed list, or a word or phrase found in a thesaurus, for example, The Contemporary Thesaurus of Search Terms and Synonyms by Sara Knapp (Oryx, 2000).

Sears subject heading

A subject heading from a list created by Minnie E. Sears, first published in 1923 for use in school libraries and small public libraries. Although it is based on Library of Congress subject headings, the Sears List of Subject Headings published by H.W. Wilson is narrower in scope and its headings are more general. Small libraries supplement it with LC headings as needed. Click here to read reviews of the latest edition of the Sears List of Subject Headings.

seascape

An scene, made by photographic or artistic means, in which the ocean or seashore is the principal subject; the maritime equivalent of a landscape. Also, a genre of art in which the principal subject is the maritime environment. To see examples, try a keyword search on the term in Google Image Search.

season

One of the annual cycles in the publishing industry. When publishers introduce their frontlist in the spring and fall of each year, the previous year's frontlist titles move to the backlist. New and backlisted titles are described in the seasonal publisher's catalog distributed by mail to libraries and booksellers.

seasonal catalog

See: season.

secondary binding

When potential sales of a new book are difficult to predict, the publisher may decide to bind an edition in batches over a period of years. The color or quality of the binding material and the lettering on the spine may differ slightly from one batch to another. To distinguish the primary binding from subsequent bindings, the order in which the batches were bound must be determined, if possible.

secondary copy

A federal document distributed to a depository library in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) that is (1) a duplicate (including reprints), (2) superseded (including preprints), (3) an unrequested publication sent by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) by mistake, or (4) in the depository holdings of the highest State Appellate Court libraries. A depository has the option of offering secondary copies to the regional library or on state-wide discard lists at the discretion of the regional library. If the document is of value and not needed at the state level, the proper procedure is to offer it through the national Needs and Offers List and then to any public library or educational institution in the vicinity. If a reasonable effort is made and no recipient found, the library may dispose of such an item at its own discretion.

secondary entry

See: added entry.

secondary source

Any published or unpublished work that is one step removed from the original source, usually describing, summarizing, analyzing, evaluating, derived from, or based on primary source materials, for example, a review, critical analysis, second-person account, or biographical or historical study. Also refers to material other than primary sources used in the preparation of a written work. Compare with tertiary source.

secondary values

In archives, the values of records for the activities of users other than the office of record or its successors. Compare with primary values.

secondhand book

See: used book.

secondhand bookstore

See: used bookstore.

section

In library cataloging, a separately published part of a bibliographic resource usually representing a subject category within the whole and indicated by a topical heading or an alphabetical or numeric designation or both (AACR2). Also, a similar division within a law book. Also refers to one of the separately folded parts of a newspaper, for example, the Entertainment Section.

In printing, a unit of paper that when folded, gathered, and sewn or glued together with similar units constitutes the book block, usually a single folded sheet but in some cases one-and-a-half or two sheets or one sheet with an extra leaf added. Strictly speaking, a section is a signature to which any plates and/or inserts have been added. Click here to the unbound sections of a book.

In Dewey Decimal Classification, the third level of subdivision, represented by a three-digit notation not ending in zero (example: 947 for works on the history of Russia). There are 1,000 sections in DDC (10 x 10 x 10). Further subdivision is indicated by the addition of a decimal fraction (947.084, history of the Russian Revolution). Click here to see a table of the sections in DDC. See also: division and main class.

In cartography, a scale representation of a vertical surface (usually a plane) showing both the profile where it intersects the ground (and any large bodies of water) or a conceptual model, and the underlying structures along the plane of intersection (AACR2). In a geologic section, the underlying structures are usually rock formations, sedimentary strata, and deposits of oil or water (aquifers). Also, in the United States Public Land Survey, the unit of subdivision of a township, usually a quadrangle 1 mile square containing approximately 640 acres, with boundaries that conform to meridians and parallels within established limits. A township consists of 36 sections (6 X 6) bounded by range lines. Click here to see a section, township, and range map of Pottawatomie County, Kansas.

In library shelving, the vertical unit between two uprights in a single- or double-faced range. In the United States, a standard section is 7.5 feet high and 3 feet wide. Synonymous in Britain with tier.

Also refers to one of the subdivisions of a major division of the American Library Association (ALA), for example, one of the subdivisions of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) or the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), many of which have their own newsletters, electronic discussion lists, specialized programming, preconferences, etc. Click here to see a complete alphabetic list of ACRL sections and here to see a list of RUSA sections.

section title

See: divisional title.

secundo folio

The first word or words of text on the second leaf of a manuscript. Because these words differ from one manuscript copy to another, depending on size of script, text area, and folio, the practice originated during the Middle Ages of using them in cataloging to distinguish multiple copies of a text in a way which its opening words (incipit) could not.

security

In computing, the technology developed to prevent unauthorized persons, particularly hackers and crackers, from gaining entry to protected systems and files, including data encryption, virus detection, firewalls, and the authentication of authorization codes (usernames, passwords, PINs, etc.). In a more general sense, all the measures taken by an agency, company, organization, or institution to prevent unauthorized persons from accessing confidential information.

In the operation of libraries and archives, a general term encompassing all the equipment, personnel, practices, and procedures used to prevent the theft or destruction of materials and equipment and to protect patrons and employees from the harmful actions of persons intent on mischief. Large libraries and library systems often appoint a library security officer (LSO) to develop and implement a security plan. See also: key control, security audit, security guard, and security system.

security audit

A thorough on-site inspection in which a person (or persons) trained and experienced in library security critically examines and analyzes all the existing security systems and procedures used in a library to ascertain current status, identify deficiencies or excesses, and make recommendations based on findings. A professional security audit may include the analysis of crime statistics, an assessment of insurance needs, and discussion of sensitive topics, such as internal theft and personal security issues.

security gate

A device installed near the entrance and/or exit of a library, usually in the form of a swing-arm or pair of uprights positioned in such a way that persons entering or leaving the premises must pass through a magnetic detection system designed to trigger an alarm if an attempt is made to remove library materials without checking them out (see this example). Less obtrusive laser systems are also available. Some security gates include a counter that provides traffic statistics.

security guard

An employee responsible for patrolling the premises of a library to discourage disruptive behavior and illegal activities, such as vandalism and the unauthorized removal of materials (theft), and to deal with individuals who do not comply with library policies and rules. Most security guards wear uniforms and are trained to handle problem patrons and various types of emergency situations. Synonymous with security officer.

security strip

See: magnetic strip.

security system

An electronic alarm system installed at the entrance and exit of a library facility to detect the unauthorized removal of library materials (theft). Most security systems use a swing-arm or pair of uprights called a security gate, activated by a magnetic strip affixed to each item, which must be desensitized by circulation staff at the time the item is checked out to avoid triggering the alarm. Some security systems include a counting device for gathering statistics on traffic patterns.

see

A cross-reference in a library catalog, index, or reference work directing the user from a synonym (or other equivalent term) to the preferred heading or descriptor for a given name, place, or subject (example: Beyle, Marie Henri see Stendahl, 1783-1842). Synonymous with search under. Compare with USE.

see also

A cross-reference in a library catalog, index, or reference work directing the user to a heading under which related information can be found on a given subject (example: Treaty of Versailles, 1919 see also Paris Peace Conference, 1919). Abbreviated SA. Synonymous with search also under. See also: related term.

SEES

See: Slavic and East European Section.

segmentation

In Dewey Decimal Classification, the indication of logical breaks in a number by means of a typographical device, such as a slash or a prime mark used to indicate the end of an abridged class number or the beginning of a standard subdivision (DDC).

seismic upgrade

Renovation of an existing library facility to meet current safety standards intended to minimize potential damage or loss caused by a major earthquake. When structural changes are required, a seismic upgrade can be costly, but for older library builidings in earthquake-prone areas (e.g., parts of California), it is often necessary. Click here and here to see examples. Synonymous with seismic retrofit.

selection

The process of deciding which materials should be added to a library collection. Selection decisions are usually made on the basis of reviews and standard collection development tools by librarians designated as selectors in specific subject areas, based on their interests and fields of specialization. In academic libraries, selection may also be done by members of the teaching faculty in their disciplines. Very large academic and public libraries may use an approval plan or blanket order plan to assist selectors. Library patrons also recommend titles for purchase, especially in libraries that provide a suggestion box. The opposite of deselection. See also: selection aid and selection criteria.

selection aid

A publication used by librarians to develop a balanced collection of materials to meet the information needs of library users. The category includes bestseller lists, best books lists, core lists, national bibliographies, and review publications intended specifically for librarians (Booklist, CHOICE, Library Journal, School Library Journal, etc.).

selection criteria

The set of standards used by librarians to decide whether an item should be added to the collection, which normally includes a list of subjects or fields to be covered, levels of specialization, editions, currency, languages, and formats (large print, nonprint, abridgments, etc.). Selection criteria usually reflect the library's mission and the information needs of its clientele, but selection decisions are also influenced by budgetary constraints and qualitative evaluation in the form of reviews, recommended core lists, and other selection tools. See also: collection development policy.

selective

Chosen in preference to another or others on the basis of a special characteristic or quality. In library research, a finding tool such as an index or bibliography that covers only a portion of the available literature, usually limited to sources that meet certain pre-established criteria (quality, currency, reading level, degree of specialization, etc.). Compare with comprehensive.

selective bibliography

A bibliography that includes only a portion of the relevant literature, usually based on predetermined selection criteria, such as the needs of a particular group of users, desire for current versus retrospective material, or an evaluation of quality.

selective depository library

A depository library in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) that receives only item numbers that fulfill the primary needs of users within the geographic area it is designated to serve, usually based on its stated mission. Most depository libraries are selective, receiving only a percentage of the total number of government publications available free of charge from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). Click here to read the FDLP's Collection Development Guidelines for Selective Federal Depository Libraries (September 1994). Compare with regional depository library.

selective dissemination of information (SDI)

See: current awareness service.

selective housing

A depository library in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is permitted to store a percentage of its depository publications at other libraries or institutions for an extended period, while remaining responsible for their receipt, initial processing, and disposition. Selective housing is normally undertaken to (1) improve access and enhance use of the materials, (2) alleviate overcrowded conditions, and/or (3) allow the depository to select an extensive series for which there would otherwise be insufficient space. The selective housing site is expected to abide by all FDLP rules and regulations and is furnished with copies of appropriate instructions and manuals.

Materials selectively housed remain the property of the U.S. government and are governed by all public access, custody, maintenance, and public service requirements. If the library director of the depository does not administer the selective housing site, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) must be drawn up between the director and the custodian of the site outlining mutual responsibilities and procedures, with signed copies sent to the regional librarian and the Library Programs Service (LPS) of the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). The bibliographic records of the lending library should indicate where the documents are housed, those of the receiving library their source, and the documents should be clearly marked "depository."

selector

See: selection.

self-assessment

The process in which an individual, department, program, school, or institution examines the outcomes of its policies, practices, and priorities to ascertain whether it is realizing its goals and objectives, or meeting pre-established standards, often conducted for purposes of promotion, tenure, strategic planning, or accreditation. Formal self-evaluation may occur in conjunction with peer-evaluation. Synonymous with self-study.

self-checkout

An automated circulation system that allows registered borrowers to check out circulating materials on their own without the assistance of library staff, usually by means of barcodes attached to the item and appearing on the patron's library card (see this example). Self-checkout is part of a trend toward self-service in