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.

T

T1

A term introduced by AT&T to refer to a dedicated digital circuit provided by the telephone companies capable of transmitting data point-to-point at the rate of 1.544 Mbps (megabits per second), containing 24 individual channels, each capable of transmitting voice or data at the rate of 64 Kbps (kilobits per second). Individuals may purchase one of these channels in an arrangement known as fractional T1 access. Businesses and academic institutions lease T1 lines to connect to the Internet and may also use them for local area networks. The monthly charge is usually determined by distance. T1 lines are also used by Internet service providers to provide Internet access to individuals and small businesses. The Internet backbone is constructed of higher-speed T3 lines. Synonymous with DS1. See also: bandwidth.

T3

A term introduced by AT&T to refer to a dedicated digital circuit provided by the telephone companies capable of transmitting data point-to-point at the rate of 44.736 Mbps (megabits per second), used mainly by Internet service providers to connect to the Internet backbone and for the backbone itself. A T3 line contains 672 individual channels, each capable of transmitting 64 Kbps (kilobits per second). Synonymous with DS3. Compare with T1. See also: bandwidth.

tab

A short leather tongue, usually rounded at the corners, projecting from the head and/or tail of the spine on some bindings of the 7th to 12th century, to facilitate removal of the volume from a storage chest. Click here to see an example on a 12th-century binding (Schøyen Collection, MS 021). See also: finger tab.

tab index

A set of small projections called finger tabs extending from the fore-edge of a book like a series of steps, bearing a sequence of letters, numbers, or other characters, sometimes printed against a dark background, to show the alphabetic, subject, numeric, or other arrangement of the text for rapid reference. Compare with step index and thumb index.

table

A compact, systematic list of data, as in a table of contents listing the chapters of a book, or the Periodic Table of Elements in chemistry. Also refers to the compact arrangement of facts, figures, or other data in vertical rows and columns to facilitate comparison, usually with a title across the top or an explanatory caption or note written or printed underneath. In books containing information in tabular format, a list of tables is usually provided in the front matter with page numbers as locators. Some statistical reference works consisting entirely of tables are indexed by table number (example: Statistical Abstract of the United States). Click here and here to see tables of consanguinity and affinity in the 12th-century decretals of Gratian (Getty Museum, MS Ludwig XIV 2) and here to see almanac tables in a 15th-century astronomical treatise (British Library, Arundel 66).

In Dewey Decimal Classification, lists of notation that may be added in number building to other numbers in the schedules to form a class number appropriate to the content of a work. There are two kinds of tables in DDC: (1) six numbered auxiliary schedules containing numbers representing standard subdivisions, geographic areas, literary forms, languages, ethnic and other groups, etc., and (2) lists of special notation found in add notes under specific numbers in the main schedules and in Tables 1-6 (called add tables). In DDC, numbers from the tables are never used alone.

tableau miniature

A large painting in a medieval illuminated manuscript depicting a person, group, or incident in a picturesque setting, often enclosed in a frame. Click here to see two magnificent examples from a 15th-century French Book of Hours, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and here to see a 14th-century Florentine miniature of the Annunciation with a large, superimposed foliate initial "R," courtesy of the National Library of Australia.

table book

A form of manuscript or printed music book, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, in which the vocal or instrumental parts of an ensemble composition are displayed in a manner that enables the performers to read their parts while seated across or around a table. This was accomplished by inverting the parts on the upper half of the verso and recto of each opening, or by inverting the entire recto page in relation to the verso. The system was later expanded to accommodate as many as eight players. Click here to see a 17th-century Dutch example, courtesy of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. In library cataloging, the presence of a table book is indicated in the statement of extent in the physical description area of the bibliographic record. Also spelled table-book. Compare with part book.

Also, a luxurious edition, usually covered in silk or velvet, intended for display in the private drawing rooms of wealthy people of the 19th century, a precursor of the coffee table book.

table of contents (TOC)

A list of the contents of a printed publication in the order of their appearance, usually with page numbers as locators. In a book, the TOC lists the front matter, chapters or other major divisions of the work, and the back matter (see this example). In an anthology or collection, the TOC lists the titles of the works included by the editor(s) (stories, poems, plays, essays, etc.) in order of appearance. In books, the TOC is printed in the front matter on the first recto following the dedication or title page. In periodicals, the TOC appears near the front of each issue or on the back cover, listing the editorial content (articles, columns, reviews, etc.) but not any advertising. See also: current contents.

tablet

A flat piece of wood or ivory hollowed out on one side and filled with beeswax to allow a scribe to write on the surface with a stylus (see this example). Throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages, wax tablets were used for teaching, taking dictation, drafting texts, writing letters, computation, and other informal purposes. A text could easily be erased by warming and smoothing the wax with the blunt end of the stylus. Some tablets were designed with handles. A diptych consists of two tablets hinged along one side to close like a book. A thong was sometimes used to hold several tablets together, suspended from a belt or girdle. Click here to see an example in wood bearing an inscription in Greek (Schøyen Collection, MS 608). Latin: tabula. See also: pugillaria.

tabloid

A newspaper printed in a format half the size of an ordinary broadsheet newspaper, containing short news stories of a highly sensational and improbable nature, abundantly illustrated (usually with photographs), sold mainly at newsstands and in supermarkets. Click here to connect to the Yahoo! list of tabloids. See also: yellow press.

Also refers to an advertising preprint of four or more pages, normally one-half the size of the newspaper into which it is inserted.

tactile materials

Reading materials in which the text is converted into a series of raised symbols, as in braille, or is presented in surfaces of contrasting texture, for the manual use of visually impaired persons (click here and here to see examples of tactile maps). In AACR2, materials for the visually impaired are indicated in the general material designation, as in [map (tactile)] and [music (braille)]. See also: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

tag

A three-character numeric code in the range of 0XX-9XX with XX = 01-99, used in the MARC record to identify the kind of data contained in a field. The numbering system allows fields to be grouped by function in hundreds. In fields requiring authority control, the second and third character positions in the tag indicate parallel content. According to Betty Furrie, approximately 10 percent of all MARC tags are used in most bibliographic records; the other 90 percent are used infrequently (Understanding MARC Bibliographic Machine-Readable Cataloging). For books, the most frequently used tags are:

010 tag - Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)

020 tag - International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and terms of availability

040 tag - cataloging source

050 tag - Library of Congress call number

100 tag - personal name main entry (primary author)

130 tag - uniform title main entry

240 tag - uniform title

245 tag - title and statement of responsibility (title proper, name of part/section of work, remainder of title, etc.)

246 tag - varying form of title (cover title, parallel title, spine title, etc.)

250 tag - edition (edition statement, other information about edition)

260 tag - publication, distribution, etc. (imprint)

300 tag - physical description (collation)

440 tag - series statement added entry (title)

500 tag - general note

504 tag - bibliography note

505 tag - formatted contents note

520 tag - annotation or summary note

600 tag - personal name subject added entry

610 tag - corporate name subject added entry

650 tag - topical subject heading

651 tag - geographic name subject added entry

700 tag - personal name added entry (joint author, editor, illustrator)

710 tag - corporate name added entry (other than subject or series)

800 tag - series personal name added entry

830 tag - series uniform title added entry

Also refers to a character string attached to a portion of text in an HTML, SGML, or XML document, usually at the beginning and end, to identify elements of the file, specify formatting, or establish a link. To see the tags in this hypertext dictionary, click on "View" or its equivalent in your Web browser and then select the option "Page Source" or "View Source."

tag group

The three-digit content designators (called tags), used to identify fields in the MARC record, are grouped by function in hundreds as follows, with XX in the range of 00-99:

0XX tags - Bibliographic control numbers and coded information

1XX tags - Main entries

2XX tags - Titles, edition, imprint

3XX tags - Physical description, etc.

4XX tags - Series statements

5XX tags - Notes

6XX tags - Subject added entries

7XX tags - Added entries other than subject or series; linking fields

8XX tags - Series added entries and holdings

9XX tags - Fields for local use

See also: parallel content.

tail

The bottom edge of a book, on which it rests when shelved in an upright position. Also refers to the margin at the foot of a page, as opposed to the margin at the head. In typography, the lower loop of the letters g, q, and y of the roman alphabet.

In motion picture film, the end of a roll wound on a reel or core, as opposed to its beginning (the head). When film is wound with the end of the roll on the outside, it is said to be tail out, a procedure used in film repositories to encourage reinspection before viewing.

tailband

See: headband.

tailcap

See: headcap.

tailpiece

A decoration printed in the blank space at the end of a chapter or other division of a book, usually a printer's ornament or a small illustration done by a professional illustrator (see this example). In medieval manuscripts, a tailpiece sometimes included a colophon that might be rubricated. Click here to see a 15th-century example that includes armorial motifs (British Library, Arundel 531). Also spelled tail-piece. Synonymous with tail ornament. Compare with headpiece. See also: frontispiece.

take down

The process of preparing a book for rebinding by removing its cover, boards, endpapers, sewing threads, and lining, including any cleaning or repair. When a volume has been reduced to its original sections, it is said to have been taken down. Synonymous with pulling.

take-over

The acquisition of exclusive rights in a book or other work by a new publisher, following initial publication by another company, sometimes the result of a legal custody fight, as in the case of the long battle between HarperCollins and Macmillan over the U.S. rights to publish The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

tale

A narrative account of a real, imaginary, or legendary incident, usually told in the first person in a rambling style, with more attention to plot and setting than to character development. Most tales are works of short fiction (example: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving), but the term has also been applied to novels (Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens). In a tall tale, the plot is deliberately far-fetched, usually for comic effect ("Cannibalism in the Cars" by Mark Twain). See also: short story.

talkie

From "talking picture" (as movie is derived from "moving picture"). A popular term for a motion picture produced with synchronized sound, used during the period immediately following the introduction of sound in 1927 to distinguish sound films from earlier silent films. The most successful of the early talkies was The Jazz Singer with Al Jolson, released in 1927. Producers that did not immediately embrace the new technology went out of business, abandoning many of the silent films made in 1926 and 1927, now lost forever.

talking book

See: audiobook.

tanning

The process of converting an animal skin or hide into leather by soaking it in lime to remove the hair and then steeping it in liquid containing tannic acid, an astringent derived from vegetable materials such as oak bark, oak gall, acacia, or sumach. Used in ancient Egypt as early as 5000 B.C., tanning turns a skin brown in color and renders it more durable. Tanned goatskin was used on Coptic bindings as early as the 7th century A.D. The covers of books bound in tanned leather should be oiled periodically to prevent drying. Compare with tawing.

tape recording

See: audiotape.

tape residue

Yellowish brown stains, sticky adhesive, or bits of tape adhering to the paper of a book or other printed publication, the result of repairs made with cellophane tape (see this example)--a type of residue that is very difficult to remove.

tapes

Narrow strips of tightly woven cotton or linen fabric to which the sections of a book are sewn in quality binding. Two half-inch-wide strips are the norm, but in larger volumes as many as five may be used, spaced at regular intervals across the binding edge. Sewing supports are no longer used in most trade bindings. In older bindings, vellum tapes were used, or cords made from vegetable fiber. Click here to see tapes used to rebind an incunable in the mid-1940s (Princeton University Library).

target audience

The group or category of persons for whom a literary or artistic work is written or produced or for whom a library collection is developed (students, professionals, recreational readers, a particular age or interest group, grade or reading level, etc.). In library cataloging, target audience is indicated in the 521 field of the MARC record.

Tasini decision

On June 25, 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in New York Times Co. v. Tasini that publishers of newspapers and periodicals infringed the copyrights of freelance writers by making the full-text of their articles publicly available in computer databases without permission. The suit was filed in 1993 against the New York Times Co., Inc. and four database providers by Jonathan Tasini, president of the 7,200-member National Writers Union. The American Library Association (ALA) filed an amicus curiae brief on the side of the freelancers.

Upholding the 1999 decision of the Federal Appeals Court in favor of Tasini and five other freelance writers, the high court rejected the contention that reproduction in an electronic database is a "revision" of a collective work and therefore permissible under existing copyright law, instead ruling that because articles distributed in a database are taken out of the context of the original print publication, the author retains online rights unless a prior agreement is made with the publisher. The case was sent back to the lower court for determination of appropriate remedies.

The New York Times Co. reacted to the decision by announcing its intention to withdraw up to 115,000 articles from its full-text electronic archives, mostly published between January 1, 1978 (the date the Copyright Act of 1976 went into effect) and 1995 when most periodical publishers began including electronic rights clauses in contracts with freelance writers. The effect of the decision on academic authors who publish in scholarly journals remains unclear. Most database vendors have been less than forthright in revealing to libraries the extent of removal of full-text from their products in compliance with the Tasini decision. Click here to learn more about the Tasini decision from LLRX.com.

taskbar

A row of tabs in a graphical user interface, usually located across the bottom of the screen, with text labels indicating the applications and files currently open. In multitasking, a tab can be clicked by the user to bring the corresponding window to the foreground or to restore it to its original size after it has been minimized. In the Windows operating system, the Start button is also located in the taskbar, which may contain other information such as date and time.

task force

A group of individuals drawn from various units within an organization charged with accomplishing a specific objective or set of objectives. Once the task is completed, the group is disbanded and its members return to their former units.

tattle-tape

See: magnetic strip.

tawing

Preparation of an animal skin by treating it with alum and salts of iron or chromium, rendering it flexible and whitish in color. Tawed skins are very durable and more resistant to deterioration caused by atmospheric pollution than tanned leather. Geoffrey Glaister notes in Encyclopedia of the Book (Oak Knoll/British Library, 1996) that alum-tawed skins were used in bookbinding in England from the mid-12th to the mid-15th century and in Germany for panel-stamped bindings during the 16th century, sometimes dyed bright pink with kermes, a substance derived from the dried bodies of a scale insect that feeds on oak trees. Click here to see a 15th-century blind-tooled binding in alum-tawed pigskin (Cornell University Library). Synonymous with whittawed.

taxonomy

The science of classification, including the general principles by which objects and phenomena are divided into classes, which are subdivided into subclasses, then into sub-subclasses, and so on. Taxonomies have traditionally been used in the life sciences to classify living organisms (see Tree of Life), but the term has been applied more recently within the information sector to the classification of resources available via the World Wide Web. For a discussion of taxonomies in the information science context, see the entry by Alan Gilchrist in the International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science (Routledge, 2003).

TCP/IP

An initialism for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of communications protocols developed by the U.S. Department of Defense and implemented in 1982 to allow the users of host computers of different types and sizes to communicate with each other and exchange data via the Internet and other networks (intranets and extranets). Supported on most platforms, TCP/IP has become the protocol of the Internet. TCP ensures that the total amount of data (bytes) sent is received correctly, and IP provides the mechanism for routing the packets of data comprising a message to the destination address as efficiently as possible. Click here to learn more about TCP/IP in Wikipedia.

TEACH

See: Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act.

teacher's manual

A booklet or softcover book issued in conjunction with a textbook to assist instructors in using the text to teach their classes (click here to see a stand-alone online example). In library cataloging, the presence of a teacher's manual is indicated as accompanying material in the physical description area of the bibliographic record representing the item.

teaching style

The mix of skills and techniques that, in combination with knowledge, preparation, and experience, enables a librarian to be effective in the classroom. Determined in part by personality, preferences include lecture and demonstration, personal interaction (question and answer), active learning exercises (individual and group), visual aids (blackboard, transparencies, slides, video, presentation software, etc.), and quizzes and take-home exercises. Whenever possible, an effective bibliographic instruction librarian is also guided by the cognitive style of the student. For more on this subject, see the article Discovering Your Teaching Style by Jeanine Akers in the May 2004 issue of C&RL News. See also the online Grasha-Riechmann Teaching Style Survey. Synonymous with instructional style.

tear index

An index of the strength and durability of paper, expressed in units of mN m²/g (millinewtons meter²/gram). In the ANSI/NISO Z39.48 standard for Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives, tear index is computed as the ratio of tear resistance (mN) to grammage (g/m²).

tear sheet

A page of editorial content or advertising torn or otherwise separated from a periodical or other printed publication for use as a press clipping or file copy.

tear test

See: grain.

teaser

Advertising copy supplied by the marketing department of a publishing company, usually printed on the dust jacket of a new book to entice the reader to open the cover and sample the text.

techie

See: technician.

technical drawing

A drawing made specifically for use in engineering or some other technical context (diagram, cross section, detail, elevation, perspective, plan, working plan, etc.). Architectural drawings are included in this category. To see examples, try a keywords search on the term in Google Image Search.

technical journal

A journal devoted to a particular branch of engineering or technology, providing information for technicians in the field (example: Computing in Science and Engineering). Articles published in technical journals are indexed in Applied Science and Technology Index, Compendex, INSPEC, etc.

technical library

A library that supports one or more of the applied sciences, such as engineering or computer science. A technical library can be a branch library in a large university, a major collection within a large academic or public library, or a special library maintained by a private corporation or government agency. Click here to see the Yahoo! list of engineering libraries. See also: National Technical Information Service.

technical processing

All the activities and processes concerned with acquiring, organizing, preparing, and maintaining library collections, including cataloging and physical processing, usually accomplished "behind the scenes" by the technical services department of a library. When the department is understaffed, arrears may accumulate. See also: centralized processing.

technical report

A scientific paper or article describing research or other significant developments in a field of the applied sciences (click here to see examples, courtesy of W3C). When submitted to a military agency, such a report may be classified or subject to other restrictions on access. Click here to connect to the Virtual Technical Reports Center maintained by the University of Maryland Libraries. See also: e-print, National Technical Information Service, preprint, and Standard Technical Report Number.

technical services (TS)

Library operations concerned with the acquisition, organization (bibliographic control), physical processing, and maintenance of library collections, as opposed to the delivery of public services. Technical processing is performed "behind the scenes," usually in a technical services department. Click here to connect to the Technical Services Unlimited Web Site. See also: Association for Library Collections and Technical Services.

technician

A person who has special expertise in the maintenance of high-tech machines, particularly computer and scientific equipment. Libraries with automated systems require the services of a "techie" to keep hardware and software running smoothly. Compare with systems librarian.

Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act (TEACH)

When the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 was debated, lobbyists and educators reached an impasse on new exemptions for digital distance education. Enacted in 2002 following five years of negotiations between educators and the publishing and entertainment industries, TEACH amends the DMCA to permit nonprofit, accredited educational institutions certain exemptions in the use of copyrighted materials. Under Section 110, educators and enrolled students are allowed to display or perform the entire text of a nondramatic literary work in the digital classroom without obtaining prior permission from the copyright holder and without paying fees, provided proper notice of copyright protection is given. Reasonable and limited portions of dramatic literary works, such as narrative motion pictures, operas, plays, etc., may also be used in the digital classroom.

Under Section 112, eligible institutions are permitted to copy an analog version of a copyrighted work to a digitized format for use in the digital classroom, only if a digital version is not available or the available digital version is subject to technological protections that prevent its use. TEACH exemptions apply only to mediated instruction in which the learning process is initiated and supervised by course instructor(s) responsible for determining that the use of copyrighted materials is essential to meeting specific learning objectives. Instructors are required to make a "reasonable" effort to prevent students from disseminating copyrighted materials to others. Many institutions have interpreted password protection of digital course materials as meeting this requirement. Click here to connect to the American Library Association's Web page on distance education and TEACH.

technology plan

A carefully developed strategy for identifying, evaluating, acquiring, and implementing technological systems and services to fulfill a library's mission and optimally serve the needs of its users, usually over a multiyear period. In addition to determining the hardware, software, telecommunication, technical support, and training the library will need, a technology plan addresses how objectives will be accomplished with reference to the goals of the library's overall service program and the environment in which it operates, particularly institutional priorities and funding. Basic components of a technology plan include:

• A summary providing a synopsis of the plan's primary recommendations and conclusions
• Background information, including an overview of the library, its mission, the community or user group served, and the process used to develop the plan
• A description of the existing technological resources
• A complete description of the technology plan, including goals and objectives, needs, action plan, and proposed budget
• An evaluation process for monitoring progress toward the achievement of goals and objectives, including a timetable and specific measures of success

Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (TCA), public libraries are required to provide a technology plan when applying for E-rate discounts on telephone, telecommunication, and Internet services and for funding to purchase equipment and wiring. Applications for LSTA technology grants must also include a technology plan. The Florida State Library provides a Web site on Library Development: Technology Planning.

technophobe

A person who has an irrational fear of using electronic equipment, particularly computers and their peripheral devices. In libraries, technophobic patrons may not admit their fear, so the astute reference librarian must be alert to certain cues, such as lack of familiarity with the keyboard or signs of anxiety, and be ready to provide reassurance as needed. In cases of stubborn refusal, the librarian may have to perform the search for the reluctant user, but this can often be done in a manner that makes the process look easy, to encourage the patron to try it independently.

tectonic map

A map showing the boundaries of the hard plates comprising the outer shell (lithosphere) of all or a portion of the earth and, in some cases, volcanic activity, especially along the edges of the plates. Click here to see an example for Texas (Perry-Castañeda Library) and here to see a map of the Major Tectonic Plates of the World, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. NASA provides tectonic maps of the North Pole and South Pole based on new satellite technologies that detect and measure tectonic activity (slow movement) in the earth's crust. To learn more about plate tectonics, see the USGS tutorial This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics.

Teen Read Week (TRW)

An adolescent literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association (ALA), intended to encourage teenagers to read and make use of library services and collections. Over 1,400 school and public libraries register with YALSA to participate in TRW each year. The event began in 1998 and is celebrated during third week of October. YALSA establishes the annual theme and provides book lists; local libraries and bookstores design their own programs. YALSA welcomes non-profit supporting organizations and corporate sponsors. Click here to visit the YALSA's Teen Read Week Web site.

t.e.g.

An abbreviation of top edge gilt. See: gilt edges.

TEI

See: Text Encoding Initiative.

TEI Header

A section of metadata that can be attached to a document encoded under the Text Encoding Initiative standard to describe the original source file and indicate who converted it to machine-readable form, the encoding and markup principles used, etc. The TEI Header is defined in Chapter 5 of the TEI Guidelines.

telecast

To transmit information in the form of electromagnetic signals over television airwaves or cable transmission lines. In a cablecast, transmission is limited to a cable system. Also refers to a television program transmitted in such a manner. Compare with broadcast. See also: newscast.

telecine

A piece of equipment designed to convert the images and sound track on motion picture film to electronic signals recorded on videotape or as image files on disk, or telecast directly without recording (see these examples).

telecommunication

The process of sending and receiving signals or messages at a distance via telegraph, telephone, radio, television, cable, microwave, or any other electromagnetic means, on which modern information technology depends. Also, any transmission, emission, or reception of signals by such methods. Compare with telecommunications.

telecommunications

The individual messages transmitted and/or received via telegraph, telephone, radio, television, cable, microwave, or other electromagnetic means. Sometimes used synonymously with telecommunication.

telecommute

To work from home using a computer and telecommunication links, instead of traveling to an office to conduct business. Some library functions, such as the design and maintenance of Web sites, can be accomplished from a distance, but most library personnel work on-site.

teleconference

A live, two-way conference of two or more people using audio and video transmission technology that enables the participants to see and hear each other in real time without having to meet in the same physical location.

telegram

A message sent over a long distance by a signaling device designed to transmit electrical pulses through a wire (or converted to radio waves) using Morse code, a system of short and long signals ("dots" and "dashes") produced by manually manipulating a lever or key to open and close an electric circuit. At the receiving end, the decoded message is typed or pasted onto a paper form for delivery to the addressee (see this example, courtesy of the National Library of Medicine). The information contained in telegrams can be of historical importance, as in the case of the Zimmermann Telegram intercepted by the British on January 16, 1917 (Wikipedia). Use of the telegram declined with the advent of affordable long distance telephone service, but Western Union is still in business. Synonymous with cablegram and lettergram.

telephone directory

A large format paperback publication distributed annually by a telephone company at no charge to its customers, containing an alphabetic list of the names, telephone numbers, and street addresses of people served in a given city, town, or geographic area in a section called the white pages, and an alphabetic list of businesses with phone numbers and addresses in the yellow pages in the back. For large cities, the white pages and yellow pages may be published in separate volumes. Library collections of print phone books have been largely replaced by directories available online at no charge via the Internet (example: Switchboard.com). Most libraries continue to provide print phone books only for the major towns and cities in their state.

teleplay

A drama written to be recorded in a studio for broadcast on television, rather than to be performed live on stage or filmed as a motion picture. Synonymous with television drama. Compare with screenplay.

teletext

A type of one-way broadcasting service that allows digital information provided by a television station, such as closed captions or continuously updated news, to be displayed on a television receiver specially adapted to allow text and graphics to be superimposed over regular programming, usually in frames. Teletext is not interactive. Compare with videotex.

television feature

A fictional work originally produced for television, usually comparable in length to a feature film released to theater audiences (90 minutes to three hours), not part of a regular television series or mini-series and not a special, for example, A Rather English Marriage (1999) starring Tom Courtenay and Albert Finney, which won several TV British Academy Awards (BAFTAs). A television feature can be an adaptation of another work, for example, The Mill on the Floss (1997) based on the novel by George Eliot. Unless a TV feature is shown on public television, it is usually interrupted by commercials. Also called a "made for TV movie." See also: teleplay.

television pilot

An initial episode of a proposed television series, intended to showcase the program's possibilities to audiences and potential sponsors. If the response is favorable, the producers may agree to proceed with further episodes.

television program

A work originally broadcast by a television network or station to persons who own television receivers or subscribe to cable television, including news broadcasts, entertainment, documentaries, instructional content, etc. The category does not include motion pictures and other works originally created on film, usually for theatrical release, and later broadcast on television. See also: commercial, television feature, television series, and television special.

television series

A television program in multiple episodes, usually conceived without a definite end, to be aired on a regular schedule (daily, weekly, or monthly). In a nonfiction series, the episodes are usually related in theme and/or host, and often of the same length and similar format (example: American Experience on PBS). The episodes in a fiction series usually share the same characters in a predictable setting, sometimes with a continuous plot (soap operas and sitcoms are in this category). A television mini-series is a multi-episode program of limited duration, aired daily or weekly, usually with a total running time of less than 15 hours (example: The West, a documentary series by Ken Burns). See also: television pilot.

television special

A single entertainment or news program shown on television on a specific occasion. Entertainment specials, usually less than 90 minutes long, include coverage of major contests (the Olympics) and award presentations (the Oscars), parades and pageants, variety shows, and programs in commemoration of national holidays. Also included are news programs shown on a periodic basis (political conventions) or reporting major events (coronations, inaugurations, royal weddings, assassinations, major military actions, etc.). Compare with television feature.

Telnet

Terminal emulation software governed by the TCP/IP protocol, which allows the user to log on to a remote computer or terminal and use its systems as if on-site. Designed to transmit ASCII text, Telnet was once widely used in libraries to provide remote access to online catalogs but has been largely superseded by graphical Web-based access to electronic resources.

temperature

An important environmental factor affecting the condition of library collections. Paper and other materials used in the production of books expand and contract with changes in temperature, sometimes at unequal rates, creating stresses that contribute to deterioration. Conservators consider 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit best for storing books and other printed materials. The simplest instrument for monitoring temperature is the thermometer. A high-low thermometer, checked at the same time each day, is useful for recording temperature over an extended period. Small thermo-hygrometers are used to monitor temperature and relative humidity in small enclosed spaces, such as exhibit cases, and hygrothermographs are available for charting temperature and relative humidity, usually on a seven-day cycle.

temporarily out of print (TOP)

A term used on a publisher's invoice to indicate that the title ordered cannot be supplied because the last printing is sold out and to inform prospective purchasers that additional copies are expected from the printer in the near future. Compare with out of print at present. See also: out of print.

temporarily out of stock (TOS)

A term used on a publisher's invoice to indicate that the title ordered cannot be supplied because current inventory is exhausted but additional copies are expected, usually from the binder or manufacturer. Compare with out of stock. See also: in stock.

temporary binding

From the mid-15th through the 17th century, books were seldom given a permanent binding by the printer. Instead, they were bound in a parchment or vellum case or paper wrappers to keep the sections together until the book was sold to a purchaser who would have it hand-bound to his or her specifications, usually by a professional binder. Some interim bindings, skillfully sewn, have survived in good condition (see these examples, courtesy of the Princeton University Library).

temporary records

Documents intended by their creator to remain useful for a short time only, which have no archival value and can be discarded or destroyed when no longer needed without loss to the individual or organization, for example, draft versions not required to document a process or order records for materials that have been received and processed by a library. See also: contingent records.

temporary storage

A space within an archive or library facility, or located off-site, where materials, equipment, or supplies are kept for a short time until they can be processed, installed, distributed, transferred to a permanent location, or disposed of in some other way, for example, a large gift collection awaiting examination by selectors.

tender

Used in the antiquarian book trade to describe the condition of book with a binding that is loosening.

tenure

The guarantee of permanent employment, granted by an academic institution to a faculty member for satisfactory performance upon completion of a specified number of years of service, to be terminated only for adequate cause (incompetence, malfeasance, mental or physical incapacity, genuine financial exigency, etc.). A position for which tenure is granted is classifed as tenure-track. Academic librarians who have faculty status are eligible for tenure; those with academic status usually are not. Click here to connect to the Web page on academic freedom of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). In a more general sense, the length of time a person has been employed, or may be expected to be employed, by a company, agency, organization, or institution. Synoymous with continuous appointment. Compare with promotion.

term

A word, phrase, or symbol, especially one used to represent, in a dictionary, catalog, index, or database, a subject or other feature of a work. See also: search term.

term frequency (TF)

The number of times a search term occurs in a record or document included in a database, one of the variables used in assigning a weight to the relevance of the record or document in relation to others retrieved in the same search.

terminal

An electronic device consisting of a computer keyboard and screen or optical scanner, which can be used to enter data (input) and display output from a central computer (usually a minicomputer or mainframe) but is not capable of independent processing. Synonymous with dumb terminal and visual display terminal (VDT). Compare with personal computer and thin client. See also: dedicated, emulation, and VT100.

terminal degree

The degree of highest rank required of an academic professional for permanent full-time employment at an institution of higher education. On January 23, 1975, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), approved, as a matter of policy, the master's degree in library science (M.L.S. or M.L.I.S.) from a program accredited by the ALA as the appropriate terminal professional degree for academic librarians employed in the United States. The ACRL Board of Directors reaffirmed that decision in June, 2001.

terminal emulation

See: emulation.

termination

The conclusion of a period of employment, whether by mutual agreement, by the employee through resignation, or by the employer through dismissal. The employment contract usually specifies the terms under which an individual or institution may terminate employment and the proper procedures for doing so.

terminology

Words, phrases, and symbols representing the concepts and subjects used in a specific field of research, study, or activity, for which the meaning (established by convention or explicit agreement among its practitioners) is clearly defined, sometimes in a published glossary or lexicon. Synonymous with nomenclature.

terms of availability

The conditions under which a bibliographic item is available for sale in the market place, usually the list price, entered in field 020 or 022 of the MARC record.

ternion

In bookbinding, a gathering consisting of three sheets of paper, parchment, or vellum folded once to create six leaves, used in some manuscript books and early printed books. See also: quaternion, quinternion, and sextern.

tertiary source

A written work, such as a chapter in a textbook or entry in a reference book, based entirely on secondary sources, rather than on original research involving primary documents. Whether a source is secondary or tertiary can be determined by examining the bibliography (if one is provided). Another clue is that secondary sources are almost always written by experts, but tertiary sources may be written by staff writers who have an interest in the topic but are not scholars on the subject.

test collection

A library collection consisting of assessment instruments used by researchers and practitioners in education, psychology, counseling, and allied fields. Information on test collections is available in the Directory of Test Collections in Academic, Professional, and Research Libraries (2002) published by the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). Tests are reviewed in the Mental Measurements Yearbook published by the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.

tête-bêche

A form of binding in which the text of one work begins at the "front" of the book and the text of a second work at the "back," inverted (upside down) with respect to the other so that their last pages meet somewhere in the middle of the sections. Also, a volume bound in the same manner, which contains different versions of the same text. Compare with dos-à-dos. See also: back to back.

Also refers to a joined pair of postage stamps printed upside down in relation to each other (see these examples).

tetrology

See: trilogy.

text

In a written, printed, or digital work, the words or (in the absence of words) signs or symbols used to express the author's thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Compare with wordless. See also: electronic text, subtext, and textual criticism.

Also refers to the body of a book, excluding the front matter, back matter, and any notes, illustrations, captions, headings, or other display matter. Also used as a shortened form of textbook. See also: text block.

In library cataloging, the general material designation for printed material that can be read by the human eye without the aid of magnification, for example, a book, pamphlet, periodical, broadside, etc. For tactile materials, a qualifier is added to the GMD, as in [text (braille)]. Also refers to the words of a song, cycle of songs, or (in the plural) collection of songs (AACR2).

In computing, a machine-readable data file containing elements (letters, characters, ideographs) that can be read as words and sentences, as opposed to a file consisting of nontextual symbols, graphics, audio, and/or video. See also: plain text and rich text. In e-mail, the body of a message, as distinct from its header and footer.

text block

The gathered signatures of a written or printed book sewn or adhered in a single unit and usually trimmed before attachment to the case or cover, not including any paper added by the binder, such as endpapers or doublures (see this diagram). Compare in this sense with book block.

Also used in a narrower sense to refer to the leaves of a book that bear the actual text of the work, as opposed to the front matter, back matter, and any plates printed separately, usually on a different paper stock, to be added in binding. Also spelled textblock.

textbook

An edition of a book specifically intended for the use of students who are enrolled in a course of study or preparing for an examination on a subject or in an academic discipline, as distinct from the trade edition of the same title, sometimes published in conjunction with a workbook, lab manual, and/or teacher's manual. Also refers to the standard work used for a specific course of study, whether published in special edition or not. Textbooks were among the first works to be published following the invention of printing from movable type. Click here to see a selection of fine woodcut illustrations from a medical textbook on anatomy printed on vellum in Basel in 1543 (Glasgow University Library, Special Collections, MS Hunterian Ce.1.18).

Textbooks are usually ordered by college bookstores in quantity, based on projected course enrollment. The standard publisher's discount on textbook orders is 20 percent. Used copies in good condition may be sold back to the bookstore for resale at a lower price than new copies. Academic libraries generally do not purchase textbooks because for most subjects they quickly become outdated, but a textbook received as a gift, usually from a faculty member, may be added to the collection if the need exists. See also: El-Hi Textbooks & Serials in Print, textbook edition, and textbook pricing.

textbook edition

A trade book issued in a separate edition specifically for the use of students enrolled in a course of study. The format may be altered to make it more useful, for example, by the addition of study questions and bibliographies at the end of each section or chapter. Textbook editions are sold at short discount, usually 20 percent when ordered in quantity. Synonymous with text edition.

textbook pricing

According to the National Association of College Stores, the textbook market (including course packs) was a $6.77 billion industry in 2006, with the average cost of a college textbook slightly over $100. The relentless rise in textbook prices is one factor that threatens to make higher education unaffordable for students from low- to moderate-income families. The increases have sparked student resistance and forced college and university administrators, state legislatures, and even the U.S. Congress to address the issue. Various solutions have been suggested, including tax breaks, book rentals, and institutional licensing.

Text Encoding Initiative (TEI)

Introduced in 1987, TEI is an international interdisciplinary standard intended to assist libraries, museums, publishers, and scholars in representing literary and linguistic texts in digital form to facilitate research and teaching. The encoding scheme is designed to maximize expressivity and minimize obsolescence. TEI began as a research project organized cooperatively by the Association for Computers and the Humanities, the Association for Computational Linguistics, and the Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing, funded by research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the European Union, the Canadian Social Science Research Council, the Mellon Foundation, and others. Click here to connect to the TEI Web site. See also: TEI Header.

textile binding

A style of bookbinding popular in Europe from the 12th to the 15th century in which the boards were covered in velvet and/or silk brocade, usually adorned with gold or silver clasps. From the 16th to the 18th century, velvet and satin bindings sumptuously embroidered by skilled needleworkers were popular with women of means. Because luxury fabrics are often fragile, they are easily abraded or torn. Fabric can also be damaged by mold if it becomes wet or damp. For these reasons, few examples of fine textile bindings survive in good condition. To see examples, try a search on the keyword "textile," "embroidered," "silk," "velvet," or "canvas" in the British Library's Database of Bookbindings.

Canvas came into limited use as a binding material in England during the late 18th century, and cotton book cloth was commonly used on covers in the 19th century, often with embossed grains. Since then, the quality of book cloth has declined, except in library binding in which the materials used are governed by strict standards.

textspeak

A developing language of abbreviations used in Internet and cell phone communication, in which letters of the alphabet are used to represent syllables or words, numerals to represent sounds or words, and combinations of letters and numerals to compose sentences (examples: RUOK for "Are you OK?" and CUL8R for "See you later"). See linguist David Crystal's A Glossary of Netspeak and Textspeak published in 2004 by Columbia University Press. Also spelled text speak. Compare with netspeak. See also: smiley.

text type

Type used to print reading material, for example, the body of a book or other publication, as opposed to the display type used to print headings, running titles, etc., or the extract type used to print notes and long quotations. Synonymous with body type. See also: type size.

textual criticism

Close study and comparison of the various texts of a literary work to determine the version that reflects most faithfully the writer's intentions, particularly important in the case of older works for which the original manuscript is missing or incomplete or for which multiple versions exist. See also: recension and textus receptus.

textura

Latin for "weaving" or "woven." In printing, the most formal of the gothic or black letter type fonts, used for early editions of the Bible. Click here to see texture in a copy of the Gutenberg Bible (Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin). Textura is based on the gothic minuscule script widely used in Europe as a book hand during the late Middle Ages. It is characterized by extreme contrast between wide and hairline strokes, narrow letterforms often conjoined at the vertical stroke, short ascenders and descenders, forked ends on ascenders, and a dark, heavy, monotonous aspect to the page caused by compression with the space between vertical strokes reduced to the width of the vertical stroke and the space between words to twice the width of the vertical. Versals were used for important initial letters.

textus receptus

Latin for "received text." The version of a work that, in the absence of indisputable proof to the contrary, is considered by scholars to represent the author's intentions to a greater degree than other versions known to exist. Consensus is reached through the process of textual criticism, as in the case of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. See also: recension.

TF

See: term frequency.

TGN

See: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names.

Theatre Library Association (TLA)

Established in 1937, TLA has an international membership of curators, librarians, archivists, writers, historians, stage designers, actors, booksellers, collectors, and other individuals with an interest research in the performing arts and in the collection, preservation, and use of performing arts materials. Based in New York City, TLA is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA). Its publications include the annual journal Performing Arts Resources and the quarterly newsletter Broadside. Click here to connect to the TLA homepage.

theft

The unauthorized removal of materials or equipment from library premises. Theft and vandalism of library materials is punishable as a misdemeanor in most states in the United States. This persistent problem is controlled by restricting access to the technical processing area and by installing security gates at public exits equipped with an alarm system that is automatically activated by a magnetic strip affixed to the item unless the strip is desensitized at checkout. Unfortunately, determined thieves learn to locate and remove the strips to avoid detection. Closed circuit television surveillance systems have been installed in the rare books reading rooms of some large libraries to deter theft. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has issued Guidelines Regarding Thefts in Libraries (January 2003). See also: crime and stolen book.

thematic atlas

A book of maps devoted to a specific topic, subject, or theme, usually including text, illustrations, and other graphic material explaining their meaning and significance (examples: Historical Atlas of Central Europe and The Atlas of Endangered Species).

thematic catalog

A list of the works of a composer, arranged chronologically or by category, in which the major theme is given for each composition, or section of a long composition, usually in a few bars. Some thematic catalogs are devoted to musical works of a particular form and period, usually arranged alphabetically by name of composer. Compare with thematic index.

thematic index

A list of the major themes in a musical composition, or group of compositions, usually printed in the front or back of the score, with references to the work(s) in which they appear. For short pieces, the theme is usually given as the first few bars. Compare with thematic catalog.

thematic map

A map intended to show the distribution of one or more features or characteristics over all or a portion of the surface of the earth. Thematic maps can be quantitative, showing the distribution of statistical data (precipitation, population, disease, earthquakes, etc.), or qualitative, indicating the distribution of characteristics such as predominant language, ethnic group, religion, economic activity, vegetation, soil type, etc. See these maps of the extent of infectious diseases in the United States provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, which offers a searchable index of its Thematic Maps. See also the Texas State Data Center's online collection of Thematic Maps based on census data. By convention, topographic maps are excluded from this category. See also: choropleth map, dot map, geologic map, graduated circle, and land use map.

theme song

Words set to music that is intended to identify a motion picture, television series, character, setting, etc., often sung at the beginning and end of the film with the credits (example: "Suicide Is Painless" from M.A.S.H.). When the theme song is named for the title of the work, it is the title song.

thermohygrograph

See: hygrometer.

thermohygrometer

See: hygrometer.

thesaurus

A book of synonyms and near-synonyms in a written language, usually arranged conceptually, although dictionary arrangement is not uncommon. The first thesaurus of the English language, published in 1852, was compiled by Peter Mark Roget. For an online thesaurus of the English language, see Merriam-Webster OnLine.

Also refers to an alphabetically arranged lexicon of terms comprising the specialized vocabulary of an academic discipline or field of study, showing the logical and semantic relations among terms, particularly a list of subject headings or descriptors used as preferred terms in indexing the literature of the field. In information retrieval, a thesaurus can be used to locate broader terms and related terms if the user wishes to expand retrieval, or narrower terms to make a search statement more specific. A well-designed thesaurus also enables the indexer to maintain consistency in the assignment of indexing terms to documents. Plural: thesauri. See also: controlled vocabulary, lead-in vocabulary, and metathesaurus.

Examples:

Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)

GeoRef Thesaurus

Legislative Indexing Terms: The CRS Thesaurus

Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors

Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms

Thesaurus of Sociological Indexing Terms

For other examples of online subject thesauri, see the: Archaeological Objects Thesaurus, Astronomy Thesaurus, Biocomplexity Thesaurus, British Museum Materials Thesaurus, The Cook's Thesaurus, NAL Agricultural Thesaurus, Thesaurus for Graphic Materials, and Thesaurus of Musical Instruments. To learn more about thesauri, see Wikipedia.

Thesaurus of Geographic Names

See: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names.

thesis

A proposition advanced and defended in a formal disputation, especially by a candidate in partial fulfillment of university requirements for a master's degree. Master's theses are indexed annually by discipline, subject, and author in Master's Theses Directories and in Disseration Abstracts International. They can also be located in the WorldCat database in OCLC FirstSearch. For digital theses, see the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD). Compare with dissertation. See also: praeses and respondent.

In a more general sense, any proposition advanced and defended in expository speech or writing, usually given in the opening lines or paragraph(s).

thesis play

A dramatic work in which the playwright consciously attempts to illustrate a social problem and suggests to the reader or audience a possible solution (example: Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw). See also: roman à these.

thin client

A computer connected to a client-server network, which does little or no independent processing, all or most of the application processing being done on the server. The performance of thin clients depends entirely on the quality of the network. A program called "terminal services" must be installed on the server, which must have sufficient memory to respond instantly to requests. Traditional thin clients have no internal memory but rely on embedded software for the instructions required to boot up; diskless thin clients have no embedded software and use a boot server to start up. Thin clients run at the speed of the server, rather than the speed of an internal processor. Newer models come equipped with USB ports to support removable media (floppy disk, CD-ROM, flash memory, etc.). Some libraries use thin clients in public areas to simplify maintenance and reduce down time. Also refers to a client computer capable of downloading a program from a server and processing data like a PC without storing data locally. Compare with terminal.

THOMAS

Named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, THOMAS is a database designed and maintained since 1995 by the Library of Congress to make legislative information, such as the Congressional Record, more accessible to the public. Available on the Internet 24 hours a day free of charge, THOMAS also provides answers to FAQs, links to the full-text of historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, and a section on bills recently in the news. Click here to connect to the THOMAS homepage.

Thomson Gale

A publisher of major reference serials (Contemporary Authors, Encyclopedia of Associations, Market Share Reporter, etc.) in print and online for libraries, educational institutions, and businesses worldwide. Gale is also one of the three leading aggregators of journals in electronic format, providing online access to a range of bibliographic and full-text databases. Click here to connect to the Gale homepage. See also: EBSCO and ProQuest.

thong

A sturdy strip of tawed skin or leather used as a wrap-around fastening or as a sewing support in early bookbinding. Click here to see single-thong sewing supports on a 17th-century binding (Princeton University Library). Parchment or vellum tapes and cords made of twisted vegetable fiber were also used as sewing supports in the binding of medieval manuscripts and early printed books.

thread

A theme or topic that generates an ongoing e-mail discussion among participants in an Internet newsgroup or mailing list, usually repeated in the header of each message posted on the subject. Excerpts from the text of preceding messages may be included in the body of a threaded message. In literature, an idea or theme that connects the various parts of a narrative.

Also refers to the strand (or strands) of spun fiber used in bookbinding to sew the sections of a book together, usually made of cotton or linen in machine-sewn bindings. Silk or linen thread may be used in hand-sewing. Thread is also differentiated by gauge (thickness), the binder's choice depending on whether the paper is hard or soft, thickness of sections, and amount of swell anticipated from the accumulation of sewing thread, which can be reduced in binding by a procedure called smashing.

three-decker

A novel published in three octavo volumes. First issued in paper-covered boards without illustration and later in cloth-covered boards, three-deckers became the standard format for Victorian novels published in England between about 1850 and 1870. The discount offered to circulating libraries kept this form of publication going until the 1890s, when inexpensive reprint editions became widely available (Encyclopedia of the Book, Oak Knoll/British Library, 1996).

three on

See: two on.

three-quarter binding

A style of bookbinding in which the spine and corners are bound in a different material than the sides, usually a more durable covering such as leather. Similar to half-binding except that the corners are larger and the material covering the spine extends up to half the width of the boards (see this example in leather with boards covered in marbled paper, courtesy of the University of Pittsburh Libraries). Compare with full binding, half binding, and quarter binding.

three-quarter border

See: full border.

thriller

A no