Library Definitions

Library Definitions
A - H
  • abstract - summary of a book or articles
  • articles - essays written on specific topics usually found in periodicals
  • Boolean operators - words such as AND, OR, NOT that can be combined with search terms to retrieve precise information
  • call number - a group of letters and numbers assigned to each item in the library used to organize information by subject
  • circulation desk - area on the 2nd floor near the elevators where you can apply for a library card and check out library materials
  • citation - information needed to locate a particular book or article (e.g., author, title, page numbers, etc.)
  • database - collection of information organized for retrieval by a computer program which can be searched with key words or
  • full-text - in a database, information available in its complete form sometimes without pictures or other graphics
  • government documents - publications issued by or with the authority of a governmental agency (e.g., U.S. Department of Education)
I - Q
  • Internet - worldwide network of computers linking individuals, businesses, organizations, schools, etc.
  • journals - regularly issued publications (i.e., periodicals) that contains articles usually documenting research studies written by experts for other experts in a subject area
  • key words - in a database, important terms related to a topic of interest that can be combined in a search statement to pinpoint useful information on a topic
  • microfiche (also fiche) & microfilm (also film) - photographic film that stores information (e.g., magazine issue) in a reduced format that can be copied onto paper using a special printer
  • Lone Star College System online catalog - database that you can search for books, government documents, videocassettes, and audiocassettes owned by North Harris, Kingwood, Tomball, and Lone Star College–Montgomerys and Montgomery County Public Libraries
  • paper index - alphabetical listing, usually by subject and author, of the contents of a specified group of periodicals published during a specified time period
  • periodicals - publications published on a regular schedule (e.g., monthly, quarterly, etc.), such as journals, magazines, or newspapers
  • Periodicals Holdings List - alphabetical collection of magazines, journals, and newspapers owned by North Harris and other Lone Star College System colleges
  • phrase search - in a database, using a designated symbol or other specified method to locate words adjacent to each other in a sentence or paragraph
  • ProQuest Direct - online database including articles from periodicals, most useful for current topic research which can be searched by subject headings or key words
R - Z

  • reference desk - area on the 3rd floor near the elevators where you can ask for help from a librarian
  • search engine - a computer program that looks for information on the World Wide Web using key words that a user specifies and provides a list of results including those key words
  • search statement - key words or subject headings strategically organized with Boolean operators, phrase search, and/or truncation, to retrieve information from a database
  • subject headings - designated words chosen by a database or paper index to describe topics
  • truncation - in a database, using a specified character after a root word (e.g., psych?) to retrieve all words beginning with a common root (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, etc.)
  • World Wide Web - portion of the Internet (accessed through software such as Internet Explorer) that provides information via text, graphics, sound, and/or video


Maintained by: V. Rigby, Reference/Government Information Librarian vrigby@LoneStar.edu
Lone Star College-North Harris
2700 W.W. Thorne Drive
Houston TX 77073-3499
Phone 281.618.5400
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