Words, names and terms used in the Library
Favourite places
Quicksearch
News
New resources
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
W
A
AbstractA summary of the main points covered in an article or book. You can read the abstract to help you decide if the full article or book is relevant to your topic.
Alumni
Graduates or former students of a University. Newcastle University Alumni can apply to use the Library.
Archives
Documents and papers created in the past and which have been preserved permanently for their historical or research value. The Library's archive collections are held in Special Collections on Level 1 of the Robinson Library.
Article
A short written work usually published in a journal, magazine or newspaper.
AV
Audiovisual resources. Music, film and language materials on audio or video cassettes, or CD or DVD discs.
Back to the top
B
Barcode
Bibliography
A list of references (see: Reference) that tells you which books and journals an author has referred to or consulted in the course of researching and writing their work. Many people choose to use the EndNote programme to help them create consistent bibliographies.
See: EndNote
Books on Time
Overdue charges received by the Library are used to purchase the books that you recommend. Contributions are also received from the Alumni Association's Annual Fund. You can Request your book here.
Borrower ID
The long number beginning with the letter U, found on your Smartcard.
Back to the top
C
CatalogueA list in electronic format of the stock held in Newcastle University Library, recording and describing the resources available. Journal articles are not individually catalogued on the Library catalogue; to search for individual journal articles you should use a database.
See: Database
Classification
The system used to organise books on Library shelves by subject. Newcastle University uses the Dewey classification system, usually called the Dewey decimal system.
Classmark
See: Shelfmark
Closed access
Material not held on the shelves in the Library but which is kept in a special store and needs to be requested.
Cluster
Up to the minute Cluster Availability is available on any device by visiting http://m.ncl.ac.uk
COPAC
A resource which enables you to search the online catalogues of major University, Specialist and National Libraries across the United Kingdom.
Copyright
The laws protecting "intellectual property" such as books, journals, images, films, music and databases. Copyright limits what you can do with these resources, and what you can copy.
Back to the top
D
DatabaseA body of information organised in such a way that it can be searched. Most databases are stored in computerized format.
Desktop Delivery Service
Dewey decimal system
A classification system used to arrange books on our Library shelves by subject. The Dewey decimal system gives each subject a number, or classmark, and the books are shelved in number order.
Back to the top
E
E-bookAn electronic or online version of a printed book.
E-journal
An electronic or online version of a printed journal.
Edition
Information about a particular impression or issue of a book, e.g. whether it is a 1st edition or a 5th edition etc. Books can be issued more than once, sometimes many times over. The latest or most recent edition will usually contain revised and updated information.
Electronic journal
See E-journal
EndNote
A software package which enables you to organise you lists of references and create bibliographies.
E-resources
A collective term meaning electronic books, electronic journals and databases.
Back to the top
F
Finding AidA description or list of the contents of an archive or manuscript collection. Sometimes called a handlist. The Library's archive and manuscript collections are held in Special Collections on Level 1. Finding aids and handlists are available in paper form in the Special Collections Reading Room or on the Special Collections web pages.
See also: Handlist. Archives. Manuscripts.
Folio
See: Oversize.
Back to the top
G
Government PublicationsMaterials published by UK Parliament and Government departments and agencies, such as Acts of Parliament, Bills, Departmental Reports and transcripts of the proceedings in the House of Commons and House of Lords (Hansard).
Back to the top
H
HandlistA list of the contents of an archive or manuscript collection. Sometimes called a finding aid. The Library's archive and manuscript collections are held in Special Collections on Level 1 of the Robinson Library. Finding aids and handlists are available in paper form in the Special Collections Reading Room or on the Special Collections web pages.
See also: Finding Aid. Archives. Manuscripts.
Hold request
A request made for a book which is currently on loan to another reader. You can make a hold request by logging into Library Search.
Holdings
How many copies of a book or journal owned by the library.
Back to the top
I
ILLInter Library Loans. A service by which the Library will try to acquire a book or journal which you need but we do not have. Located at the Service Desk on Level 2 of the Robinson Library.
Imprint
Information about a book's publisher, place of publication and date of publication, usually found at the bottom of the title-page.
Index
An alphabetical listing of subjects and names in a book, showing the page numbers on which a particular subject or name can be found.
International Student
A student who has come to Newcastle from another country.
ISBN
An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique number given to every published book. It has 10 or 13 digits. An ISBN is useful if you want to order a specific book from a bookseller, or find it in Library Search.
ISS
Information Systems and Services. The University's central computing service which provides most of the computer services used by staff and students. ISS is responsible for the large PC Cluster on Level 2 of the Robinson Library.
ISSN
International Standard Serial Number. A unique number given to every published journal. It has 8 digits. An ISSN is useful if you want to distinguish between different journals that may have the same name.
Back to the top
J
JournalA publication issued in separate parts over a period of time and often containing articles on primary and current research. Another word for a Journal is a Periodical.
Back to the top
K
KeywordA word that you use in order to find an item when searching an electronic database. Keywords are not the same as subject headings, and often are not as effective in locating relevant documents.
Back to the top
L
Laptop Loans
Law Library
Located in the Law School and provides resources for students and staff learning and researching law.
Liaison Assistant
Each subject area has named members of Library staff responsible for helping students and staff. You can contact your Liaison Librarian or a Liaison Assistant if you need help in finding or accessing resources for your course of study. They will always be happy to help.
Liaison Librarian
Each subject area has named members of Library staff responsible for helping students and staff. You can contact your Liaison Librarian or a Liaison Assistant if you need help in finding or accessing resources for your course of study. They will always be happy to help.
Library Guides
Our Library Guides summarise the best resources and support for your subject. They are compiled by the Library Liaison Team and contain recommended electronic and print books, databases, journals and other useful resources which are most relevant to your area of study and research.
Login
The set of details- usually a user name and a password- which you need to provide in order to access certain electronic resources available through the Library.
Login Page
The page where you are asked to provide your login details before you can are able to access certain electronic resource.
See: Login.
Long Loan
Items which are issued for 4 weeks. You may be asked to return them sooner if the item is requested by another user.
Back to the top
M
ManuscriptsDocuments or papers which were written by hand. Usually used to mean handwritten documents or papers which were written in the past and have been preserved permanently for their historical or research value. The Library's Manuscript collections are held in Special Collections on Level 1 of the Robinson Library.
Microfilm, microfiche & microform
Microforms are printed documents that have been photographed, reduced in size and printed onto film. They are used as a compact way to store documentation which is not heavily used.
- Microform is in the form of small sheets of film
- Microfilm is a long roll of film
Monograph
A book.
Back to the top
N
Next Day LoanLibrary books which are due back by closing time the next day. They have a large overdue charge if returned late.
Back to the top
O
OPACAnother name for Library Search. OPAC stands for "Online Public Access Catalogue" and refers to the Library Search terminals that you will find in the Library.
Overdue charge
A sum of money charged for the late return of a Library item.
Oversize
Used to describe a large item which is too large to fit on the ordinary shelves.
See Folio and Quarto.
Back to the top
P
PCA personal computer that you would typically find on a desktop.
PC Cluster
One of the areas in the Library where there are computers provided for use by students.
Periodical
See: Journal
Plagiarism
Using the words or ideas of other people and saying they are your own.
Print Services
A service which offers digital printing and document scanning and can produce documents, fliers, booklets and posters. There is also a binding service for theses and dissertations. There is a charge for these services. Print Services is on Level 1 of the Robinson Library.
Back to the top
Q
Used to describe a large item which is too large to fit on the ordinary shelves and can be found in the Oversize section of the Library.
See: Oversize.
Back to the top
R
Rare BooksBooks which are special because there are very few copies of them in existence. Or books which are special because of their age, where they come from or how they were made. The Library's rare book collections are held in Special Collections on level 1 of the Robinson Library. They can be searched on Library Search.
Reader Services
The department of the Library responsible for running many of the services which the Library offers to students and staff, including the main counter on Level 2 of the Robinson Library.
Reading List
List given out by lecturers or tutors containing the books or articles which should be read by those studying a particular module or course. A reading list can be either in paper form or electronic form via the catalogue. A reading list will usually contain three types of suggested book/article:
- "Essential reading" means books or articles which you must read.
- "Recommended reading" means books or articles which you will find it very useful to read, although you do not have to read them.
- "Background reading" means books or articles which might not be directly related to your topic, but which provide information which will help you understand your topic.
See: Special Collections Reading Room
Recall
The email/notice sent to a reader who has a book on loan which has been requested by another reader. The recall will ask you to return the book by a certain date.
Reference
An acknowledgement that an idea, a quote or a piece of information that you have used in your work is taken from someone else's work and information about where you have taken it from.
Reference only
Items which can only be used in the Library and cannot be borrowed.
Renewal
Borrowing an item again once the initial borrowing period has run out.
Research Reserve
A collection of lesser used books and journals which are held off campus. If you want any item which is held in the Reserve, you can request it either using Library Search or the online Research Reserve Request form.
See also Desktop Delivery Service
Restricted issue
Items which have some restrictions to how long you may borrow them for or where you may use them.
Robinson Library
The Robinson Library is the main campus Library and has resources for all subjects except medicine, dentistry, biomedical sciences and law.
Back to the top
S
SCONULThe Society of College, National and University Libraries. SCONUL enables members of one academic Library to make use of another in the United Kingdom. To make use of the SCONUL scheme, please talk to staff on the main issue counter on Level 2 of the Robinson Library.
Search engine
Software that searches the web. For example, Google and Ask are popular search engines.
Search Terms
The different words you might use to describe a search topic. You can use search words to find books on a particular topic in Library Search.
Self-issue
Terminals where you can issue items out to yourself using your Smartcard.
Self-return
Terminals where you can return your items yourself using your Smartcard.
Serial
See: Journal
Shelf Mark
See also: Dewey decimal system.
Smartcard
Your University ID Card. Carries your photo, name and student number and library barcode. You need it to access the Library building, to borrow books and make photocopies. Please do NOT share your smartcard.
Special Collections
The Library's collections of rare, historical or special material including books and archives and manuscripts, which are kept on closed access
See: Closed Access.
Special Collections Reading Room
The room on Level 1 of the Library where Special Collections material can be used. Also called the Enright Room.
STC
Student Texts Collection.
SubLibrary
The section of the Library where you will find a particular book or journal. The sublibraries in Newcastle University Library are:
- Robinson
- Walton
- Law
- Computing
- Special Collections
- Research Reserve
- Electronic (meaning part of our Electronic resources)
Another term for Liaison librarian
See: Liaison Librarian.
Back to the top
T
ThesisA long piece of work produced by a PhD student and containing detailed research on a specific subject. Theses are kept in the Library store and need to be requested online though the catalogue.
Back to the top
U
URLA Uniform Resource Locator is the 'address' of a web page, for example http://www.ncl.ac.uk/Library is the URL for Newcastle University Library
Back to the top
W
Walton LibraryThe Walton Medical and Dental Library is in the Medical School and holds resources for those studying or teaching the Medical, Dental and Biomedical Sciences
Back to the top
Return to Content
Search the Library Website
