ALICE Online Catalog
The online catalog is an electronic database listing all the materials such as books and periodicals owned by Ohio University Libraries.
Bibliography
A bibliography is a list of reference materials such as books and articles used for research. It is often located at the end of an article or book.
Boolean Searching
A method of combining search terms in database searching using Boolean operators: AND, OR and NOT.
Call Number
A call number consists of a series of letters, numbers or symbols that identifies an individual book or material and shows the order in which the item is stored on a shelf or in a collection of materials. The call number label is usually located on the spine of a book.
Check Out
In order to borrow a book from the library for a certain period of time, you must take the book to the circulation desk and have it charged out with your university ID card.
Circulation Desk
The circulation desk is the place to check out and return library materials.
Citation
A citation is a reference source which usually includes article title, author, publication name, date, volume and pages from journals or books.
Database
A database is a file or collection of bibliographic citations or records of materials stored electronically in a manner that can be retrieved and manipulated.
Due Date
The due date is the date which library materials on loan should be returned or renewed.
Index
A periodical index is a list of bibliographic citations of articles in magazines or journals. It can be used to help find articles on specific topics. A book index is an alphabetical list of important entry points with pagination to the full contents of the book.
Interlibrary Loan
A service provided by the libraries to obtain research materials not available from our physical or electronic collections or via OhioLINK borrowing. Additionally, we lend the University Libraries materials to other libraries.
Loan Period
This term refers to the length of time library materials may be borrowed.
OhioLINK Borrowing
The Ohio Library and Information Network, OhioLINK, is a consortium of 88 Ohio college and university libraries, and the State Library of Ohio.
Overdue
Overdue means that the book checked out by you is late for return. It has not been returned or renewed by the due date.
Periodical/Journal
Academic publications with reports on recent studies and/or scholarly essays that are printed on a regular basis, whether monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, annually, or biannually, are referred to as periodicals or journals.
Reference Collection
The reference collection consists of materials used frequently for background information. It includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, indexes, and other materials. These materials may not be checked out of the library.
Reference Desk
The reference desk is where you receive in-depth assistance from librarians in your library research. The desk is usually located near the reference collections.
Reserves
Materials set aside by professors for required reading, viewing, or listening by students as part of their coursework. A
Stacks
The space that hold the circulating library books are referred to as the ‘stacks.’ A user will need a call number, the number listed both in the book’s record in ALICE and on the spine of the book itself, to locate the volume in the stacks.