Glossary of Terms

A

Abstract
A short summary of the content of publications such as books, journal articles and theses
Academic Support Librarian
Also known as a Subject Librarian. A librarian with responsibility for a specific subject area. As well as looking after the library stock and ordering books they are also available to answer any subject related queries and teach any library skills you need. Find your Subject Librarian.
Article
A single document which, combined with further articles, forms part of a journal or newspaper
Athens
An authentication scheme which provides access to many electronic resources using just one password. You do not need a separate password for this, logging in to the Greenwich Portal or the Kent or Christchurch electronic resource pages will automatically give you Athens access.
Audio-Visual material
Items other than books which can be found in the library. For example, CDs, DVDs and video tapes.
Authentication
A process used to verify who is gaining access to a service. An example of this is e-resources. Each university subscribes only to the e-resources it needs so an authentication process is needed to ensure that you only have access to resources to which your institution subscribes.

B

Bibliography
A list of books and other source materials that have been used or consulted in the preparation of a book, journal article or essay or that are referred to in the text.
Blackboard
VLE for Christchurch students
Blog
A blog, short for Weblog is essentially an online diary, updated regularly and usually based around a certain theme.
Borrow
To take an item away from the library. The item will be put on your account and you will be able to keep it for a certain amount of time depending on the loan type
Borrower number
Unique number printed on your Student ID. You will need this number for using My Account or if you need to call the library for help with your account

C

Catalogue
A complete list of all stock in the library. This includes books, journals, dissertations, audio-visual material and electronic books. The Drill Hall library catalogue is called TalisPrism and it searches all the items in the Drill Hall Library and it's remote store as well as all the items in the Avery Hill and Maritime Greenwich campuses.
CD-R
A compact disc on which you can save files. You can save only once on a CD-R
CD-Rom
A compact disc which already holds information. These are mainly found in text books and contain extra information not in the book
CD-RW
A compact disc on which you can save files. A CD-RW is rewritable so you can save more files at a later date if you wish
Citation
See Reference
Copy/Copies
A single example of an item in the library. There are often several copies of the same text on the shelf
Copyright
Copyright protects the rights of authors under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This means that there are restrictions to what you are able to copy from any work within the library. The University has a licence which does allow some copying, check here for advice about what you can copy
Current issue
See Issue. The current issue is the most recent issue

D

Database
  1. Software application, for example Microsoft Access, available on all Drill Hall PCs.
  2. A collection of online journal articles which are searchable, for example, Swetswise. Each database usually covers a specific subject area. For more information see your Subject Guide
Date label
a white label inside every loanable library item. If a book is issued at the library counter the date label will be stamped with the due date of the item. The date label also states the loan type of the item
Dewey Decimal System
The scheme used by the Drill Hall Library to arrange the items on the shelves. The shelfmark on each item is allocated according to the Dewey Decimal System
Discharge
Once an item has been returned it is discharged from your library record.
Dissertation
An extended essay often required as part of a degree. Also known as a thesis
Due date
The date on which an item must be returned to the library or renewed. If an item is not returned or renewed by this date then a fine will be payable

E

Ebooks
an e-book, or electronic book, is a digital copy of a printed work. These can be read on a computer or e-book reader.
Edition
After a book is first published it is often amended or added to and published again as a new edition. The library catalogue will always state which editions we have so that you can find the most up to date copy
Eduroam
Eduroam is the name of the wireless network which you can log on to in the Drill Hall Library. You will need to configure your laptop in order to use it. Instructions are available online or ask at the Drill Hall Counter. Once you have done this you may use the wireless networks at other universities around the country
Electronic journals
or e-journals are journals in an electronic formal. Some are digital copies of traditional paper journal and others are purely available in electronic format. Try searching our databases to find electronic journals
Enquiry desk
a help point in the library, usually staffed by an Academic Support Librarian. The librarian will be able to help with using the catalogue, finding books and articles and using electronic databases.
Extended opening hours
During busy parts of the year the library is kept open until midnight every day. During these extra hours the library will be completely self service. See our opening hours for more details

F

Fiction collection
A collection of non academic books intended to be read for pleasure
Fines
Money that must be paid if you do not return or renew a book by the due date. See our borrowing page to see how much our fines are.
Full text
usually applicable to electronic materials, full text indicates that the entire contents of a book or journal article is available. This is important to note as sometimes only an abstract is available

G

Glossary
A list of some words used within a text and the definition of those words. If there is a technical word which you do not understand, the book may have a glossary which can help you
Group study rooms
Bookable rooms for studying in groups, practising presentations etc. Reception staff can help you make a booking

H

Hard copy
this refers to an actual printed copy of a book, journal etc, as opposed to an electronic copy.
Holdings
Seen on the library catalogue in conjunction with journals. Clicking 'show library holdings' will bring up a list of all the volumes in the library for that particular journal

I

In processing
A phrase you may see when checking the catalogue. An item which is In Processing is temporarily unavailable as it is needed by the library staff for administration purposes
In transit
The library catalogue sometimes states that a certain copy of an item is In Transit. This means that the book is travelling between campuses and will not be available for loan until it arrives at its destination
Index
Normally found at the back of a book, the index will list all of the subjects covered in the book in alphabetical order giving the page numbers on which that subject matter can be found
Inter Library Loan (ILL)
An service we offer if we do not hold the book or journal you are looking for. View more information
Inter Site Loan (ISL)
An item borrowed from Avery Hill or Greenwich Campus. You can reserve these as normal and they will be sent to us. View more information
ISBN
International Standard Book Number. A unique number assigned to all published books
ISSN
International Standard Serial Number. A unique number assigned to all print or electronic peridiocals
Issue
  • See Borrow
  • Used specifically for publications which are released periodically e.g, journals and magazines. Each part which is published is known as an issue

J

Journal
Regular publication of articles by several authors on a specific topic. The Drill Hall has paper journals, which are all kept in one section of the library as well as access to electronic journals

K

Keyword
used when searching the Library catalogue. Enter one or more keywords to find books on the topic you are interested in

L

Laptop
Small portable computer
Library Account
Unique record for each student. Your account contains information about your course, the books you have on loan, any fines owing and any reservations you have made
Library card
See Student ID card
Library of Congress
Another library classification system (see Dewey) used by some libraries. The Templeman library at the University of Kent uses Library of Congress.
Library counter
The main desk in the library where there will always be a member of staff to help you during core hours. Quick enquiries, library and IT can be dealt with here. You can also collect reserved books and buy items such as photocopy cards, binding folders and blank CDs
Loan entitlements
the number of items which you are allowed to take from the library. Check your loan entitlements
Loan type
Items in the Drill Hall Library are divided into different loan types which determine whether they can be taken away from the library and how long for. Loan types are ordinary loan, short loan, reference and study loan
Location
Where a book is to be found within the library. On the catalogue the location is the shelfmark

M

Missing
You may see an item on the catalogue which is marked as missing. This means that we are currently unable to locate this item and it is unavailable.
Moodle
VLE used by University of Kent Students
My Account
Using the My Account tab on the catalogue enables you to manage your library account yourself online. You can check what items you have and when they are due back, renew your books, see if any of your items have been recalled and check if you have fines
Myilibrary
An online database for the e-books held by the Drill Hall Library.

O

Offprints
Usually a copy of a relevant chapter of a book that many students may want to look at. These are all kept behind the counter and may not be removed from the library
Opac
PC's and kiosks around the library which a permanently logged in to the catalogue
Ordinary loan
An item which can be borrowed from the library for a period of 4 weeks by all students
Overdue
An item which has not been returned or renewed by the due date. A fine will be payable.

P

Pamphlet
Pamphlets are very small books which usually have a small number of pages. They can be found grouped in boxes rather than shelved with the other book
Password
a personal secret word used for gaining access to your computing account, email and other applications. Usually used in conjunction with a username
Periodical
see Journal
Photocopier/photocopy
Otherwise known as a Xerox machine
Photocopy card
A special card which must be purchased in order to make photocopies. A blank card is available at the library counter for a 50p deposit. You will need to add credits in order to use it.
Plagiarism
The act of using another author's work without appropriate acknowledgement or referencing and therefore passing it off as your own original work. It is therefore very important that you reference all your sources as the university has measures in place to identify plagiarism
Print credits
Print credits are needed to use the printers in the library and other computer rooms around campus.

R

Reading list
A list of essential and useful texts compiled by lecturers.
Reception desk
This is the desk immediately as you enter the Drill Hall.
Recall
A recall occurs when someone reserves a book that other users have taken out. A message will be sent to all users with a copy of the book asking them to return it by the due date. Renewing will not be possible.
Reference
  • Items marked 'For Reference Only' may not be taken from the library
  • An acknowledgment of another's work, see Plagiarism
Renew
to extend the amount of time that you can borrow an item. You can do this yourself online, by telephone or by presenting your resource card in the library
Reserve/reservation
To request an item that is out on loan, or to request an item that is on the shelf to be made ready for you to collect the next day.
Reshelving bay
a set of shelves where all recently returned books are placed before they are returned to the correct shelves. If you cannot find a book on its shelf it may be temporarily on the reshelving bay
Return
To bring back books that you have on your account

S

Self issue/return
All student may issue and return books themselves without need ing to queue at the library counter. There are 3 machines to the right of the counter for self issuing and returning. During extended hours you will only be able to borrow and return books this way.
Shelfmark
Every item in the library has a shelfmark allocated as per the Dewey Decimal System. The shelfmark can be found on the spine of each item. For help with finding items using the our dewey guide
Short loan
An item which can be borrowed for 1 week only by full time students and for 2 weeks only by part time students.
Store
An off site facility for the storage of older volumes for which there is no room in the Drill Hall Library. You can reserve books from the store and a member of staff visits once a week to collect any requested items
Student ID
This is your identity card that you receive after you are fully registered. As well as showing your identity as a student here, this card also acts as your library card. You must bring it with you every time you come to the Drill Hall.
Study loan
Study loans are books which are not on the main shelves but are kept behind the library counter. These can be issued to you overnight and must be returned before 10am the next morning
Subject guide
Each subject taught at the Universities at Medway had it's own Subject Guide. This is a useful tool which lists all of the useful material for your course as well as giving you details on how to get in touch with your Academic Support Librarian
Subject librarian
See Academic Support Librarian

T

TalisPrism
This is the name of the catalogue which we use here in the Drill Hall Library
Thesis/theses
see Dissertation
Twitter
Microblogging site where you can post short messages about what you are doing and also receive them from others. The Drill Hall uses Twitter to post short pieces of information about what is going on here.

U

Username
A unique set of letters and numbers which you will need, in conjunction with a password, to log on to university PCs and some applications.

V

VLE
Virtual Learning Environment, a place where students and tutors can interact, for example by placing lecture notes or submitting coursework. All students at the Universities of Medway have access to a VLE, Web CT for University of Greenwich Student, Moodle for University of Kent students and Blackboard for Christ Church students
Volume
Some texts are split up into numbered volumes as they would be very large and cumbersome otherwise.

W

Web CT
A type of VLE - Virtual Learning Environment

X

Xerox
Photocopier

Z

Zip file
A single file (ending .zip) containing a compressed collection of files. Double click to view contents

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