Boolean Searching: A method of searching based on Boolean algebra that allows searches to be narrowed or broadened by adding additional keyword terms.  The technique employs Boolean Operators - AND, OR, NOT which are are inserted between terms.  For example, a Boolean search for information about organized crime in Florida that is not related to the cocaine trade would take the form "organized crime NOT cocaine AND Florida".

Catalog: A file or list of items which records, describes and indexes the materials contained in a collection, library, or group of libraries. It can exist in card, book, online formats.  PCC's online catalog is called LINCC for Library Information Network for Community Colleges.

CD-ROM: A compact disk that is used with a computer (rather than with an audio system); a large amount of digital information can be stored and accessed but it cannot be altered by the user.

Citation: The act of acknowledging or documenting a reference source used in preparing your assignment, report or project. Also called documentation, a full citation lists accurate information about author, title, publication date, and related facts. Whether you paraphrase, summarize, or quote, you must document (cite) your source.  Citations are format according to standards such as the MLA (Modern Language Association) format commonly used in the humanities, arts, and literature, and the APA (American Psychological Association) commonly used in the social sciences and sciences.

Circulating Collection: Collection of books that are can be checked out of the library.

Circulation Desk: The service point in a library where books are checked out and in.  The Circulation Desk may also house the Reserve Reading collection and/or Interlibrary Loan department.

Controlled Vocabulary: A prescribed set of subject terminology used as an authority source for indexing materials in a database.  For example, the Library of Congress Subject Headings are used as a subject heading indexing standard in many library online catalogs.  Some databases use controlled vocabularies too.  They usually publish their controlled vocabularies as a THESAURUS of search terms.  See Subject Headings below.

Course Reserve: A collection that contains specific materials placed in the library by professors for course assignments.  These may be library owned items or the professor's personal materials.  

Database: A database is an electronic collection of information that can be about anything. Databases can be stored on CD-ROM's and the Internet. Libraries either own or subscribe to databases, which means that in most cases only students and staff can access them, either in the library or at home over the Internet.

The words "database" and "index" are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. Remember, a database is always electronic, while an index is simply a guide to finding information. (See definition for Index.)

Discipline: In the academic world, a discipline is a field of study. For example, the field of philosophy may be referred to as the "discipline of philosophy". Generally, the term is applied to major fields of study, but academics often argue amongst themselves as whether their field of study is a discipline or a sub-discipline. Thus, some may refer to the discipline of Criminology while others may argue that Criminology is a sub-discipline of Sociology.

Documentation: See Citation.

Focus: The aim or goal of your research. What is it that you are looking for? By getting a clear idea of what you want to research, you'll have a much easier time than if you attempted to write about a broad subject.

For example, if your assignment is a paper about music, you'd need to focus on a particular kind of music (jazz, rock, blues, etc.), a specific musician (Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley, etc.), a particular instrument (piano, trumpet, etc.) or even a particular period of music (bebop, Baroque, opera, etc.). Any one of these is a better "focus" than just music.

Full-Image Database:  A database that provides copies of articles that have both the original text and the original illustrations, including charts, graphs, and photos.

Full Text Database:  A database that provides the entire text of articles, exactly as they appeared in print but without the illustrations. Examples are Wilson Select (FirstSearch), Electric Library, EbscoHost, SIRS Researcher (FirstSearch) and Current Biography.

Index - an index is a tool which enables researchers to find subject specific information in a book, document, or conglomeration of documents (a.k.a. "body of literature"). Indexes are often included in books and documents to assist the reader in focusing on specific information contained therein. Such indexes are usually located at the end of the work and are distinguished from a Table of Contents by their level of detail.

Other index types exist separately from the works they index and usually focus on a wide body of literature. One such type of index is the "journal or periodical index". Journal or periodical indexes are used to find articles in periodicals by subject or author. The Readers Guide to Periodical Literature and Education Index are examples of a general and discipline specific journal index, respectively. Such indexes exist in a variety of formats such as a computer databases, in printed book form, or on microfilm. Journal indexes may provide only the citations to articles, a citation and abstract of the articles, or the citation and the actual full-text or full-image of the articles.

Interlibrary Loan: A library service that enables users to borrow books or other materials and to obtain photocopies of articles from other libraries.

Journal: Periodical containing articles about news, events, and information, whether of a general or specific nature. This is divided into two areas: popular and scholarly. A popular journal talks about general news items; a few include Life, Newsweek, and Time. The scholarly journal, which is published by an educational or professional source, focuses on specific subject areas. Some examples are the American Journal of History, RN (Registered Nurse), and the Wall Street Journal.

Keywords: Words that describe the MOST IMPORTANT idea or concept in a term that you are searching for. Have SYNONYMS for each of these main points so that you may get the best possible results.

Example: What are the effects of tourism on the ecosystem of Florida?

• KEYWORDS: effects, tourism, ecosystem, Florida
• SYNONYMS: result or outcome, tourist industry or visitor, ecology

On-Line: computers in direct interactive communication with one another on a network.

Reference: This term can mean several things:

1. The Reference section, which is the area of the library where some of the most authoritative and heavily used books are shelved. Because they are in such demand, reference books cannot be checked out. This insures that the book will always be available for everyone to use. Examples of Reference books are: current encyclopedias, dictionaries, indexes, handbooks, etc.
2. A "reference" can also mean a descriptive note that points out where more information on the same topic may be found. For example, a reference in a book on physics mentions other books by other scientists. If a particular section of a book by Albert Einstein is mentioned, then the note is in reference to Einstein's book. In this case, "reference" is similar to "citation".
3. Another common use of "reference" is in "cross-reference". For example, if you were to look for guitars in the Yellow Pages, you may see a note that says "See musical instruments, new and used". This is a reference to something that falls under the same subject; in this case, guitars are a kind of musical instrument.

Reference Desk: The service point in a library which provides answers to informational questions and instruction on how to use the library's resources.  Reference desks are usually staffed by a professionally trained librarian.

Refine: Process that REDUCES the number of results obtained with a search by using increasingly SPECIFIC terms to describe what you are looking for.

Example: ecosystem of Florida

MORE SPECIFIC TERMS: ecology, pollution, environment, contam- ination, man-made waste, toxic waste, hazardous waste

Remote Access: The capability to access a library's electronic resources from outside of the library building over the World Wide Web.

Reserve Reading Desk or Reserve Room: A service point in the library where students may obtain course reserve materials (see above)

Resource: Any publication from which authoritative information may be obtained. It does not need to be limited to reference works. A resource is factual data, written or electronic, that provides information or anything that aids in locating information or data regarding specific subjects, such as biographical information, literary criticisms, statistical data, etc.

Search Strategy: Plan used to obtain specific resources for a paper, presentation, or other project. Steps include narrowing the topic enough to make a logical search, locating sources of information, and choosing the correct articles/books/sites.

Serial: A publication issued in successive parts bearing numeric or chronological designations (Volume: Issue, Year/month, season) intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials include periodicals; newspapers; annuals (reports, yearbooks, etc.); the journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions, etc., of societies; and numbered monographic series. Can be issued at predictable or irregular intervals. Each part generally contains articles by several contributors (e.g. magazine or newspaper). Periodicals are generally issued twice a year or more frequently.

Subject Headings: a controlled vocabulary that most accurately describes a topic. Subject headings are organized into lists that help users locate the appropriate heading for their topic of interest and find related terms used for narrower or broader topics. When libraries use that one term consistently, their users will know where to look to find materials on any topic of interest.