Library glossary

If you would like additional items added to this glossary, please submit your suggestions.

A | B | C | D | E | F | H | K | M | O | P | R | U | W

A

Assessment guide

Guides developed by faculty librarians to help you use the Library and find resources for your studies.

Audio-visual (AV)

Resources that have a component that you can listen to (i.e. audio) and/or contain images (i.e. visual). Includes a large variety of formats such as DVDs, videos, CDs, music scores, microforms, computer software, models and kits.

B

Bibliography

A list of books, journals or online resources used or cited in a body of work (e.g. thesis, essay or assignment).

C

Call number

The unique Library classification number found on every item in the Library (e.g. on the spine of a book). You use call numbers to find items on the Library shelves.

Catalogue

The Library catalogue (or collection) is a register of all items available through the Library. You can search it by various means (e.g. author, title or keyword) to find the item you need. (See Our collections for more information.)

CAVAL

CAVAL stands for 'Cooperative Action by Victorian Academic Libraries'. It refers to a reciprocal borrowing program where you can borrow from other libraries that are part of the CAVAL scheme. (See Borrow at other academic libraries for more information.)

Citation

A reference to a source embedded in a body of work (e.g. thesis, essay or assignment), which is included in your bibliography.

Copyright

A form of intellectual property that ensures the creator of a work is given appropriate credit.

D

Database

In the context of a library, a database is a collection of resources (e.g. articles from journals, magazines, newspapers and books), usually for a specific subject.

Document delivery

A service that obtains copies or loans of items, that La Trobe University Library does not have, from other libraries. (See Interlibrary Loans and Document Delivery Service for more information.)

E

Eduroam

A wireless network allowing university staff and students who are visiting educational and research institutions to gain access to that institution's wireless network using their home university login. (See WiFi access for more information.)

Electronic reserve

High-demand digital resources. The Library ensures certain items required by students during the year are accessible online. These can include copies of journal articles or book chapters.

Electronic resource

Resources you can access online. They are available 24/7 and include journals, newspapers, books, videos and images.

EndNote

A program used to manage your bibliographies and references when writing a body of work (e.g. thesis, essay or assignment). (See Using Endnote to create citations and bibliographies for more information.)

Expert help guides

Guides developed by faculty librarians to help you use the Library and find resources. (See Expert help guides for more information.)

F

Footnote

Text placed at the bottom of the page in a body of work (e.g. thesis, essay or assignment). You usually use a superscripted number after the text to link to the footnote. These are often used as an alternative to a long explanatory note.

Full text

When this is shown for an item in the Library collections, it means the entire text of a journal article or book is available. It usually relates to online items.

H

High demand

A collection of items that lecturers have indicated will be needed by a lot of students over the year. These items have borrowing period restrictions to ensure they are available to all students.

Hold shelf (also known as 'Request shelf')

When you request a hold on an item (see Borrow from the Library), the Library will put the item on a designated shelf (i.e. the hold shelf) at your campus library, where you can collect it. Note that you still need to borrow the item (at the service desk or a self-checkout machine) before taking it from the Library.

K

Keyword

Words or phrases you use when searching a database, Library collections or the web to find specific content.

M

My Account

This is your account in the Library collections system. You can login to My Account to check your Library record. You can view and renew your loans, check your holds and any overdue items with fines. You can also check your borrowing history.

MyPrint

The charging system for scanning, printing and copying at La Trobe University. (See Printing, copying and scanning for more information.)

O

Off-campus

Refers to something taking place away from a La Trobe University campus. For example, 'off-campus students' refers to students that don't undertake any of their studies on campus.

Off-shore

Refers to something taking place outside of Australia. For example, 'off-shore students' refers to students studying overseas.

P

Permalink

Permalink is short for 'permanent link' and provides an easy way to bookmark, or link directly to, a web page.

R

Reference list

A list of books, journals or online resources cited when writing a body of work (e.g. thesis, essay or assignment).

Request a hold

If an item is currently unavailable or is located at another campus library, you can request for that item to be held for you when it becomes available. (See Requesting items on loan or at another location for more information.)

U

ULANZ

ULANZ stands for 'University Libraries in Australia and New Zealand'. It is a Library borrowing scheme that allows staff and students of Australian and New Zealand universities to borrow in person from any other participating university library. (See Borrow at other academic libraries for more information.)

w

Wireless/WiFi

A way for you to connect your laptop/device to the Internet. (Refer also to Eduroam.)