CatExpress glossary

author: The person, persons, or corporate body responsible for the writing or compilation of a work. Usually distinguished from an editor, translator, compiler, although these may be regarded as authors.

bibliographic information: Details about an item that are sufficient to identify it for the purpose of retrieval are placed in a specific format that describes one item in a collection. Examples: author, title, publisher, publication location, edition, series title, and notes.
bibliographic record: Contains the cataloging information that describes the physical format and intellectual content of a single entity (a book, video, computer file, CD, etc.). Catalogers create records by encoding this information using tags, indicators, and subfield codes in a standard format, MARC 21 (MAchine-Readable Cataloging). Each record is divided into fields (author, title, subjects, etc.) Fields are subdivided into subfields (place of publication, publisher, etc.).
Book number: The part of a call number that distinguishes a specific item from other items within the same class number, also called a Cutter number. A book number is composed of letters from the author's name and numbers. There are several systems for creating book numbers.; A library using the Cutter-Sanborn system can have D548d indicate David Copperfield by Dickens (where D stands for the D of Dickens, 548 stands for "ickens" and d stands for David Copperfield). See also call number; Cutter number; Work mark.
Books format: The OCLC-MARC format used for cataloging books and book-like material. You can qualify searches to limit results to records for books (bks).

call number: A set of letters, numerals or other symbols (in combination or alone) used by a library to identify a specific copy of a work. A call number consists of the class number and book number (or Cutter number).
classification number: The part of a call number, usually a combination of letters and numbers, used to classify library resources by subject area.
CODEN: The Chemical Abstracts Service assigns six-character codes to serials. The first five characters have a mnemonic relationship to the serial. The last character is an alphabetic or numeric check character. For example, AISJB6, CADIDW.
Computer File format: The OCLC-MARC format used for cataloging the following classes of electronic resources: computer software (including programs, games, fonts), numeric data, computer-oriented multimedia, and online systems or services. You can qualify searches to limit results to records for electronic resources (com).
conference name: All or part of the name or title of a conference. A conference name could also be included in a title, abstract, notes, or text of a library resource. Examples: names of meetings, exhibitions, expositions, festivals, athletic contests, scientific expeditions.
Connexion: See OCLC Connexion.
copy cataloging: Using and modifying an existing bibliographic record for local use. OCLC creates and stores an archive record of the modifications at OCLC.
corporate name: The names of associations, institutions, businesses, firms, nonprofit enterprises, governments, agencies, performing groups used as entries in records.
CSD: See OCLC Customer Services Division (CSD).
Cutter number: A book number based on the widely used scheme devised by Charles Ammi Cutter. In colloquial usage, synonymous with book number. See Book number.

database: A grouping of data for a particular purpose or for the use of a particular set of users, usually organized in fields and providing tools to enable manipulation of the data for sorting, grouping and searching.
default: Selections made by the computer or a software program in the absence of specific instructions by the user.
delimiter: Character (‡), followed by a single letter or number code, used to define the beginning of a subfield within a variable field in a MARC bibliographic or authority record. See also subfield.

EDX: See OCLC Electronic Data Exchange (EDX) account.
Electronic Data Exchange: See OCLC Electronic Data Exchange (EDX) account.

field: In a record, a marked area in which the same kind of information is consistently entered.
file transfer protocol (FTP): File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a TCP/IP-based protocol that is generally available for file transfers to and from a large variety of hosts including IBM mainframes, Tandem Guardian systems, and Unix hosts. FTP is the method used to retrieve files from an OCLC EDX account. It is also used in the OCLC Electronic Batchload Service. See also OCLC Electronic Data Exchange (EDX) account.

government document number: Government-assigned number for materials printed at the expense of and by the authority of any office of the government, for example, United States Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) numbers. Other government numbers may be used such as Canadian government numbers from the Outline of Classification. The form of these numbers varies.

holding library: The library or collection within an institution represented by the holding library code. See OCLC holding library code.
holding library code: See OCLC holding library code.
holdings: 1) OCLC institution symbols attached to a record, indicating libraries that own the item described by the record. 2) The collective resources owned or held by the library.
holdings information: The location, status and/or copies associated with a single bibliographic item of a specific publication held by a particular institution.

index: A detailed alphabetical or numerical list representing a specific kind of bibliographic data provided for databases for retrieving a record or sets of records.
institution symbol: See OCLC symbol.
International Standard Book Number (ISBN): A unique identification number assigned to a work by its publisher. Each ISBN has ten characters. The tenth character is a check character that may be a number or the letter x. In printed form, the ISBN has three hyphens. Hyphens are omitted in online records.
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): A unique identification number assigned to a serial through the ISSN Network. Each ISSN has eight characters. The eighth character is a check character that may be a number or the letter x. A hyphen follows the fourth character.

keyword search: A type of search that uses a complete word, usually combined with other keywords.
kit: A set of textual and nontextual materials in which no one material dominates and which has a collective title. For example, a workbook that comes with flashcards, worksheets, video recording, gameboard, playing pieces, and dice.

LC: See Library of Congress.
LCCN
Library of Congress: The research arm of the Congress of the United States. Although not officially a national library, it provides services appropriate to a national library.; Its collections comprise the world's most comprehensive record of human creativity and knowledge.
Library of Congress call number: Identification number derived from the U.S. Library of Congress classification system. Used to retrieve a library resource.
Library of Congress Control Number: An accession number assigned by the Library of Congress. The LCCN is usually a two- or four-character number representing the year, followed by a hyphen and up to six numbers. The Library of Congress formerly referred to control numbers as card numbers.
limit a search: A technique to make your search more precise. Limiting eliminates from the results whole classes of records so that your search results are more understandable.
location information: A list of libraries that have used a bibliographic record for cataloging. Each bibliographic record in WorldCat has location information.
log off: The process of disconnecting from a local or remote system.
log on: The process of connecting to a local or remote system.

Machine readable cataloging: See MARC.
Maps format: OCLC-MARC format used to catalog cartographic material (maps, atlases, globes, digital maps, etc.).
MARC: Machine-Readable Cataloging. An internationally acceptable standard for the exchange of bibliographic data in machine-readable form.
meeting name: See conference name.
Mixed Materials format: OCLC-MARC format used to catalog significant materials in two or more forms that have accumulated by or about a person or body, excluding instructional materials, which are coded as o (Kit). Includes archival fonds and mixed manuscript materials such as text, photographs, and sound recordings. See also kit.
music number: Plate and publishers' numbers for printed music (scores); serial and matrix numbers for sound recordings; videorecording numbers for visual materials, and publisher numbers other than those for sound recordings, music, or videorecordings. For example, B 07042 L.
music publisher number: See music number.

Notes: Supply significant additional information about an item described in a bibliographic record.

OCLC: Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Nonprofit membership organization serving libraries around the world to further access to the world's information and reduce library costs by offering services for libraries and their users.
OCLC Cataloging: OCLC's online shared system for cataloging library materials and producing catalog cards, machine-readable records, and other products. Participating institutions retrieve bibliographic records, modify the information for local use, and then order the modified record from OCLC. Institutions also contribute new records and location information to WorldCat for items for which no record is found.
OCLC CatExpress: An OCLC service for copy cataloging. CatExpress users log on from Connexion browser. Connexion users who also subscribe to CatExpress log on to Connexion and access CatExpress from the Express tab.
OCLC Connexion: Integrated cataloging service that offers access to WorldCat, the OCLC Authority File and other online databases. The browser interface provides access via Internet Explorer or Netscape browser. The client interface provides access via Microsoft Windows-based software installed on user workstations. The browser interface also provides access to CatExpress and Dewey Services and supports creation of pathfinders and other electronic resources. The client also provides use of macros, local files, offline cataloging, integrated label processing, cataloging using non-Latin scripts, and batch processing.
OCLC Connexion browser: One of two interfaces to OCLC Connexion cataloging services and products. Introduced in mid-2002, the Web-browser-based interface provides the same access to cataloging in WorldCat as the Connexion client. The browser interace also provides some unique functions, including Dublin Core record format, WebDewey and Abridged WebDewey, CatExpress, Pathfinders, Digital Archive, and Local Holdings Maintenance.
OCLC Connexion client: One of two interfaces to OCLC Connexion cataloging services and products. Introduced in the second half of 2003, the Windows-based software interface provides the same access to cataloging in WorldCat as the Connexion browser. The client interface also provides some unique functions, including the use of macros and an automatic macro recorder, extensive keyboard shortcut customization, integrated label printing, local files for offline cataloging, batch processing for searches and record actions, use of multiscript data for cataloging in languages other than those based on Latin script, and more.
OCLC Customer Services Division (CSD): OCLC's user assistance and support contact desk that provides support for telecommunications, hardware, and software.
OCLC Electronic Data Exchange (EDX) account: Service offered by OCLC for the transfer of data via standard File Transfer Protocol (FTP) whereby OCLC provides an Electronic Data Exchange account into which OCLC posts bibliographic and authority records, label records, and reports. The institution retrieves files from the account via the Internet. See also OCLC Product Services Web, file transfer protocol (FTP).
OCLC holding library code: A unique code that identifies a holding library within an institution. See also OCLC symbol.
OCLC number: An accession number assigned by the OCLC system when a record is added to the WorldCat database.
OCLC Product Services Web: An OCLC Web site from which users retrieve labels, records, and reports from their OCLC Electonic Data Exchange (EDX) accounts. It also provides OCLC software downloads, macros, scripts, and labels. See also OCLC Electronic Data Exchange (EDX) account.
OCLC symbol: A unique identifier assigned by OCLC to members and participants. OCLC symbols in records and in holdings displays identify libraries that have entered and used the bibliographic record for cataloging. See also OCLC holding library code.
OCLC User and Network Support (UNS): See OCLC Customer Services Division (CSD).
OCLC-MARC format: OCLC's implementation of the MARC bibliographic format.
Online Service Center: The Online Service Center is a secure, Web-based tool that library staff with administrative authority can use to order OCLC products and services as well as view, update and manage their OCLC account information.
OSC: See Online Service Center.

personal name: See author.
persistent: Data or a display option that remains in effect until changed. For example, a holding library code persists until logoff unless changed by the user.
physical description: Describes the physical characteristics of an item. For books, includes such data as dimensions, number of pages and illustrations, and accompanying materials, if any.
publisher: The persons or companies responsible for placing the book on the market. A publisher and printer may be the same person or entity, although in modern publishing this is not usually the case.
publisher location: The location of the publisher of an item.

record: A machine-readable record contains bibliographic information about a separately cataloged item, set, or serial. It also contains coded information used to retrieve and manipulate data. In WorldCat, a bibliographic record is in OCLC-MARC format.
record format: An index that limits search results to specific formats, for example, Books only, Serials only, Visual Materials only.
report number: Uniquely identifies a technical report; not a series number. There are two kinds: Standard Technical Report Numbers and other, nonstandard numbers.

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W

S

Scores format

OCLC-MARC format used to catalog musical scores. You can qualify searches to limit results to records for musical scores (sco).

serial

A continuing resource issued in successive discrete parts, bearing number or chronological designations, and intended to continue indefinitely. Serials include annual reports, continuing directories, electronic journals, journals, magazines, monographic series and newspapers.

Serials format

OCLC-MARC format used to catalog serials. You can qualify searches to limit results to records for serials (ser).

series title

The collective title of all items in a series, as opposed to each item's individual title.

Example.

Series title. Summer Institute of Linguistics Publications in Linguistics

Title (of individual item in series). Modes in Denya Discourse

	Search:
Worldwide (English) Change	About OCLC News and Events Contact us