Library Terminology for Beginners

Loans

to be borrowed / taken out of the library

For Reference Only

to be used only in the study room

Library Item

single copy

Call Number

“a location sign” for each library unit,  it serves for its right placement on the shelf in the stacks or study room

Shelf Number

It is on the spine of the book, it denotes the contents of the book (expressed in characters) and the first three letters are the author’s name. It navigates you together with the colour sorting in the study room until you find the respective title.

Bar Code on the Label

The bar code clearly designates the specific copy of a book.

System Number

number of the bibliographic record in the library system

Availability

the status of availability of individual copies

  • in place – the book is on the shelf at the stacks at it is ready to be lent. It will be usually ready for you in Žižkov within 30 minutes, in Jižní Město by the next day after ordering. The books from dislocated stacks are ready within 15 working days.
  • already placed – books already dispatched from the stacks ready for the user to be collected (books with white cards on the shelves behind the loan desk)
  • placed a request for a loan – a book that you have to wait for because at the time of ordering it is borrowed by another user. You may reserve the book and wait for an e-mail notifying you that the book is ready and you can collect it (and do not forget to bring CZK 10)
  • lent until… a specific date until which a book must be returned
  • being moved – a book from the library in Žižkov is returned in Jižní Město and vice versa, waiting for the transfer to its library of origin.

Item Status

How long for a document can be borrowed (in combination with the status of the user)

  • 1 month
  • for Reference Only – It is not lent
  • dislocated – only after agreement in person at the department
  • 1 semester – only Jindřichův Hradec

Sublibrary

a place where a book is stored (stacks, study room, department,…)