Glossary

Koha Glossary

List of terms used by members of the Koha community

Note, this is a list of terminology used, Preferred terminology (to be used in the OPAC and Staff Client) is here: https://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Terminology

A

• AACR2: Anglo-American Cataloging Rules Second Edition that is the content standard that libraries used until RDA came out [1]. see RDA
• authority record: records used to control the contents of MARC fields.
• authorized value: used to create drop-down menus and limit free-form data entry.

B

• basket: a group of orders for the same vendor in Koha's acquisitions system. In this context, individual ordered items are each called an 'order'.
• bib: abbreviation of 'bibliographic record'.
• bib frame: Library of Congress' successor to MARC21, based on linked data.
• bibliographic record: contains data about a work, such as title, author and copyright date.
• biblionumber: Koha specific tracking number for bibliographic records.
• budget: Used by acquisitions to track money used in the acquisitions process. Budgets may contain funds. FIXME are budgets and funds the same thing? The terminology page prefers 'Fund'

C

• call number: a short code of letters and digits used to show where an item resides on the shelves. See LC and DCC.
• cart: temporary holding place to bookmark item information; only kept until the user logs out. Similar to lists, which are permanent. Not to be confused with shelving cart.
• circulation: a general term for lending, returning or renewing items from the library.
• circulation rule: defines how long an item can be lent as well as what fines are applied if the item goes overdue.
• cn\_sort: a representation of a call number formatted/padded for alphanumeric sorting.
• collection code: define a collection of items.
• collectionHQ: A collection analysis tool that helps libraries determine what items to order.
• connexion: A service typically run on Koha servers, which talks to OCLC.
• CORAL: an ERMS: Electronic Resources Management System. See [2] and [3]

D

• Detail view: a page on the OPAC or Staff client devoted to showing bibliographic records in a user-friendly manor.
• discovery service: An program external to Koha which makes bibliographic and holdings (item level) information searchable and view-able... A bit like an external OPAC. See foss4lib:What is a Discovery Layer?

E

• Ebsco: A discovery service vendor who works closely with the Koha community.
• EDI: Electronic data interchange. Usually used for exchanging business data. In the context of Koha, this is used for ordering items from vendors in the acquisitions process.
• EDS (Ebsco Discovery Service): See discovery service.
• ElasticSearch: A full text search engine used by Koha, as an alternative to Zebra. Currently in development.
• Envisionware: a library computer hardware/software vendor providing Computer access and SIP2 self-check machines
• EZproxy: A single sign-on service for econtent. developed by OCLC. EZproxy uses SIP2 to authenticate with Koha.
• extended attribute: Custom data that can be associated with a borrower record.

F

• facet: a filtering mechanism on the left-hand side of the search screen which allows results to be narrowed by author, collection, item type, etc.
• framework: (Aka bibliographic framework or MARC framework) A template used to create new bibliographic records. Frameworks also control the display of marc fields in the staff and OPAC.
• FRBR: Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records [4]
• fund: Used by acquisitions. Funds live inside budgets.

G-H

• git install: A Koha installation that uses 'git' as its install method. Cf. Package Install.
• hold: Holds allow patrons the exclusive right to check out a title.
• holding: Synonym for item record.
• hungry alligators: In Koha reports, the << and >> used to define run time variables. The variable in between is 'being eaten by hungry alligators'.

I

• ICU: Also referred to as 'ICU Chains'. International Components for Unicode. The internationalization component used in Zebra search.
• item record: contains data about a specific copy of a book in Koha. All item records link to bibliographic records.
• itype: see item type.
• item type: the item type is contained by the item record and is used when defining circulation rules.

JKL

• List: Patron / Staff defined list of items.
• Lost: an item may have one of several lost statuses, including 'Long Overdue (Lost)', 'Lost and paid for' and 'Missing'.

MN

• MARC: [5]
• MARC framework: See framework.
• material type: A term used by other ILSs for item type.
• notice: A message sent to a patron information them of an overdue, renewal, item due, etc.

OP

• order: An element in an acquisitions basket. See Basket.
• OverDrive: An Ebook vendor
• package install: A Koha installation that uses the Debian 'dpkg' install format. This has implications for trouble-shooting and administration.
• patron: a library user or borrower

R

• RDA: Resource Description and Access [6] [7].
• rebuild: See reindex
• reindex: Typically refers to rebuilding Zebra search indexes.
• REST: Representational state transfer. A way of getting and setting data via HTTP. The Koha community is in the process of creating its own REST api.
• Report: present data from the system (example count of new items added to juvenile fiction last month). Koha has pre-defined (canned) reports, as well as custom reports (written in SQL).
• Restricted: Referring to patrons: debarred or blocked.

S

• serials: used for keeping track of journals, newspapers and other items that come on a regular schedule.
• subscription: tracks how often issues of a serial arrive.
• shelving location: physical location for item, e.g. 'Compact shelving', '1st floor'.
• SIP2: 3M's Standard Interchange Protocol. Used by self-check machines as well as various systems which use it to verify that borrowers are authorized to use the library's resources.
• slip: printed note which may show items checked out or overdue.
• smart rule: See circulation rule.
• SPF: Sender Policy Framework. The rules used to determine whether an email will be accepted by an up-stream mail server.
• SQL: Structured Query Language. a programming language used to request data from a database.

TUV

• tools: one of the top-level screens in Koha. Contains various resources and utilities outside of branch, patron and circulation management.
• Unique Management: a collection agency used by many Koha users in the U.S..
• vendor: A bookseller or supplier from which you purchase materials
• Virtual shelf: See List.
• Vufind: A discovery service written in PHP. Vufind gets its name from Villanova University, where it was developed.

WXYZ

• zebra: The full text search engine used by Koha.
• Z39.50: A protocol for sharing bibliographic information. Koha acts as both a Z39.50 server (sharing bibliographic information) and client (searching and loading marc data from other sites).