Volunteers @ the Library: C and D

CALL NUMBERS - The classification number on an item of library material used to mark the item, shelve it properly, list it in the catalog and find it for a user.

CATALOG - A file of bibliographic records created according to specific, uniform principles of construction which describes the materials in a collection, a library, or a group of libraries.

CATALOGER - A librarian who performs descriptive or subject cataloging and may also perform related tasks such as classifying or creating a shelflist.

CATALOGING - The process of physically describing library materials, for example, a book so that it can be listed in a catalog and located on a shelf for use by patrons.

CATEXPRESS – An OCLC product that allows libraries to download bibliographic records for materials.

CCC - Copyright Clearance Center - An organization created by authors, publishers, and users of copyrighted materials to provide a central source for authorizations to use materials and to collect and distribute royalty fees.

CD - Compact Disc. A high capacity storage device using laser technology to read data in digital form.

CD-ROM - Compact Disc-Read Only Memory. A permanent file in compact disc format.

CE - Continuing Education.

CENSORSHIP - Prohibition of the production, distribution, circulation, or display of a work by a governing authority on grounds that it contains objectionable material. The person who determines what is to be prohibited or prevented from being published is known as a censor.

CIP - Cataloging in Publication. 1) The program started by the Library of Congress which gathers bibliographic data on a book before publication. 2) A book's bibliographic record, usually found on the verso of its title page.

CIPA – Children’s Internet Protection Act. Enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children's access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. CIPA imposes certain requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program.

CIRCULATION - Statistics showing use of the library by a count of materials checked out. Also, department or area of the library which receives returned material and checks out materials to the user.

CIRCULATION SYSTEM - The policies and procedures used in a library for lending materials to users and keeping records of the loans (includes charging and discharging).

CITATION - A note referring to a published work from which a passage is quoted or to some source as authority for a statement or proposition.

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM - A system for arranging books and other materials according to subject or form. The system most commonly used by public libraries is Dewey Decimal Classification.

COLLECTION - A one-word term for the library's total holdings--the books, videos, tapes, CDs, pictures, etc.—that make up the materials the library has for its users. A special collection refers to an area of specialization: for example, rare books, or local history or regional authors.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT - A term which covers the activities related to managing the library collection: setting selection policy, assessing user needs, studying collection use, selecting materials, maintaining the collection, and removing items from the collection.

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY - A formal written statement of the principles guiding a library's selection of new materials, including its policies concerning gifts and weeding.

CONSORTIUM/CONSORTIA – A group of libraries bound by formal agreement which uses a common integrated library system, electronic media system, etc. Plural: consortia

COOPERATIVE SYSTEM - A group of libraries connected by formal or informal agreement which states common services to be provided, such as cooperative book buying, cataloging, and reference service. See also multi-type library system and network.

COPYRIGHT - The exclusive privilege of publishing and selling a work granted by a government to an author, composer, artist, publisher, etc. Libraries have a special interest in fair use of copyrighted material.

CROSS REFERENCE -A direction in indexing and cataloging from one heading to another. Examples: a "see" reference tells you to look elsewhere for all items relating to the subject matter sought; a "see also" reference tells you to look elsewhere for other items relating to the subject sought.

CURSOR - A small blinking point of light or vertical bar on a computer screen which can, be positioned by the user via a keyboard or mouse to indicate where a new character will appear when typed, or a new operation is to occur when initiated by the user.

CUTTER NUMBER - A system developed by C.A. Cutter which combines letters from an author's name and numbers assigned from a table to form part of a book's call number.