Quick Reference Updated Jun 04, 2026

Glossary of Terms

4 min read 14 views

Here are simple explanations for terms you might see in the system:

Term	What it means
Accession Number	A unique ID given to each physical copy of a book when it enters your library. It is like a fingerprint for each item.
Barcode	The scannable code on a book that identifies it in the system.
Call Number	The number on the spine of a book that tells you where it goes on the shelf (like "813.54" for an American novel).
Catalog	The complete list of all books and materials in your library, stored in the system.
Circulation	The process of lending and returning books.
Classification Number	Same as call number. The number used to organize books on shelves.
Clearance	Verification that a student has no pending library obligations. Required for enrollment, graduation, and requesting school records.
DDC (Dewey Decimal Classification)	A system that organizes books by subject using numbers (e.g., 500 = Science, 800 = Literature). Most Philippine school libraries use this system.
DepEd	Department of Education -- the Philippine government agency that oversees K-12 education.
Encumbered	Budget money that has been committed to approved purchase orders but has not been spent yet.
Grace Period	The number of days after a due date before fines start. For example, with a 1-day grace period, fines only start on the second day after the due date.
Holdings	Information about what specific copies or volumes a library owns (especially for series and periodicals).
ISBN	International Standard Book Number. A 10-digit or 13-digit number that uniquely identifies a book worldwide. You can usually find it on the back cover or the copyright page.
LCC (Library of Congress Classification)	A classification system that uses letters and numbers to organize books. Common in college and university libraries.
Loan Policy	The set of rules that control how long books can be borrowed, how many a person can take, and how fines are calculated.
MARC	MAchine-Readable Cataloging. A standard file format for sharing book records between library systems.
Material Type	The kind of item (book, periodical, reference material, etc.).
OPAC	Online Public Access Catalog. This is the search page where students and teachers find books.
Reading Level	The grade level a book is appropriate for (from Kindergarten through Post-Graduate).
Renewal	Extending the borrowing period for a book without returning it first.
Reservation / Hold	A request to borrow a book that is currently unavailable. When the book is returned, it is set aside for the person who placed the hold.
SLR (School Library Report)	An annual report about library operations and collection status required by DepEd.
Stocktaking	The process of physically checking which books are on the shelves and comparing with the system's records.
Waiver	Forgiveness of a fine. Must be approved by a librarian who is not the one who assessed the fine.
Weeding	Removing old, damaged, or unused books from the library collection.
SHS	Senior High School. Grades 11 and 12 in the Philippine K-12 system, where students follow a specific track and strand.
Track/Strand	In Senior High School, students choose a track (Academic, TVL, Sports, Arts & Design) and a strand within that track. Libraries may tag books with reading levels matching SHS.
K-12	The Philippine education system covering Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Periodical	A publication issued at regular intervals, such as magazines, journals, and newspapers.
Reference Material	Books or resources meant to be used inside the library only, not for borrowing (like encyclopedias, dictionaries, and atlases).
Acquisition	The process of getting new books for the library, whether by purchase, donation, or transfer.
Vendor	A book supplier or bookstore that sells books to the library.
Purchase Order (PO)	A formal document sent to a vendor to order books. It lists the titles, quantities, and prices.
Budget Category	A grouping used to organize how library money is spent (for example: "Books," "Periodicals," "Digital Resources").
Patron	Anyone who uses the library. This includes students, teachers, staff, and alumni.
Overdue	A book that has not been returned by its due date.
Renewal	Extending the due date of a borrowed book without physically returning it.
Barcode Scanner	A device (handheld or built into a kiosk) that reads barcodes on books and student IDs.
RFID	Radio Frequency Identification. A technology that uses radio waves to identify books (instead of or in addition to barcodes). Books have small RFID tags inside them.
Kiosk	A self-service station where students can check out and return books without librarian help.

Was this article helpful?

Let us know so we can improve our documentation.

Status Meanings