Library and Koha glossary
Last modified by BibOS Admin on 2026/11/14 19:08
Plain language explanations of MARC, OPAC, records, items and other everyday terms.
Check the official Koha manual for your installed version.
The catalogue
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic record | The description of a publication, such as its title, author and edition. |
| Item | An individual copy or unit held by a library. |
| Barcode | An identifier used to distinguish an individual item or library card. |
| MARC | A structured format for exchanging catalogue records. |
| Authority record | A controlled form of a name, subject or other access point. |
| OPAC | Online public access catalogue, the visitor facing catalogue. |
Library services
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Patron | A person registered to use library services. |
| Circulation | The work of lending, returning and renewing items. |
| Hold | A request for an item when it becomes available. |
| Item type | A category of material used in configuration and lending policies. |
| Patron category | A group of users with shared account or policy settings. |
| Home library | The branch an item belongs to, distinct from where it currently is. |
Planning a move
A mapping describes how fields and codes in the old system will be represented in the new one. A trial migration is a rehearsal using a controlled sample or copy of data. Acceptance checks are the tests your team agrees must pass before opening the new service.