General glossary

Account type

The account type selected when a new customer account is created (e.g., Regular customer, Argos customer, Temporary customer, etc.)

Actors

 Each customer in OCLC Wise has a fixed Actor ID: This is a system number that never changes. Various Library card (numbers) can be linked to a fixed Actor ID. Once of those card numbers is always the Main Pass.

This setup makes it possible for a library to:

• Offer family subscription, where several people can each use their own library card, within the same subscription.
• Share the customer administration with other institutions with which we cooperate.
• Easy to issue additional passes to students if needed.

Application server

Central part of the system that allows client application connection to exchange data. Often, the application server contains the Business Intelligence.

ARGOS

Module from Wise with which access to public workstations can be arranged. ARGOS has an application that runs on the workstation itself and some components in the Java client.

Arrangement

Payment arrangement for customers who are not able to pay their fines immediately.

Barcode

Barcode of a copy or borrower number, intended for reading it with a barcode reader/scanner.

Bill

Financial notice from the library to a customer.

Block

A block on an item. Blocks prevent an item from being checked out and can be placed on items for a variety of reasons.

Book drop check-in

A mode in the check-in function that allows users to check in all returned items in one session. See Outdoor book return mode. 

Card

Refers to a library card, debit card, etc.

Card cost

Cost of an annual paid customer library account.

Cart

Shopping cart function in the staff client, it is used both for acquisitions and service desk sales.

Cash drawer

The designated area in the library where payments are accepted and reported.

Client

The Wise client is the staff interface for Wise. 

CoC number

Chamber of commerce number, used for special customer accounts and vendors.

Community

Functionality in the Wise web catalog that allows customers to generate content (tags, reviews, ratings, lists). This content is centrally stored and managed but available across systems and allows customers across the Wise network to share and find recommendations. See Community functions for more information.

Configuration

System configuration, defined and managed in the Wise configuration manager. See Wise configuration manager. 

Console

The Wise console is a cloud-based staff interface. Within the Wise console, you can perform actions related to customers and access the Item request manager.

Customer

Members of the public served by the library.

Customer support (CS)

Customer support (CS) is a function of the staff client that enables library staff to resolve customer challenges. See Customer support for more information.

Debt collection

The process by which debts are collected from customers, often passed to a collection agency. See Debt collection configuration for more information.

Desk

A customer service or reference desk.

Direct debit

A process that can be established in Wise to automatically deduct payments from customers, when they have given permission and payment information to do so.

Earmark

Used in Statistics and selections, earmarks are filters designed by your library. They are created and defined in the Wise configuration manager in the (TABSDS) Selection earmarks table.

Encryption

Encryption of data to save it as illegible to others or unreadable to send to third parties. Encryption is used for certain messaging from Wise that is shared over the Internet.

Event

A library event, such as an author visit or special occurrence, where tickets are available for customers to attend.

Fee

The fee paid for a library membership.

Financial organization (FO)

The financial organization to which the site belongs. A financial organization is a collection of branches that handle all financial transactions as a united entity in Wise. For configuration information, see Financial organizations.

Forms

Forms that may be printed and kept on file for customers.

Head word

A 4-letter symbol intended to be used as a placement term. The main word is created by Wise automatically based on the title description or manually entered when the title is added to the catalog. The head word serves as a representative code on the book label. If the head word is generated by the system, it is determined by:

• Title description OR
• If no title description is provided, lead author (first 4 letters of the last name)
• If no title description or lead author are provided, the first 4 letters of the first title word from the main word

Hit

Title description corresponding to a search.

Hold

Request by a customer to borrow materials that are not currently available in their location.

Identification

Method of verifying customer information when creating a new customer account

Invoice

Financial notice from a vendor to the library.

ISIL

International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations. The ISIL number is a global standard for identifying libraries and related organizations. The ISIL number is also used in the generic data model for RFID labels for library objects.

Item

A copy of a title.

Java client

Application that runs on the end user's PC/workstation and that contacts a Wise server to retrieve and send data.

Joomla

Freeware used to build websites. Due to the modular construction of the system, different components can be arranged to create a custom website to function for your library.  Joomla site layout is arranged via CSS and templates.

Juvenile

Used in cataloging to describe materials targeted toward a youth audience.

Keyword

With a title, several keywords can be specified and can be searched in the catalog. A keyword must belong to one of the defined keyword systems. See Thesaurus.

Lead author

The authors linked to a title description whose subdivision as "primary" is coded.

Legal owner

Used in Statistics and selections, the branch that paid for an item

Lending branch(es)

Supplying branch(es), branches that loan items to other branches in their network.

Lending system(s)

Supplying system(s), systems that loan items to other branches in their network.

Library organization (LO)

The library system. Central organization created to manage and coordinate operations and services in or between branches/locations. For Library organization configuration information, see Library organizations.

Link

The action that connects an item (copy) to a title (record) in the catalog. See Link items for more information.

Loan group

Classification of material types in groups with an equal loan period (e.g., Videos and CDs can be loaned for 7 days, novels and juvenile books can be loaned for 21 days).

Local branch

See Home branch.

Material type

Material types are used to describe items in the Wise system. Material types can be combined into groups, for example, paperback, large print, juvenile, and adult books grouped into the material type Book. These material groups can be selected as a search facet in the catalog. Material types are configured in the (RMTSYS) RMT table definition table in the Wise configuration manager.

Media type

Media types are used to describe titles in your collection, this could include Books, DVDs, electronic formats, etc. Media types are configured in the (MDT) Media type table in the Wise configuration manager.

Mobile library

Any bookmobile or off-site location.

Multi-tier

Wise has a multi-layer (multi-tier) structure. a Java-based application server and a MySQL database server are the heart of the system. In this heart, there is software that monitors the business rules and data and where Wise data is saved.

My lists

The collection of title lists that a Community user has created.

My collection

In Statistics and selections, items that should be on the shelf at the library of the logged in staff member, that are part of that branch's collection.

My Menu configuration

Configured in the Wise configuration manager, the settings that determine what a customer can do in the My Account section of the online catalog. See My Menu configuration for more information.

My objects

In Statistics and selections, items that legally belong to the branch of the logged in staff member, but which can be placed at another location.

My profile

The profile of a user of the customer Community function.

Notification

Automatically generated message sent by the library to a customer via the Wise system (overdue notice, hold request, etc.).

Occurrence

In Wise Tickets, an occurrence is an individual event, scheduled for a specific date and time.

Open transactions

Checked out items. Open transactions are recorded in item data. Once the checkout relationship between customer and item is broken by checking-in or declaring missing, the checkout transaction is closed, the item is no longer tied to the customer.

Usually checked-out items are delivered in a file with “circ stat”, to be placed in “wim_item_status”. Historical transaction data is usually delivered in a file with only transactions (check in, checkout, renewal). Wise can ingest this via “wim_loan_history”. That step is usually done after go-live (library has opened again).

Origin

Legal owner of an item.

Outstanding balance alert

A notification to the customer when the customer is late paying.

Overview

A report generated in Wise, specific to the function under which it is generated.

Owner

Owner of an item (indicated by branch number). The owner indicates where the item should be shelved.

Payment

Payment of any fee by debit or credit card.

Periodical

Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc. publications. Also referenced as magazines.

PMT

Table in the Wise configuration manager that defines the processes for managing different material types.

Policy

Rules for how a library system operates. These are defined in the Wise configuration manager.

Popular

Items in the library collection with the highest circulation.

Port

Defines the local PC on which library staff work; these can include self-service terminals.

Profile

defines the behavior (how and when library staff performs an action in the staff client); a profile is separate from a branch. This allows multiple branches to use the same profile.

Process

Defined and configured in the Wise configuration manager, the rules procedures follow in the Wise system.

Recommendations

Suggested materials for a customer to check out, based on loan history.

Renew

Request by a customer to extend a loan for an item.

Replacement cost

Cost to replace an item that is lost or damaged by a customer.

Replacement cost bill

A payment bill created for a customer at the service desk.

Report

The output of data analysis in the Statistics and selections menu of Wise.

RMT

Table in the Wise configuration manager that defines the processes for managing different material types. See RMT tables for more information.

Roles

Staff account types that grant permissions within the system. See Wise role functions for more information.

SCAT

Statistical categories applied to materials for tracking and reporting. See SCAT management for more information.

Search entry

Element of a title description that is used as a search tool in the catalog.

Searchlight

A tool in the staff client catalog that filters search results. See Searchlight for more information.

Selection

A selection of criteria used to generate lists or reports in the staff client. Selections can be saved and rerun to generate updated information. See Selections for more information. 

Self-service

Customer self-service portal, allows customers to check materials in or our, renew, or check account information.

Session

A session is a process within which a number of actions are performed without closing the procedure.

Set

A set of data that results from creating a selection. See sets for more information.

SOAP

Simple Object Access Protocol. XML-based computer language for description of message traffic between different systems or components of a system. Used, for example, to exchange Community data with local Wise systems.

Social tags

Keywords used by members of a Community (customers of the library) assigned to items. Customers can add tags and use others tags to find items by searching by keyword.

Storage

Location for keeping materials that are not available for customers on the library shelf.

Store sales

Transactions that take place at the service desk, in which a customer purchase an item (e.g., library tote bag or books).

Thesaurus

File with controlled terms and relations, such as search entry in the catalog. See Thesaurus for more information.

Title (description)

Description of a work. The scope of the title description: number rules, number of authors, number of keywords, etc. is free.

Title

Category that indicates the name as entered by the author/publisher of the work (book, CD, DVD, etc.).

Title key

See title number.

Title number

The unique identification of a title description in the Wise system.

Waive

Fees that a customer owes to the library might be waived. The term for writing off financial lines. See Waive for more information.

Wise configuration manager

The program in which the parameters of the system are managed.

Windowtime

The number of days set that new materials may not be delivered for hold requests.

Wise4all server

Central national server for all US Wise systems. Through this server:

• All Community content is exchanged
• The secure access to digital content and other systems is managed

Withdraw

Act of removing items from the collection due to low circulation.

XML

Extensible Markup Language. Computer language or file format in which data can be recorded for exchange. In general, an XML document captures the content and formatting of the data by applying a style sheet.

XSLT

Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations. Computer language used to describe/program how XML documents are converted to HTML or XML documents with a different structure. This is a flexible (and common) way of presenting data from an XML document.