Library-Related Acronyms and Initialisms
¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ
This alphabetical listing of library acronyms and initialisms includes:
- ALA unit, division, office, roundtable and committee acronyms and initialisms
- ALA unit publications known by acronyms
- Acronyms for other library and related organizations
- Abbreviations commonly used in library literature (e.g. AACR)
For additional terms not contained here, please see one of the following Glossaries:
- , from Tools for Trustees: The Georgia Public Library Trustee Manual. (Several state library trustees manuals have glossaries, which may have different, state-specific terms defined.)
- database is a professionally generated signage tool designed for libraries by the Library of New South Wales. It contains common library phrases in 49 languages.
- , compiled by members of the Instruction for Diverse Populations Committee of the ACRL Instruction Section, with both a six-language table and a set of definitions.
- created by Joan M. Reitz, Associate Librarian for Instruction at the Ruth A. Haas Library, Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) in Danbury, CT.
- , a selection of commonly used terms from OCLC product/service glossaries. Many of the OCLC product/services support separate glossaries with context-specific information.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y
A
AA --
AACR -- Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules
AALL -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
AAM -- ;
AAMES--
AAP --
AASL --
AASLH--
AAUP --
AAT --
ABOS -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ACA --
ACG -- Advocacy Coordinating Group
ACRL --
AECT --
AFAS --
AFL/CIO --
AIA --
AILA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
AJL -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
AL --
AL21C --
¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ --
¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ-APA --
¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼIR --
ALCTS --
ALISE -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ALSC --
ALTAFF -- Obsolete: See UFL - - [Formerly: Association for Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations]
AMIA -
ANSI --
ANSS --
AP3 --
APA --
AP¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ARC -- Advance Reading Copy
ARSC --
ARL -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ARLIS/NA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ARSL -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ARTS --
AS --
ASCA --
ASC -- Activity Sections Council (ACRL)
ASCAP --
ASCLA --
ASIS&T -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ATLA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
B
BARC --
BC¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
BETA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
BES --
BFYA --
BIBCO -- (PCC)
BIBFRAME --
BIGWIG -- Blogs, Interactive Groupware & Wikis Interest Group (LITA - Obsolete)
BISAC -- Book Industry Standards and Communications
BRASS --
C
C&RL News -- (periodical)
C&RL-- (journal)
CAEP --
C¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
CALM --
CaMMS -- (ALCTS) - [formerly Cataloging and Classification Section (CCS)]
CATHLA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
CBC --
CC:AAM -- (ALCTS/CaMMS)
CC:DA -- (ALCTS/CaMMS)
CCBC --
CCC --
CCF --
CCO --
CCS -- Cataloging & Classification Section (ALCTS) - See
CCSS --
CIFNAL -- , Center for Research Libraries
CJCLS --
CILIP --
CLA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
CLENERT -- See
CLIPP - (ACRL)
CLIR --
CLS --
CMS -- (ALCTS) - [formerly Collection Management & Development Section (CMDS)]
COA --
COD --
CODES --
COE --
COL --
COLA --
COLT -- Council on Library/Media Technicians (Inactive)
CONSER --
CONTU -- (National) Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyright
COO --
COPE --
CORS --
COSLA --
COSWL --
COUNTER --
CPLA --
CRC --
CRG -- Council of Regional Groups (ALCTS)
CRL --
CRO --
CRS -- (ALCTS) - [formerly the Serials Section (SS)]
CSO --
CUAC --
D
DACS --
DCMA --
DCRM --Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials
DCWG --
DEU -- (ALCTS)
DLF --
DLS -- (ACRL)
DOI --
DPLA --
DRM -- Digital Rights Management
DttP -- (GODORT publication)
E
EAD --
EBSS -- (ACRL)
ECRR -- (ALSC & PLA)
EL --
EMC -- Education Media Council
EMIERT --
ERIC --
ERT --
ESL -- English as a second-language
ESLS -- (AASL)
ESSA --
ETF -- Education Task Force (GODORT)
ETS -- (RUSA) [formerly MARS]
F
F&A --
FAFLRT --
FDTF --
FINRA--Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
FLAG -- Federal Legislative Advocacy Group
FLLAN -- Federal Library Legislative and Advocacy Network (obsolete)
FOIA --
FOLUSA -- Friends of Libraries USA - Obsolete; now part of
FRBR --
FRFDS -- (LLAMA)
FTF -- (SRRT)
FTRF --
G
GAMERT --
GIC -- Government Information for Children (GODORT Committee)
GLBTRT --
GN MIG --
GODORT --
GOV --
GWLA --
H
HRDR --
HRS --
HS --
HTML --
I
IASSIST --
ICAN -- Interlibrary Cooperation & Networking (ASCLA, Obsolete)
ICLAE -- International Council of Library Association Executives
ICOLC --
IDTF -- (GODORT)
IFC --
IFLA --
IFRT --
IG -- Interest Group
IGARD -- Alzheimer's & Related Dementias Interest Group (ASCLA)
IIDA --
ILEX -- Independent Librarians Exchange Section (ASCLA, obsolete)
ILL -- Inter-Library Loan or Inter-Library Lending
ILS -- Integrated Library System
IMLS --
IPEDS --
IRC --
IRO --
IRRT --
IS --
ISBN --
ISKME --
ISLD --
ISO --
ISS --
ISSN --
ITAL -- (LITA)
ITTS -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ unit)
J
JCLC --
JOYS -- (ALSC/YALSA) (Replaced in 2003 with and )
JSC-AACR -- (Obsolete)
JSC-RDA --
K
KQ -- (division publication)
L
LA&M -- see
LACONI -
LAMA -- see
LC --
LCA --
LCIG -- Library Consultants Interest Group (ASCLA)
LCRI --
LCSH --
LEARNRT -- - [formerly Continuing Library Education Network & Exchange Round Table (CLENERT)]
LES -- (ACRL)
LHRT --
LIANZA - (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
LIRT --
LITA --
LL&M -- (LLAMA division publication)
LLAMA --
LMPI --
LOMS -- (LLAMA)
LPSS -- (ACRL)
LRC -- Learning Resource Center
LRRT --
LRTS -- (ALCTS publication)
LS -- Library School Events (listing in ¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ conference program)
LSDF -- Library Service to the Deaf Forum (ASCLA, obsolete)
LSIEF -- Library Service to the Impaired Elderly Forum (ASCLA, obsolete)
LSPF -- (ASCLA)
LSPVD -- (ASCLA)
LSSC --
LSSDDPMAG -- Library Service to Developmentally Disabled Persons Membership Activity Grp. (ASCLA)
LSSIRT --
LSSPS -- Libraries Serving Special Populations Section (ASCLA, obsolete)
LSTA -- Library Services and Technology Act
LTA -- Library Technical Assistant
LTC --
LUTFCSUSTC -- Librarians United To Fight Costly, Silly and Unnecessary Serial Title Changes (ALCTS, obsolete)
M
MAES -- (LLAMA)
MAGIRT -- - [formerly Map & Geography Round Table (MAGERT)]
MARBI -- (obsolete)
MARC --
MARS -- MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section (RUSA) - [formerly Machine Assisted Reference Section]; obsolete--see ETS
MFLA -- Midwest Federation of Library Associations
MIG -- Membership Initiative Group; (ALCTS)
MLA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate); ; (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
MOOC -- Massive Open Online Course
MOUSS -- Management and Operation of User Services Section (RUSA) - See STARS
MPS -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ department)
MPLA --
MRGITF -- Machine Readable Government Information Task Force (GODORT)
N
NABE --
NACO --
NCAAL -- National Conference of African American Librarians
NCATE -- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (obsolete, see CAEP)
NCES --
NCLIS -- (obsolete)
NEH --
NELA --
NERL --
NGSS --
NISO --
NLA -- National Librarians Association
NLM --
NLW --
NMRT --
NSN -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
NPS -- (LLAMA)
O
OA -- , Open Access
OCLC -- - [formerly Online Computer Library Center]
ODLOS --
OFD -- - see ODLOS
OGR --
OIF --
OITP --
OLA --
OLAC -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
OLOS -- Office for Literacy and Outreach Services - see ODLOS
OLPR -- see HRDR
OPAC -- Online Public Access Catalog
ORS --
OTLD -- See TOLD
P
PAIG -- (formerly PADG)
PAN --
PAO --
PARS -- (ALCTS)
PBA -
PCC -- (LC)
PCPAC -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ)
PELS -- (LLAMA LOMS)
PIO -- Public Information Office (obsolete; replaced 2015 with Public Awareness Office)
PLA --
PLDS -- (PLA)
PLIG --
PNLA --
PPO --
PRMS -- (LLAMA)
PROLIT -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
PTRCA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
R
RAILS --
RBB -- Reference Books Bulletin (a publication)
RBM -- (ACRL publication)
RBMS -- (ACRL)
RDA --
RDF --
REFORMA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
RFID -- Radio Frequency Identification Technology
RFP -- Request for Proposal
RIG -- Residency Interest Group (ACRL)
RMRT --
RNTLOAK --
RSS -- (RUSA)
RUSA --
RUSQ -- (division publication)
S
SAA --
SAC -- , a subcommittee of the Committee on Diversity; Subject Analysis Committee, ALCTS/CaMMS
SACO -- (PCC)
S¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼLM -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
SASS -- (LLAMA)
SBPR -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
SEES -- (ACRL)
SELA --
SISAC -- Serials Industry Systems Advisory Committee
SLA --
SLAS -- State Library Agency Section (ASCLA) (obsolete)
SLDTF -- (GODORT)
SLMR -- School Library Media Research (online division publication)
SORT --
SPARC --
SPEC --
SPVS -- (AASL)
SRRT --
SS -- Serials Section (ALCTS) Obsolete, use CRS, Continuing Resources Section (ALCTS)
STARS -- (RUSA) [formerly Management and Operation of User Services Section]
STEAM -- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics
STEM -- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
STS -- (ACRL)
SUSTAINRT -- Sustainability Round Table
SXSW -
T
TESLA -- Technical Standards for Library Automation (obsolete)
TLA -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
TOLD --
TRAIL --
U
UFL --
ULC -- (¹Ü¼ÒÆŲÊͼ Affiliate)
ULS -- (ACRL)
UNO -- Unofficial Groups (used in conference program books)
USBBY --
V
VRT --
VSS --
W
WAI --
WESS --
WEST --
WGSS -- - [formerly Women's Studies Section (WSS)]
WHCLIS -- White House Conference on Library & Information Services
WNBA -
WNDB --
WO --
X
XML --
Y
YA -- Young Adult
YALSA --
YMA --
