Glossary

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This page provides definitions of terms used throughout the DCB's system and user documentation.

About page
The about page provides general information on the DCB. It can be reached via the user menu in the top right-hand corner of the page. The content of the about page can be edited by administrators (see Manage static pages).

Access point
An access point is a name, term, keyword, phrase or code that may be used to search, identify and locate a resource description. In the DCB access points are derived from authority records and taxonomies created and customized by users. See Add/edit terms.

Access privilege
Access privileges control the ways a user is able to interact with the DCB. For example, some users are able to add and edit content while others may only be able to search and browse content. Access privileges are based on defined user roles (see User roles).

Add menu


The "Add" menu allows authorized users to add new resource descriptions, authority records, organizations and terms. Only logged-in users can see the "Add" menu.

Add new button


The add new button is located in the button block of the view page and allows users to add new records (resource descriptions, authority records, organizations, and terms) to the DCB.

Admin menu


The admin menu allows users with administrator access to customize the DCB to meet institution-specific requirements and to manage user accounts and user profiles (see Administer).

Administration area


The Administration area is part of the resource description edit template. It allows the User to change the publication status of the resource - Draft (this resource description is not available for public viewing) and Published (this resource description is available for public viewing).

Administrator
The administrator is a type of user who has access privileges to do the following: install or uninstall the DCB; create, read, update, or delete any record; customize the DCB to institution-specific requirements; and manage user accounts and user profiles (see User roles and Administer).

Authority record
In the DCB, authority records are collections of information about actors - corporate bodies, persons, or families - who interact with resources, typically as creators. The data elements used to describe authority records are based on the ICA's International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families (ISAAR). ISAAR defines authority record as "The authorized form of name combined with othr information elements that identify and describe the named entity and may also point to other related authority records." See Entity types and Add/edit authority records.

Browse menu
Browsing allows a user to see all records that have a certain type of access point (such as subject, name, or place) or other type of filter, such as media type or type of entity. In the DCB's default theme (the Alouette theme) the browse menu is displayed in a vertical box above and to the right of the search box.

Button block


The button block allows authorized users to add or delete content and to save or reject changes made in the edit pages.

Child record
Child record refers to a description of the resource that is one level of description lower than the current unit, e.g. if a series belongs to a collection, the series is the child record of the collection.

Collection
In Dublin Core, a collection is "[A]n aggregation of resources. A collection is described as a group; its parts may also be separately described."

Column header


Column headers appear at the top of the lists on list pages and browse results and give the name of the field for whatever is being listed below.

Context menu


The context menu appears on all view and edit pages to show the current record's relationships to other records, with links, e.g. they show the hierarchical placement of resource descriptions within a collection and the relationship between organizations, authority records, and institutional holdings. See Context menu.

Contributor
A contributor is a type of user who can search, browse, create, and edit descriptions. See User roles.

Controlled vocabulary
A controlled vocabulary is a set of pre-defined, authorized terms grouped into taxonomies or entered into authority records and used for generating value lists and access points. See Add/edit terms.

Cover flow


Cover flow show sets of thumbnails of digital objects and allows the user to scroll through the thumbnails using a mouse or keyboard scroll arrows. In the DCB a cover flow viewer appears in the context menu of resource descriptions whenever there are associated lower-level descriptions that have digital objects attached.

Create button
The create button, located on the button block, is used to save new entities. Once an entity has been saved for the first time, the create button disappears and is replaced by the "Save" button, which is used to save all subsequent changes.

Creator
A creator is "An entity primarily responsible for making the resource. Examples of a Creator include a person, an Organization, or a service. Typically, the name of a Creator should be used to indicate the entity." (Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1 ). In the DCB, the creator is described in an authority record linked to a resource description, usually at the highest level of description only. Lower levels inherit the creator from the parent record, unless a different creator is specified. The DCB can accommodate multiple creators at all levels of description.

Current language
Refers to the language in which the user interface elements and database content are displayed. Users can switch between languages by using the language menu.

Data element
Data elements, or elements of description, are standards-based units of information applied to resource descriptions, authority records, organizations, and terms. The elements are entered into fields in the DCB's edit pages.

Database content
Database content refers to information stored in the DCB's database tables, including data elements, static page content, and user profile information.

Default content


Default content is any database content that is included by default when the DCB is installed. This includes things like the default home page and drop-down menu values that are stored in taxonomies.

Default language
The default language is the language in which all user interface elements are displayed when the DCB is opened. The language is specified when the application is installed. Users can switch to other supported languages and translators can translate database content and user interface elements. See Choose language and Translate.

Delete button


The delete button appears in the button block. Clicking on the delete button will prompt a warning to appear asking whether the user really intends to delete the entity.

Delete icon


Delete icons are small buttons in edit pages used to delete values from multi-value fields, such as those containing event dates or access points.

Developer
A developer is a programmer who is able to modify the underlying software code of a DCB application. In the beta version of the DCB (1.0.9), much of the customization of the application can only be done by developers. In future releases of the software, more and more features will be customizable via user interface elements available to administrators.

Digital object
Digital objects are computer files that can be uploaded into and displayed by the DCB. They include scanned images, digital photographs, sound and moving image files, and other scanned or born-digital items. See Upload digital objects and File formats.

Draft record
A draft record is a resource description that has not been published. All new and imported resource descriptions have draft status until the user changes that status to published in the gray box at the bottom of the resource description edit page.

The status is inherited from the highest level of description. Users who are not authenticated cannot view draft records.

Drop-down menu


A drop-down menu is a list of data-entry options that appears below certain fields in edit pages. Values are drawn from controlled-vocabulary terms, authority records, and default data contained in the DCB's database tables.

Edit button


The edit button appears at the bottom of view pages; clicking the button takes the user to the edit page for that record.

The user can also switch between view and edit pages by clicking the title bar.

Edit icon


The edit icon appears in edit pages next to fields that derive data from a related record. The user clicks the icon to edit the text in the related record.

Edit mode
Edit mode allows the user to add, modify, or delete the contents of resource descriptions authority records, organizations, terms, and other database content using edit pages. In edit mode, the DCB displays all fields in a record for data entry.

Edit page
Edit pages allow users to add, edit and delete the contents of resource descriptions, authority records, organizations and terms. They are also used to carry out administrative functions such as changing user profiles and editing static pages.

Editor
An editor is a type of user who can search, browse, add, edit and delete resource descriptions, authority records, organizations and terms. See User roles.

Entity
An entity is an object about which an information system collects data. From the user's perspective, in the DCB there are four main entities: resource descriptions, authority records, organizations, and terms. See Entity types.

Error message
An error message will display when the DCB is unable to execute an action. See error for examples of types of error messages.

Event
In the DCB, an event registers an action by an actor (corporate body, person or family) at a particular time or over a span of time and may establish a relationship between the actor and other actors or entities. This is accomplished through the use of start and end dates in the creator, publisher and/or dates area of the resource description, which links the creator or other actor to the records for the period of time delimited by the dates. See Entity types and Add new event.

Field
A field is a container for a data element. Content is added to or modified in fields in edit pages.

Field label


Field labels identify fields in view pages and edit pages. In the DCB 1.0.9 beta, field labels can only be customized by developers working directly with the code; in a future release an interface for customizing labels will be available to administrators.

Holdings


Holdings is a generic term referring to the resources held by organizations. In the DCB a list of holdings is displayed in the context menu on organization view pages. The list is generated from the titles of resource descriptions that have the organization selected as a repository.

Home page
The home page is the first page the user sees when opening the the DCB application. It can also be accessed via the "Home" link on the user menu or by clicking the site logo. The content of the home page can be edited by administrators (see Manage static pages).

Information area


Information areas appear on edit pages and group related fields based on the organization of elements of describing a resource (Dublin Core), an authority record (ISAAR), or an institutional record (ISDIAH). Clicking on an information area toggles it between closed (all fields in that area hidden) and open (all fields visible).

Language menu


The language menu, located in the top-left corner of the page, allows the user to switch to any of the supported languages in the DCB. The current language is always underlined. See Choose language.

Level of description
The level of description refers to hierarchical relationships between resource descriptions, in which one resource description may be a parent record or child record of another. An example of a parent record might be a collection while its child records might be items.

Main menu


The main menu is the the navigational tool located near the top of all pages for authenticated users, right below the search box. It allows the user to navigate to all the main areas of the DCB.

Master digital object
The master digital object is the unaltered version of a digital object that has been uploaded to the DCB. The DCB automatically generates a thumbnail and a reference display copy of the object. Only authenticated users may view master digital objects. See Upload digital objects.

Media type
Media type refers to the format of uploaded digital objects. The media type is selected automatically by the DCB when a digital object is uploaded and the thumbnail and reference display copies of the object are generated. See Upload digital objects.

Media type terms are controlled by the media type taxonomy. the DCB ships with five terms (audio, image, text, video, other) that are locked; these cannot be edited or deleted because they are referenced by the DCB's code. Editors and administrators can add new media type terms, but unless developers incorporate these into the code, the system will not be able to do anything with them.

Multi-repository system
A multi-repository system exists when a single instance of the DCB is used by a network of organizations.

Multi-value field


A multi-value field is a field that is structured to contain more than one data entry.

Name
In the DCB, names are registered in authority records for corporate bodies, persons, and families who interact with resources as e.g. creators, custodians and publishers. Names can be applied as access points to resource descriptions. See access points.

Network
A network is an aggregation of institutions using one instance of the DCB to produce a union list of holdings (a multi-repository system).

Organization
An organization acquires resources and makes them available to the public. See entity types and Add/edit organizations.

Page title


The page title indicates what kind of page a user is viewing; for example, it indicates whether resource descriptions, authority records or organizations are being displayed in a view page or edit page.

Parent record
The parent record refers to the description of the resource that is one level of description higher than the current resource. For example, a collection may be the parent record of an item.

Password
Passwords are required by every user of the system who needs to be able to add, edit or delete content. The initial passwords are set by the system administrator (see add a new user) and can subsequently be changed by the user (see Change password).

Place
In the DCB, a place is a geographic location registered in a taxonomy and used as an access point in resource descriptions, authority records, and organizations.

Physical storage
Physical storage is a grouping of fields relating to the management of physical objects such as folders, boxes, shelves, and cabinets. In the DCB, users can create and edit information about physical objects by clicking on the "Link physical storage" button in the button block of a resource description. See Physical storage.

Published record
A published record is a resource description that has had its status changed from draft to published in the gray box at the bottom of the resource description edit page.

The status is inherited from the highest level of description; e.g. when a collection description is changed from draft to published, all child records within the collection are automatically changed as well. Once resource descriptions have been published, users who are not logged in can view them.

Reference display copy
A reference display copy is a low-resolution version of a master digital object generated automatically by the DCB on upload. It is used to display images on the digital object view page when the user clicks on a thumbnail and in the digital object area of edit pages. See Upload digital objects.

Researcher
A researcher is a type of user who is limited to searching and browsing descriptions. See User roles.

Resource description
A resource description is a body of information about a resource or resources held by an organization. The descriptions provide contextual information about the resources and are arranged into hierarchical levels (such as collections and items).

Rights record
In DCB Rights records can be linked to resource descriptions and digital objects. DCB Rights metadata elements use PREMIS rights elements. In DCB restrictions can be based on Copyright(s), License, Statute(s) and Policy.

Search box


The search box is used to find descriptions in the DCB that contain text matching a search query. The search box is located over the main menu on all DCB pages, including the home page. See Access content.

Setting
Settings is a broad term used to describe the properties that affect the way a program looks and functions. In the DCB, certain settings can be changed by an administrator in order to customize the DCB to institution-specific requirements. See Settings.

Site description


The site description appears at the top of the page directly under the site title. It is a configurable element - the text can be changed or removed (see Themes).

Site logo
The site logo is the graphic that appears at the top of all pages in the DCB. Clicking on the logo will take the user to the home page. The DCB ships with a default logo that can be replaced by administrators to theme the application to their own institution or network if desired. See Site logo.

Site title
The site title appears at the top of the page next to the site logo and over the site description. It is a configurable element - the text can be changed or removed (see Themes).

Static page
Static pages are pages that are designed to look the same each time they are accessed, in contrast to dynamic pages such as search results, view pages, or edit pages. The DCB has two static pages, the home page and the about page. Static pages can be edited by an administrator (see Manage static pages).

Subject
In the DCB, subjects are controlled-vocabulary terms grouped in a taxonomy and used as access points in resource descriptions.

Supported language
In the DCB, a supported language is one into which both data elements and user interface elements can be translated. In the DCB version 1.0.9 beta, the supported languages are Arabic, Dutch, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Slovenian.

Taxonomy
A taxonomy is a grouping of controlled-vocabulary terms used to generate value lists and access points. See Add/edit terms.

Term
Terms are the values that make up controlled vocabularies. In the DCB, terms are grouped into taxonomies that can be added, edited, and deleted through the "Term" item of the add menu. See Add/edit terms.

Thumbnail
A thumbnail is a small, low-resolution version of a master digital object generated automatically by the DCB on upload. Thumbnails are displayed in search and browse results and in cover flow views at higher levels of description. See Upload digital objects.

Title bar


The title bar appears at the top of resource descriptions, authority records, and organizations.

Translation bar


The translation bar appears at the bottom of the page when users with translator access privileges select a language from the language menu. Clicking on "Translate user interface" in the bottom right-hand corner of the bar opens up the translation panel, where the user translates user interface elements. See Translate interface.

Translation panel


The translation panel is used by translators to edit user interface elements and is accessed via the translation bar. See Translate interface.

Translator
A translator is a type of user who can translate data elements and user interface elements. See User roles.

User account
User accounts are established in order to manage access privileges through the assignment of user roles. Every user who must be able to add, edit, delete, or translate content must have a user account. In the DCB user accounts are established and maintained by administrators. See Manage user accounts.

User interface
The user interface is the set of elements that allow the user to interact with the the DCB application. These elements include the main menu, drop-down menus, context menu, the title bar, column headers, buttons, fields, and field labels, and any other elements used to navigate the DCB or to search for, view, add, edit, and delete database content. The labels of some user interface elements can be customized by administrators (see User interface labels).

User menu


The user menu, located in the upper right hand corner of the page, contains basic navigational links. These allow the user to go to the home page and about page, user documentation (help pages) and the log in page. Authenticated users can also use it to navigate to their user profiles.

Username
The username is a name supplied by an administrator to any user (other than a researcher) of the the DCB application as part of the user account. See Manage user accounts.

User profile
A user profile is information about a user managed in a user account. User profiles are created and maintained by administrators (see manage user accounts), although authenticated users can view their own profiles (and change their passwords) by going through the user menu.

User role
User roles define levels of access to functions in the DCB, ranging from view-only access to full administration rights. User roles are defined by groups that an administrator can add and edit. See User roles and Add a new group.

Value list


Value lists restrict data entry in certain fields to controlled vocabulary terms or terms derived from authority records. They appear as drop-down menus in edit pages.

View mode
View mode provides read-only access to the contents of resource descriptions authority records, and organizations using view pages. In view mode, the DCB displays only those fields in a record which contain data.

View page


View pages allow users to view in detail the contents of resource descriptions authority records and organizations.