Terminology

This list of words and terms is intended to help create consistency, which also helps with translation.

The Koha project uses American English. Online dictionaries: Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Dictionary, Dictionary.com

There are three categories of terms:

✔ = Preferred term

! = Use with caution

✘ = Do not use

Use italics for proposed changes and additions.

Characters 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

—Characters—

! & (ampersand): Only use "&" when part of a proper noun or a common abbreviation, such as Baker & Taylor or R&D. Otherwise use "and".

—0–9—

—A—

✔ allowlist: Use "allowlist", not "whitelist"

✔ and: Use "and" instead of &, unless part of a proper noun or a common abbreviation. For example: Notices and slips, not Notices & slips; Baker & Taylor, R&D.

✔ anonymize: Use "anonymize" instead of "anonymise", default to American English spelling rules

✘ anonymise: Use "anonymize" instead of "anonymise", default to American English spelling rules

✘ authority: Do not use, Use "authority record", not "authority".

✔ authority record: Use "authority record", not "authority".

✔ authorized value: Use "authorized value", not "authorised value".

✘ authorised value: Do not use, Use "authorized value", not "authorised value".; Traditional English, use US English instead

✔ auto-renewal: Use "auto-renewal", not "auto renewal" or "autorenewal"

✘ auto renewal: Do not use, Use "auto-renewal", not "auto renewal".

✘ autorenewal: Do not use, Use "auto-renewal", not "autorenewal".

—B—

✘ biblio: Do not use, Use "bibliographic record".

✔ bibliographic record: Use "bibliographic record", not "biblio".

✘ blacklist: Do not use, Use "denylist".

✘ bookseller: Do not use, Use "vendor".

✘ branch: Do not use, Use "library", not "branch".

! budget: Use "budget" with caution, denotes a period of time a "fund" is valid. Do not use "budget period".

✘ budget period: Do not use, Use "budget".

—C—

! call number (noun): Use "call number", not "callnumber" or "call no." or "call no"

! charge (noun)

Use the general term "charge" when referring to different types of fees (account creation fee, hold fee, overdue fine, lost item fee, etc.) Use "fine" only in the case of overdue fines.

! check-in (noun): Use "check-in", not "return".

! check in (verb): Use "check in", not "checkin" or "return".

! checkout (noun): Use "checkout", not "check out" or "issue".

! check out (verb): Use "check out", not "checkout" or "issue".

—D—

✘ debarment: Do not use, Use "restriction".

✔ denylist: Use "denylist", not "blacklist"

✘ display/don't display: Do not use in system preference options, use "show/don't show".

✔dropdown

Use dropdown as one word

! drop-down

Use "dropdown", not "drop-down".

—E—

—F—

! fine

Use "fine" only in the case of overdue fines. Use the general term "charge" when referring to different types of fees (account creation fee, hold fee, overdue fine, lost item fee, etc.)

✔ fund: Use "fund", not "budget".

—G—

✔ gender: Use "gender", not "sex".

—H—

✔ hold: Use "hold", not "reserve" or "request".

—I—

✘ intranet: Do not use. Use "staff interface", not "staff client", "staff intranet", or "intranet".

! issue (noun): Use with caution, Use "Serial issue"; Do not use to describe the action of loaning an item, Use "checkout".

✘ issue (verb): Do not use, Use "check out".

✔ item: Use "item", not "document".

—J—

—K—

✔ Koha: Use "Koha", not "KOHA" or "koha" when referring to the Koha integrated library software and the Koha project.; Koha is not an abbreviation, initialism, or acronymn.

✘ KOHA: Do not use. Use "Koha" when referring to the Koha integrated library software and the Koha project.

—L—

✔ library: Use "library", not "branch".

✔ list: Use "list", not "shelf" or "virtual shelf".

✔ log in (verb): Use "login" when referring to...

✔ login (noun): Use "login" when referring to...

✘ logout: Do not use. Use "log out" to refer to the action of a user logging out of the system

✔ list: Use "list", not "shelf" or "virtual shelf".

—M—

—N—

✔ notice: Use "notice", not "letter".; Use "slip" when a notice is to be printed on a receipt printer.

—O—

✔ OPAC: Use "OPAC", not "Opac" or "opac" when abbreviating online public access catalog(ue), including in system preference names.

—P—

✔ patron: Use "patron", not "member" or "borrower".

✘ preference: Do not use when referring to Koha's system preferences. Use "system preference".

—Q—

—R—

✔ restriction: Use "restriction", not "debarment".

✘ request: Do not use, Use "hold".

✘ reserve: Do not use, Use "hold".

✘ return (noun): Do not use, Use "check-in".

✘ return (verb): Do not use, Use "check in".

—S—

✘ sex: Do not use. Use "gender", not "sex".

✘ shelf: Do not use. Use "list".

✔ show/don't show: Use "show/don't show" in system preference options, not "display/don't display".

✔ slip: Use "slip" to denote a "notice" that is intended to be printed by a receipt print.

✘ staff client: Do not use. Use "staff interface", not "staff client", "staff intranet", or "intranet".

✔ staff interface: Use "staff interface", not "staff client", "staff intranet", or "intranet".

✘ staff intranet: Do not use. Use "staff interface", not "staff client", "staff intranet", or "intranet".

✘ supplier: Do not use, Use "vendor".

✔ system preference: Use "system preference" when referring to Koha's system preferences, not "preference".

—T—

—U—

—V—

✔ vendor: Use "vendor", not "bookseller" or "supplier".

✘ virtual shelf: Do not use. Use "list".

—W—

✘ whitelist: Do not use, Use "allowlist".

—X—

—Y—

—Z—

✔ ZIP: Use "ZIP", not "Zip" or "zip" when referring to the zipcode/postcode address field.; ZIP is an acronymn.

Terminology

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