bibliographic utility: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low Frequency (C2/Professional)Technical / Professional
Quick answer
What does “bibliographic utility” mean?
An organization or service, often a large computer database, that provides libraries with shared cataloging records for books and other materials.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An organization or service, often a large computer database, that provides libraries with shared cataloging records for books and other materials.
Can refer more broadly to the specific computer system or network used by libraries to create, store, and share standardized bibliographic data, facilitating cooperative cataloging.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The term is used identically in professional contexts.
Connotations
Purely professional and technical, with no cultural or emotional connotation in either variety.
Frequency
Equally rare outside of library, archival, and academic publishing professions in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “bibliographic utility” in a Sentence
[The library] subscribes to [a bibliographic utility].[The bibliographic utility] provides [records] for [libraries].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in library science, information management, and archival studies. Example: 'The research relies on data extracted from a major bibliographic utility.'
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Core term in library technology. Example: 'The new system must be compatible with the existing bibliographic utility to ensure data interoperability.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bibliographic utility”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bibliographic utility”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bibliographic utility”
- Using it to mean a 'useful bibliography'.
- Confusing it with a simple library catalog search engine.
- Incorrect pluralization: 'bibliographics utilities' (correct: 'bibliographic utilities').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While you might search a utility's database indirectly through your library catalogue, the utility itself is a back-end infrastructure for librarians. Google Scholar is a public search engine for academic papers, not a shared cataloguing system for libraries.
Yes, OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) and its WorldCat database is the most prominent global example. RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network) was another major one in the US.
Primarily librarians, library technicians, and cataloguers. Researchers and the general public interact with the data through their local library's interface but do not directly use the utility itself.
It draws an analogy to a public utility (like water or electricity) because it provides an essential, shared service to a community (of libraries) on a large scale, often operating on a subscription or membership model.
An organization or service, often a large computer database, that provides libraries with shared cataloging records for books and other materials.
Bibliographic utility is usually technical / professional in register.
Bibliographic utility: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbɪbliəʊˈɡræfɪk juːˈtɪləti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbɪbliəˈɡræfɪk juːˈtɪləti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a public UTILITY like water or electricity that many houses share. A BIBLIOGRAPHIC UTILITY is a shared resource of BOOK data that many LIBRARIES use.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE INFRASTRUCTURE (It is seen as foundational plumbing or wiring for the organization of recorded knowledge).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a bibliographic utility?