Transportation libraries and information centers vary in how they are configured, and the people managing these libraries bring different levels of expertise to their work. Within these Quick Guides, the following definitions, adapted from the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS), will apply:
Librarian: A person with a library science degree (master of library science (MLS) or master of library and information science (MLIS)) responsible for the care of a library or collection of physical or digital resources.
Library: A collection of physical or digital materials organized and maintained for intended users.
Information management: Control over or coordination of the acquisition, organization, storage, security, retrieval and dissemination of information resources.
Information services provider or information services staff: A staff person without a library science degree (MLS or MLIS) engaged in some aspect of the care of a library or collection of physical or digital resources, or who otherwise works to organize and provide access to information. When used generally, may include librarians.
ODLIS has also informed the definitions of other library-related terms appearing in these Quick Guides (for example, circulation, cataloging, copyright, electronic resources, fair use and information management).
Generally, abbreviations and acronyms will be fully defined at first use within each Quick Guide, with the full term spelled out first, followed by the abbreviated term in parentheses. A few acronyms that are commonly used within the transportation library community may be used without definition:
AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
DOT department of transportation
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
NTL National Transportation Library
OCLC Online Computer Library Center
ROSA P Repository and Open Science Access Portal
TRB Transportation Research Board