Iconography
Study of objects in an image
Sigla
Abbreviation used for a library that appears in encyclopedias, indexes, and bibliographies
Incipit
Short excerpt of a musical theme included in thematic catalogues
Uniform Title
Authority heading for titles assigned by catalogers for all versions of the work regardless of the title appearing on the score, sound recording, etc.
Controlled Vocabulary
Words and phrases used to categorize materials (names, uniform titles, subject headings, etc.)
Festschrift
Publication in celebration or honor of someone
Union Catalog
Combined library catalog including the holdings of a group or consortium of libraries
Bibliography
List of sources used or cited in a written work or on a particular topic; some are annotated; may be comprehensive or selective
Discography
Listing or bibliography of sound recordings
Triangulation
Using keyword searches to identify the subject heading(s) for a particular topic
Primary Source
Material such as manuscripts, letters, recordings originating from or contemporary with the topic of your study; also defined by some as the source most integral to your research
Cutter
Second part of a call number, which denotes the author or subject of a work. (ML102.O6; .O6 is the cutter that would indicate that the topic of the encyclopedia is opera
Truncation
A symbol used as a substitute for the ending of words (sonat?); acts like the OR operator
MGG
Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (Literally ‘Music in History and the Present’); most important non-English reference work in music
ASCAP
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers; right protection agency
RISM
Repertoire International des Sources Musicales (International Inventory of Music Sources)