Electronic library glossaries: jargonbusting essentials or wasted resource?

Purpose - To analyse and investigate the use of online glossaries of library terminology.Design methodology approach - Analysis of glossaries; questionnaire survey.Findings - Library glossaries broadly serve the same purpose, but there is considerable variation in their length, design, currency, and the terms they contain. Library users generally have little input into what glossaries contain and many librarians are uncertain as to whether glossaries are used or useful.Research limitations implications - Further research is necessary to establish whether the effort involved in creating such glossaries is worthwhile.Practical implications - Better strategies for helping library users to understand library jargon are needed.Originality value - This paper highlights the increasing number of university libraries with online glossaries.