Library Science Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Library Science facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In archival practice, what is 'original order'? → The arrangement of records as they were maintained by the creating entity
2. The AASL Standards for Learners (2018) are primarily designed for which audience? → K–12 students and school librarians
3. What is the primary purpose of a finding aid in an archival setting? → To describe the contents and organization of an archival collection
4. Which metadata standard is specifically designed to support the preservation of digital objects? → PREMIS (Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies)
5. Which principle of management involves giving employees authority over their work area matching their responsibility? → Delegation of authority
6. What is 'license negotiation' relevant to in library collection development? → Establishing terms of use for electronic resources and databases
7. Which framework replaced the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education in 2016? → Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education
8. Which tool is commonly used by librarians to create and share online research guides? → LibGuides
9. Which term describes the process of transferring records from one digital format to another to ensure continued accessibility over time? → Migration
10. Which Dewey Decimal number range is assigned to literature and rhetoric? → 800–899
11. Which collection assessment technique compares holdings against a standard bibliography or reading list? → List checking (bibliography checking)
12. Which type of reference question can be answered with a single, verifiable fact? → Ready-reference question
13. What is 'readers' advisory' in public library services? → Helping patrons find books they will enjoy based on their reading preferences
14. Under U.S. copyright law, which category of unpublished works held in archives is MOST relevant to access restrictions? → Unpublished works that may still be protected regardless of age
15. What does 'OPACl' stand for in library technology? → Online Public Access Catalog
16. What does 'FTE' stand for in library staffing calculations? → Full-Time Equivalent
17. Which organization publishes 'Describing Archives: A Content Standard' (DACS)? → Society of American Archivists (SAA)
18. What is the purpose of a call number in library cataloging? → To identify the physical location of an item on the shelf
19. Which authority file is maintained by the Library of Congress and used to standardize subject headings? → LCSH
20. What is 'participatory management' in library administration? → A management style that involves staff in decision-making processes
21. In Library of Congress Classification, which letter(s) cover medicine and health sciences? → R
22. Which statistic measures cost-effectiveness of a periodical subscription relative to use? → Cost per use
23. What is the function of a 'records retention schedule' in records management? → A timetable specifying how long each category of record should be kept before disposition
24. Which federal law requires public and school libraries receiving E-rate funding to have an internet safety policy? → CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act)
25. What is 'metadata' in the context of digital library resources? → Structured data that describes, identifies, and provides context about a digital resource
26. Which MARC field contains the main entry for a personal name (author)? → 100
27. What is 'arrangement' as a core archival function? → The intellectual and physical organization of records into a coherent structure
28. In the Dewey Decimal System, which number range covers the social sciences? → 300–399
29. What is 'bibliographic instruction' in academic libraries? → Teaching students how to locate, evaluate, and use library resources effectively
30. What is 'deaccessioning' in the context of special collections? → Removing items from a collection's official holdings