STANFORD. Cal.--Stanford University has installed 12 computer terminals in its libraries to provide students and faculty with access to books in a nationwide network of libraries.

The terminals function as video catalogs, offering indices by author, title and subject. Unlike card catalogs, the terminals respond to incomplete titles and names.

The computer also includes listings from the New York City Public Library and libraries at Columbia, Yale, Dartmouth, Princeton, Brown, and nine-other universities. Users of the system will be able to borrow books from any of the member libraries.

The computers print out information about the book for the user and can also print catalog cards, purchase orders and other forms.

Doug Ferguson, a spokesman for the Research Libraries Group computer system, said that in five years terminals will be located all over campus--in classrooms, laboratories and dormitories.

Stanford also uses computers to teach some classes--logic, set theory and Armenian. The terminals have audio components so that they can "talk" to students, either in English or in Armenian.