Transcript Authority Control

Authority Control
Mary Marchio
What is Authority Control?
Formulation and recording of
authorized heading forms in a library
catalog
Headings must be consistent
Twain, Mark not Clemens, Samuel
Headings must be unique
Madonna vs Mary, Blessed Virgin,
Saint
Types of Headings that are
controlled
Personal Names
Subjects
Topical
Geographic
Form Terms
Corporate Bodies
Meetings
Uniform Titles
More types of controlled
headings
Series
Genre headings
Controlled vocabularies
commonly used in libraries
Library of Congress Authority Files
OCLC Name Authority File
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Sears List of Subject Headings
GSAFD Genre Terms
Why bother?
Provide consistent, uniform access to
materials in library catalogs
Provide clear indentification of authors
and subject headings
Provide cross references to lead
customers to the headings used in the
catalog
How to gain control
Vigilant catalogers who scrutinize new
cataloging records, keep up with
changes in headings, and who use
available tools to best advantage
Vendors who perform authority control
on existing databases and/or process
ongoing cataloging records
Why use an authority control
vendor?
Bring local authority files up-to-date
with current headings and standards
Enrich database with the addition of
cross references
Improve the consistency and quality of
an online catalog
Free staff time for other activities
Some things to think about
when preparing for a project
Consider database clean-up
Consider local cataloging practices
Plan cataloging workflow during project
Know your system requirements
how do you export/import large numbers
of records?
is a test database available?
How does a Marcive authority
control project work?
Contact vendor at marcive.com
Decide on level of service (initial
cleanup, ongoing, etc.)
Receive cost estimate based on # of bib
records in database
Complete and submit profile
Copy bib database and send to vendor
How continued
Receive sample database (about 10%
of actual database)
Load sample authority records and bib
records to local test database
Examine records and reports
Make needed changes to library system
settings to correctly handle actual data
load
More How
Reload sample records to test database
if needed
Approve sample records or ask for
changes
Receive updated bib and authority
records
Load records to production database
Even more How
Examine records, reports
Consider using reports to make further,
manual changes
Consider changes in daily cataloging
workflow to maintain new authority files
Consider using vendor’s ongoing
authority services
Where things might go awry
with data loads
Unexpected system difficulties
You missed the part about not updating
the copied portion of the bib database
including downloading new OCLC
records for the duration of the
project??!!
Where things might go awry
with authorities
Unexpected system difficulties
Local cataloging practices
Sources
Maxwell, Robert L. Maxwell’s guide to
authority work. Chicago, ALA, 2002.
Understanding MARC Authority
Records: Machine-Readable Cataloging
at Library of Congress website
More Sources
Library of Congress Authorities (Search
for Name, Subject, Title and
Name/Title) http://authorities.loc.gov/
Maine State Library: Minerva Cataloging
- GSAFD Term List
http://www.state.me.us/msl/infotech/m
inerva/cataloging/gsafd_terms.htm