VI. Authority Control

(Currently under revision)

Catalogers are responsible for authority work related to the materials they are cataloging. This includes ensuring that all access points–agents (personal & family names, corporate bodies, conferences), place, works, and expressions--encountered either in Connexion or Alma bib records conform to the current authorized form as found in the LC/NACO Authority File (often referred to as the NAF or National Authority File).

If the agent, place, work, or expression in question is not established in the NAF the cataloger is responsible for constructing an access point following RDA standards. Contributions to the NAF are created by participants in the PCC NACO (Name Authority Cooperative Program)

and in order to create and/or update authority records in the NAF a cataloger must have gone through NACO training.  At this time, Harvard catalogers do not create local authority records for any reason other than bibliographic maintenance. Any local records which are created will be deleted in a week. Don’t add $5s to community zone authority records, but update existing NAFs or report additions to the Rare Books Section head.

N.B. In alignment with Houghton Library's DIBAR endeavors, catalogers will focus on prioritizing entities who are or were members of traditionally or currently underrepresented and/or marginalized communities.

Double-Checking Existing Access Points in Bibliographic Records

Constructing Access Points

Authority Control & Harvard Libraries

Additional resources:

• Metadata Standards Working Group Best Practices for name access in ALMA

• Houghton Technical Services SNAC Policy and SNAC Records Workflow

• Descriptive Cataloging Manual Z1

• MARC Code List for Organizations

Stats:

OCLC stats:

http://www.stats.oclc.org/cusp/nav

PCC stats:

https://pccdirectory.loc.gov/pcc/login

Special coded dates (MARC 046)

https://web.library.yale.edu/cataloging/music/MARC046