Authority Work

Authority control is an important component of our work.  The SAA Glossary defines it as “the process of establishing standardized names and index terms for use in archival or bibliographic description and ensuring their consistent application.”  In the larger library world, it allows us to maintain library catalogs that are efficient and user-friendly for researchers.  It makes information more consistent and easier to find and saves time and effort for catalogers.  Regarding name authority work for personal and corporate names, bringing together a creator’s work under one heading is extremely beneficial for researchers and catalogers.

While accessioning and processing, archivists must determine whether there are established names, also known as access points, for the collection’s creator and subjects.  This is done by searching the Library of Congress Name Authority File (also known as the NACO Authority File) and HOLLIS (Harvard’s online catalog).  If established names are not located, archivists must create ones according to archival and library standards.  At Schlesinger, we use Describing Archives: A Content Standard to guide our descriptive practices.  DACS instructs archivists to create names according to the rules of RDA (Resource Description & Access). 

Schlesinger NACO contributors

Paula is the NACO contributor for our department and she is approved to create and update personal names in the Library of Congress Name Authority File. 

In the printed and published materials division, Jonathan is a NACO contributor for both personal names and corporate names. He can assist with corporate name creation. 

Finding Established Names

Archivists need to search the Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) and HOLLIS to see if there is an established name for their creator (1xx) and subject (6xx) names.

There are various ways to look for names in the LCNAF.  Three popular ways are:

• Library of Congress website contains two versions of the NACO Authority File.
  • https://authorities.loc.gov/
  • https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names.html
• OCLC Connexion: You can browse or search the NACO Authority File under the Authorities menu.
• Cataloger’s Desktop: This suite of cataloging tools requires a Harvard account and password.

If you are unable to find a NAR (name authority record) in the LCNAF, you should search HOLLIS to see if the name has been used in a 1xx or 6xx field at Harvard.  

Getting a name established or updated:

When processing a collection, archivists should not assume that the names in the HOLLIS record for creator or subjects are correct.  Archivists should always do a new search of the NAF to see if a different, or updated, name has been established.  When working in Connexion, you can see that a name is an authorized name if it is highlighted and linked. When working in Alma, you will see a binoculars icon next to the name if it is authorized.  Be sure to double check that common names (such as Jane Smith) are linked to the correct name.  See the below example of a name that is established in NAF.

Example: Connexion

Example: Alma

In general, we want to prioritize creating and updating official NAF names for creators (1xx). However, if you feel strongly that a subject name (6xx) should be changed or updated, that work can also happen.  In exceptional cases, we can consider establishing a name in the NAF for a subject name.

Paula maintains a NACO spreadsheet for name creation and updates. Archivists can request new NAF names or updated names by using the appropriate tab (“New NARS” or “NARS to update”).  You can also email her directly.

Various name scenarios:

• If in searching the NAF you find a different or updated version of the name than what is used in our current HOLLIS record, use the new name. Let Paula know if there are additional records in HOLLIS that should be updated.  She will also update any associated finding aids.
• If there is a NAR with an open birth or death date, or error, contact Paula to get the record updated in the NAF or add it to her NACO spreadsheet. If you name does not have any life dates, we cannot add them unless we need to break a conflict with a different NAR.
• If there is no NAR and you believe that the name established in HOLLIS is wrong or inappropriate, you may want to change the name. See below for guidance on how to create names. Let Paula know if there are additional records in HOLLIS that should be updated. She will also update any associated finding aids.

Creating Names

There are two important things to consider in creating a name.  First, you want the name to be the most common name by which a person was known or published.  Second, you want to make sure that your name does not conflict with (is not the same as ) a NAR already in the NAF.  There are a variety of ways to do this, and according to RDA the preferred way is with life dates.  If you need advice or assistance, consult Paula.

For guidance on creating personal names, see these helpful instructions on the Harvard Metadata Best Practices Wiki:

https://harvardwiki.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=58594640