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LACONI webinar on Name Authority Records

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Presented by

Tricia Mackenzie & Melanie Polutta

Cataloging Policy Specialists

Policy, Training, and Cooperative Programs Division

Library of Congress

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What is authority control? 

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Definition:

Authority Control is:

    “a technical process executed on a library catalog to provide structure.  Uniqueness, standardization, and linkages are the foundation of authority control.  Authority control of a library catalog is maintained through an authority file that contains the terms used as access points in the catalog.  The access points that determine the structure of the catalog may be real entry headings on bibliographic records or cross references.  In library catalogs the entry headings under control generally consist of personal and corporate names, uniform titles, series, and subjects." (Clack, p.1)

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Controlled Vocabularies

  • Library of Congress:
    • LCSH, LCGFT, LCDGT, LCC, etc.
    • Name Authority File: (NACO)
  • Other examples:
    • Art & Architecture Thesaurus
    • Homosaurus
    • ISO 639-2 Codes for Representation of Names of Language
    • Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Thesaurus

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Why is authority control important?

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King, Stephen, 1947-

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Behind the �curtain

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Authority Record�Creation & Distribution

  • Our product is priced below that of other companies on the market
  • Design is simple and easy to use, compared to the complex designs of the competitors
  • Affordability is the main draw for our consumers to our product

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Thank you