LS 500 Lecture 6 Information Resource Description II: Access and Authority Control AKA - The “Right Side Content” Lecture Steven L. MacCall, Ph.D. Associate Professor School of Library and Information Studies The University of Alabama

Description in Context Obtain information package. Describe information package in surrogate record. Subject analyze information package in surrogate record: Verbal Classification

Obtain information package.

Describe information package in surrogate record.

Subject analyze information package in surrogate record:

Verbal

Classification

Information Package Description Last week: Metadata structure (the left side of a surrogate record): Signposts Element set modeling (metadata schemas) This week: Metadata content (the right side of a surrogate record): Professionally-generated: high quality rules-based data entry Authors-generated: variable quality of data entry

Last week: Metadata structure (the left side of a surrogate record):

Signposts

Element set modeling (metadata schemas)

This week: Metadata content (the right side of a surrogate record):

Professionally-generated: high quality rules-based data entry

Authors-generated: variable quality of data entry

Description: The Main Questions How do users ask for information packages? Left side element modeling for various information packages addresses this question How do users verbalize their need? Content: Right side data entry for each metadata record (“access points”) Problem: Normal variation in “natural language” Variance across individuals Variance over time Metadata content standards are needed and metadata/ cataloging professionals are needed for implementation

How do users ask for information packages?

Left side element modeling for various information packages addresses this question

How do users verbalize their need?

Content: Right side data entry for each metadata record (“access points”)

Problem: Normal variation in “natural language”

Variance across individuals

Variance over time

Metadata content standards are needed and metadata/ cataloging professionals are needed for implementation

That Dumb de Dumb Dumb Dumb Computer When a search is performed using a computer, the computer matches query words (i.e., character strings) entered by user with words contained in the surrogate records of a file: Keyword search: search of all words in each record in the file Fielded search: structured search that is limited to certain metadata fields (e.g., title search or author search) Important to remember that the computer “matches” terms selected by human catalogers/indexers with terms selected by human users of bibliographic systems: Catalogers/indexers  terms  match  terms  users Computers are getting a little “smarter,” e.g., mapped misspellings

When a search is performed using a computer, the computer matches query words (i.e., character strings) entered by user with words contained in the surrogate records of a file:

Keyword search: search of all words in each record in the file

Fielded search: structured search that is limited to certain metadata fields (e.g., title search or author search)

Important to remember that the computer “matches” terms selected by human catalogers/indexers with terms selected by human users of bibliographic systems:

Catalogers/indexers  terms  match  terms  users

Computers are getting a little “smarter,” e.g., mapped misspellings

Descriptive Cataloging Surrogate (i.e., catalog) record content created by professional and supervised paraprofessional catalogers. Rules based (AACR2): Main and added entries are created for each catalog record representing the books, recordings, and other type of information packages that are in a library collection. Sources are consulted for cataloging record content: Data taken from the information package in hand Data taken from authority files (aka, content standards): Name authority files Title authority files

Surrogate (i.e., catalog) record content created by professional and supervised paraprofessional catalogers.

Rules based (AACR2): Main and added entries are created for each catalog record representing the books, recordings, and other type of information packages that are in a library collection.

Sources are consulted for cataloging record content:

Data taken from the information package in hand

Data taken from authority files (aka, content standards):

Name authority files

Title authority files

Main and Added Entries in Card Catalogs Main entry is also known as the “primary access point.” In the days of card catalogs, the main entry contained the full bibliographic record: Author main entry was the convention Title main entry was used for information packages without authors Other “added entries,” such as titles and subjects, had abbreviated bibliographic information on the cards in their card catalog drawers.

Main entry is also known as the “primary access point.”

In the days of card catalogs, the main entry contained the full bibliographic record:

Author main entry was the convention

Title main entry was used for information packages without authors

Other “added entries,” such as titles and subjects, had abbreviated bibliographic information on the cards in their card catalog drawers.

Current Main Entry Controversy In an OPAC, there is only one “card,” i.e., the record in the database, so in theory, we no longer need to distinguish main entry and added entries. However, author main entry continues to be convivial with print bibliographies and with the need for sorting and displaying retrieved records in an online catalog. AACR3 (aka “RDA”) reassessment should be interesting!

In an OPAC, there is only one “card,” i.e., the record in the database, so in theory, we no longer need to distinguish main entry and added entries.

However, author main entry continues to be convivial with print bibliographies and with the need for sorting and displaying retrieved records in an online catalog.

AACR3 (aka “RDA”) reassessment should be interesting!

Choice of Main Entry – Author Catalogers use the author as main entry for works by a single author. For works with unknown authorship: title main entry. For works by multiple authors with synchronous (i.e., the same kind of) responsibility for work, then employ “rule of three:” Three or fewer authors: First author is main entry Four or more authors: Title is main entry

Catalogers use the author as main entry for works by a single author.

For works with unknown authorship: title main entry.

For works by multiple authors with synchronous (i.e., the same kind of) responsibility for work, then employ “rule of three:”

Three or fewer authors: First author is main entry

Four or more authors: Title is main entry

Choice of Main Entry – Author (cont.) For works by multiple authors with asynchronous (i.e., different kinds of) responsibility for work: Later editions of work may have different authors With certain types of information packages there may be obvious differences in author contributions Main entry choices in asynchronous cases: Use original author as main entry for new editions of works (except if new edition is changed significantly) Use original author as main entry for translated works Judgment call for artist/writer relationships: Art book with captions – Artist’s name is main entry Art accompanies text – writer’s name is main entry

For works by multiple authors with asynchronous (i.e., different kinds of) responsibility for work:

Later editions of work may have different authors

With certain types of information packages there may be obvious differences in author contributions

Main entry choices in asynchronous cases:

Use original author as main entry for new editions of works (except if new edition is changed significantly)

Use original author as main entry for translated works

Judgment call for artist/writer relationships:

Art book with captions – Artist’s name is main entry

Art accompanies text – writer’s name is main entry

Choice of Main Entry – Title For truly anonymous works. For works with more than three responsible authors with none having primary responsibility. For works by multiple authors that are compiled by an editor. For works by corporate authors. For works accepted as sacred scripture by a religious body.

For truly anonymous works.

For works with more than three responsible authors with none having primary responsibility.

For works by multiple authors that are compiled by an editor.

For works by corporate authors.

For works accepted as sacred scripture by a religious body.

Added Entries Other access points in addition to main entry. Serve as additional ways to access an information package, e.g.: Performers of musical compositions (e.g., Thomas Jefferson ) Subject of information package (e.g., dogs )

Other access points in addition to main entry.

Serve as additional ways to access an information package, e.g.:

Performers of musical compositions (e.g., Thomas Jefferson )

Subject of information package (e.g., dogs )

Encoding Main and Added Entries Main entries use MaRC tag 1XX : 100 is main entry personal name (why not “author name”???) 110 is main entry corporate name 111 is main entry meeting name 130 is main entry uniform title Added entries are scattered across the rest of the MaRC tags: 6XX contains subject added entries 7XX contains additional added entry options, including personal, corporate and meeting names as well as uniform titles

Main entries use MaRC tag 1XX :

100 is main entry personal name (why not “author name”???)

110 is main entry corporate name

111 is main entry meeting name

130 is main entry uniform title

Added entries are scattered across the rest of the MaRC tags:

6XX contains subject added entries

7XX contains additional added entry options, including personal, corporate and meeting names as well as uniform titles

Authority Control Cataloger’s decision concerning authorship: “I know who the author is (from the information package in hand), but what personal name data do I enter into the surrogate record?” Authority work involves the determination of authorized forms for entities known by variant forms, e.g.,: Author name changes over time (e.g., pseudonyms) Variant spellings of personal names that proliferate over time Title changes of a work over time Authority records are maintained for personal names and some titles at the Library of Congress in various files .

Cataloger’s decision concerning authorship: “I know who the author is (from the information package in hand), but what personal name data do I enter into the surrogate record?”

Authority work involves the determination of authorized forms for entities known by variant forms, e.g.,:

Author name changes over time (e.g., pseudonyms)

Variant spellings of personal names that proliferate over time

Title changes of a work over time

Authority records are maintained for personal names and some titles at the Library of Congress in various files .

Why Authority Control? To fulfill Cutter’s 2 nd Objective (The Collocating Objective): Author criterion Title criterion To deal with the problem of natural language variation: Variation in how individuals “label” themselves (or have been labeled) over time (e.g., pseudonyms and variant spellings (see “Khaddafi” as an authorities search )) Variation in how titles change over time (e.g., new editions or sacred works (“King James Bible” as Amelia keyword search and “Bible. English. Authorized” as an authorities search )) To enable consistent data entry into cataloging and metadata records over time.

To fulfill Cutter’s 2 nd Objective (The Collocating Objective):

Author criterion

Title criterion

To deal with the problem of natural language variation:

Variation in how individuals “label” themselves (or have been labeled) over time (e.g., pseudonyms and variant spellings (see “Khaddafi” as an authorities search ))

Variation in how titles change over time (e.g., new editions or sacred works (“King James Bible” as Amelia keyword search and “Bible. English. Authorized” as an authorities search ))

To enable consistent data entry into cataloging and metadata records over time.

Authority Files An authority file consist of authority records. Catalogers and other metadata record creators use authority files for certain data entry tasks. Authority files are also an integral part of integrated library systems such as Amelia . Common authority files: LC Name Authority File – maintained collaboratively ( NACO ) according to AACR2 (more info on next slide) Getty Vocabularies – artist & geographical names International Standard Archival Authority Record – corporate bodies, persons & families

An authority file consist of authority records.

Catalogers and other metadata record creators use authority files for certain data entry tasks.

Authority files are also an integral part of integrated library systems such as Amelia .

Common authority files:

LC Name Authority File – maintained collaboratively ( NACO ) according to AACR2 (more info on next slide)

Getty Vocabularies – artist & geographical names

International Standard Archival Authority Record – corporate bodies, persons & families

Basics of LC Name Authority File Available online . Authority records are MaRC encoded, HOWEVER, not with MaRC for bibliographic data ; rather with MaRC for authority data Why are we using MaRC to encode authority records??

Available online .

Authority records are MaRC encoded, HOWEVER, not with MaRC for bibliographic data ; rather with MaRC for authority data

Why are we using MaRC to encode authority records??

Functional Purposes of Authority Work To meet Cutter’s first objective (the finding objective): To find a book when one of the following is known: Author (must distinguish between/among persons or entities with the same name – today’s lecture) Title (must normalize titles that have proliferated over time – today’s lecture) Subject (must normalize “natural language” variation over time – after midterm) To meet Cutter’s second objective (the collocating objective): To show what the library has: By an author (collocation using author criterion – today’s lecture) On a subject (collocation using subject criterion – after midterm)

To meet Cutter’s first objective (the finding objective):

To find a book when one of the following is known:

Author (must distinguish between/among persons or entities with the same name – today’s lecture)

Title (must normalize titles that have proliferated over time – today’s lecture)

Subject (must normalize “natural language” variation over time – after midterm)

To meet Cutter’s second objective (the collocating objective):

To show what the library has:

By an author (collocation using author criterion – today’s lecture)

On a subject (collocation using subject criterion – after midterm)

Authority Work – Record Creation Current practice dictates the creation of an authority record for personal names (and some titles) containing the authorized “heading” that serve as the access point (i.e., the data to be entered into surrogate records). Records for each heading are maintained in authority files to track changes over time.

Current practice dictates the creation of an authority record for personal names (and some titles) containing the authorized “heading” that serve as the access point (i.e., the data to be entered into surrogate records).

Records for each heading are maintained in authority files to track changes over time.

Authority Work – Heading Creation When creating a new name authority record, determination of the heading for a personal name is required: Which name to use? What form of that name to use? How to structure the name? When creating a new uniform title authority record, determination of the heading for a title is required: Which uniform title to use? How to format uniform title, including language and date

When creating a new name authority record, determination of the heading for a personal name is required:

Which name to use?

What form of that name to use?

How to structure the name?

When creating a new uniform title authority record, determination of the heading for a title is required:

Which uniform title to use?

How to format uniform title, including language and date

Authority Work – Which Name ? Use the latest form of the name if the name has been changed: Chris Wallace to Notorious B.I.G.  use the latter Sarah Ferguson to Duchess of York  use the latter Use the predominant name of a person who is known by more than one name: Bill Clinton/William Jefferson Clinton  use the former Mildred Zaharias/Babe Zaharias  use the later Use pseudonyms if one pseudonym is always used with all works. Use different names for the same person if author name is identified with the subject area of that work: Charles Dodgson (logic)/Lewis Carroll (children’s stories)  use both

Use the latest form of the name if the name has been changed:

Chris Wallace to Notorious B.I.G.  use the latter

Sarah Ferguson to Duchess of York  use the latter

Use the predominant name of a person who is known by more than one name:

Bill Clinton/William Jefferson Clinton  use the former

Mildred Zaharias/Babe Zaharias  use the later

Use pseudonyms if one pseudonym is always used with all works.

Use different names for the same person if author name is identified with the subject area of that work:

Charles Dodgson (logic)/Lewis Carroll (children’s stories)  use both

Authority Work – What Form of Name? Choice of form of name: Variants in fullness (e.g., C.S. Lewis) Variants in spelling/transliteration (e.g., Khaddafi) Use the form used by the person in his or her own country of residence or activity and use predominant spelling (e.g., Qaddafi).

Choice of form of name:

Variants in fullness (e.g., C.S. Lewis)

Variants in spelling/transliteration (e.g., Khaddafi)

Use the form used by the person in his or her own country of residence or activity and use predominant spelling (e.g., Qaddafi).

Authority Work – Structure of Name Structure of personal name heading is usually family name (surname) followed by forenames usually followed by DOB/DOD. Heading should be structured as it would appear in the telephone directory of the person’s home country: In Brazil, the last name of a compound surname is used In Argentina, the first name of a compound surname is used

Structure of personal name heading is usually family name (surname) followed by forenames usually followed by DOB/DOD.

Heading should be structured as it would appear in the telephone directory of the person’s home country:

In Brazil, the last name of a compound surname is used

In Argentina, the first name of a compound surname is used

Authority Work in Other Contexts Dublin Core – varies, depending on who is entering the data: See Worthington News Index Guidelines for an example from the Worthington Memory project. Dublin Core guidelines Online resource collections: Samuel Clemens versus Mark Twain Yahoo ? Google ?

Dublin Core – varies, depending on who is entering the data:

See Worthington News Index Guidelines for an example from the Worthington Memory project.

Dublin Core guidelines

Online resource collections: Samuel Clemens versus Mark Twain

Yahoo ?

Google ?