Hi,

I would reiterate what others have already said really.  At the University of Worcester, the librarians involved with cataloguing see the consistency within our authority and subject headings as an important factor in users being able to find the resources they need in the easiest and most efficient way possible.  We currently check the authorities on all of the imported records for new titles against our own authority file (which we have tried as far as possible to keep in line with LC) and we would use LC headings for any new authorities that we create.  We will be moving away from imported record checking in the near future, but via Talis will still be able to run regular reports of all newly acquired authorities, which we will endeavour to update in line with our existing list.

Deborah Offen

Subject collections Librarian

University of Worcester

Hello Jane,

I believe that the exercise of  authority control is an essential part of the maintenance of any library catalogue to ensure consistency of name and subject headings. The aim of authority control is surely to create unique headings for each author, editor and subject heading and to provide references from variant names and subjects. If we do not do this the library user will take longer to find all works held by specific authors or about specific subjects.

At Inverclyde Libraries in Greenock, Scotland, I train our  library assistant cataloguers to apply the principles of authority control and ask them to check the headings in new downloaded MARC21 records against our authority index. Some downloaded records differ in their punctuation from our own so I replace these with the authority records from our index. If this is not done duplicate headings appear in the library catalogue. While this takes time it is worth doing in order to maintain consistency and to practice authority control. I have prepared a PowerPoint presentation and guide to the MARC21 Authorities format for cataloguers here. I also find the LC authorities file very useful for checking established name headings.

I'm amazed that some libraries no longer exercise authority control in their catalogues. While it may save money in the short-term not to do so, in the long-term library customers will not be able to find the books they want.

Colin Duncan

Electronic Services Librarian

Inverclyde Libraries

Tel. 01475 712348

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