Streamlining Authorities

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Creating Authority Records

We will no longer create authority records for new headings under the following circumstances:

1. There is no source authority record available; and
2. There are no cross-references required for the heading; and
3. There is no local information that needs to be recorded in the authority record (e.g. call number, special treatment, etc.)

This practice is an extension of that originally established to use with names appearing on Queen's theses, and applies to all types of headings except series headings. We will continue to make authority records for all series headings, as each record requires information about how we treat the series at Queen's. Making an authority record can include searching LC authorities on the web, and downloading a record to add to the database.

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Cross References

Remember that if the heading as it appears on the title page is substantially different from the way the name is established, you should make sure there is a corresponding cross-reference in the authority record. The presence of dates, or a slightly fuller form of the name does not constitute a substantial difference.

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Earlier and Later Headings

Past practice was that when you established a heading that had 5XX fields for earlier and later headings, you checked the headings listed in the 5XX tags. You also established the heading(s) immediately prior and immediately after the original heading.

This practice is now changed. Use your judgement regarding both whether you check headings listed in the 5XX tag and whether you establish those headings in our database. If the form of the heading in a 5XX field appears not to be in AACR2 form (e.g. a corporate body name beginning with a place name), you probably should check this heading, as the chances are good that this heading has been updated.

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Uniform Titles

In the past, uniform titles (tag 240) were stripped from derived cataloguing copy unless the author was a "voluminous author" (an author with a large number of works with variations in title).

Although uniform titles are no longer stripped from cataloguing copy, authority records will not normally be created for these titles. Do not delete source authority records for these headings.

Authority records will continue to be made for uniform titles if cross-references are required.

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Section 2a, Subsection C, Part S7
April 30, 1996 by E. Read
Rev. Jan. 6, 2005 by E. Read

Page maintained by Elizabeth A. Read, readel@queensu.ca. Created: 30/04/96 Updated: 06-Jan-2005 04:04 PM