Follett VERSION 6.00 - Manual (Page 278)

04/04 278 Cataloging
Working with authority records
In everyday conversation and writing, we refer to people, physical objects, and
abstract concepts by different names. For example, cars can be called automobiles
or motorĆcars. If entries into a library catalog were this random, it would be
nearly impossible to find everything on a given subject or by a certain author.
The solution is the use of authorized headings. One term or form of a name is
selected as preferred," meaning that all related catalog entries should use that
heading. Typically, this decision is made by the national library, or the library
assuming its role, or by private publishers (e.g., Library of Congress or Sears).
Each authority record contains a single authorized heading (1XX tag). It also
contains unauthorized headings (4XX tags), related authorized headings (5XX
tags), and/or electronic resource information (856 tags).
See also: You can use the 856 tags in authority records to create virtual" Elec.
Access hyperlinks in the OPACs, Cataloging (OPAC Display only) , and
WebCollection Plus. For information about the 856 tag and virtual electronic
resources, see pages 355 and 358, respectively.
Creating crossĆreferences
If a bibliographic record uses the authorized heading in an indexed subject,
author, or series heading, Cataloging can use the tracing information in the
authority record's 4xx and 5xx tags to create crossĆreferences in the OPACs,
WebCollection Plus, and Cataloging.
When a user searches for an unauthorized heading, a SEE" reference to the
authorized heading appears in the selection list. If a user searches for a related
heading, a SEE ALSO" reference to the authorized heading appears.
Example: Suppose your collection contains bibliographic records with the subject
heading Folklore" and the following authority record:
150 _a Folklore
450 _a Folk beliefs
550 _a Mythology
A subject search for Folk beliefs" results in Folk beliefs SEE: Folklore." If your
collection includes at least one bibliographic record with the subject heading
Mythology," a subject search for Mythology" will result in the option to view
that record. However, the results will also include the suggestion Mythology
SEE ALSO: Folklore." In both cases, the crossĆreferences point to the
bibliographic records that use Folklore" as a subject heading.
See also: For more information on creating crossĆreferences, see 008 tag" on
page 281 and Fine tuning crossĆreferences" on page 283.
Getting started
Before you can update or duplicate an existing authority record, or create a new
one, you'll either need to locate the record or verify that it doesn't already exist.
For searching instructions, see Finding MARC records..." on page 240. Or, to