[yul-naco] Fwd: Overview of Connexion Authority History database

[Manon Theroux]

Forwarding OCLC's overview below...

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Date:         Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:52:58 -0500
From: "Dean,Becky" <deanr at OCLC.ORG>
Subject: [OCLC-CAT] Overview of Authority History database
To: OCLC-CAT at OCLC.ORG

Below is a brief introduction to OCLC's Authority 
History file, a new feature accessible to all 
cataloging authorizations via Connexion Client 
1.70.  The Authority History file was made 
available in the Connexion Browser as of November 
12.   This introduction is for Client 1.70 users.

OVERVIEW

Use the Authority History database to view 
superseded versions of records in order to trace 
the changes made to a given heading and/or the 
history of an LCCN.  Access to Authority History 
is available to all cataloging users.  Records 
are read-only.  You cannot edit records. You can 
copy and paste, as well as flag and/or print superseded authority records.

Using the Connexion Client, you can access the 
Authority History database from the Authorities 
menu. Select LC Names and Subjects History Search 
or Browse menu, respectively.  The indexes for 
the Authority File and Authority History database 
are different.   One important distinction is in 
LC Names and Subject History, all 1xx and 4xx 
heading fields (100, 110, 111, etc.) are combined 
into a single 'Heading' index for both searching and browsing.

Search Client Help for the term “authority 
history file” for details on indexes.

Browsing in the Authority History database does 
not currently support Root and Expanded indexes, 
and the index terms in the browse results display 
in all UPPERCASE LETTERS.   Also, diacritics and 
subfield codes are not included in the browse 
list display for the Authority History database.

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AUTHORITY HISTORY DATA

OCLC's Authority History database is 
retrospective to 2001.  As part of the RLG 
merger, OCLC has loaded approximately 3.9 million 
superseded authority records from RLG.  The RLG 
records selected for comparison and loading 
include all deleted records distributed by the 
Library of Congress, as well as all superseded 
records not already represented in the OCLC Authority History database.

OCLC added an OCLC ARN to each RLG authority 
record.  When superseded versions of an existing 
authority record were added, the OCLC ARN of the 
distributed version was added to each superseded 
record.  When no distributed version of a record 
exists, a newer ARN was used.

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NAVIGATION BETWEEN AUTHORITIES AND AUTHORITY HISTORY

When a user retrieves a record in the Authority 
File, it can have an unlimited number of 
superseded versions.   For *each* record in 
Authority File (a distributed record), an exact 
copy of the distributed record is in the Authority History database.

Using the Connexion Client, users can access the 
Authority History database by selecting LC Names 
and Subjects History from the Search Options or 
Browse Options lists from the Authorities menu.

When viewing a distributed authority record, you 
can access the superseded versions of the record 
from the 'Show LC Superseded Versions" from the 
Authorities menu.  If only a single record exists 
in the Authority History file, the system 
displays the single record.  If more than one 
record is retrieved, a list of all matches is presented.

 From a displayed Authority History record, 
select 'Show LC Distributed Version' to view the 
distributed record.    However, if there is no 
distributed version (e.g., the record has been 
deleted) a message informs you that no record was 
found and shows a list of superseded or deleted 
versions in the Authority History database.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Navigation between the Authority 
File and the Authority History database uses the 
OCLC ARN as the search key. As a result, to 
research a merged record, you may want to search 
the Authority History database using the LCCN.

There are also two instances when navigation 
between Authorities and Authority History databases is *not* supported:

1.    Navigation to access the Authority History 
is not available from a Saved or Submitted authority record.

2.    If you are controlling a heading, click a 
linked heading and an authority record is 
displayed in a new window, no navigational 
functionality to the Authority History database 
is available from within that window.

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NEW LABELS:

In Distribution:

When an OCLC NACO participant adds a new record 
or modifies an existing record, the label IN 
DISTRIBUTION appears in the record.  This label 
indicates that the authority record is in the 
distribution cycle. The label remain until the 
record is distributed by the Library of 
Congress.  Only records in the Authority File can 
have the IN DISTRIBUTION label.

A version of the new or modified record is in the 
Authority History database, but it will *not* have the IN DISTRIBUTION label.

TimeStamp:

In the Authority History database, each record 
includes a TIMESTAMP. The timestamp notes the 
date/time when the record was loaded into the 
Authority History database.  Except for the RLG 
load of superseded records, the TIMESTAMP label 
is *not* the 005 date--no change was made to the 
location or format of the 005 field.  For the RLG 
superseded records, the timestamp is the same 
date as the date in the 005 field and was used to ensure correct sorting.

The timestamp is unique to records in the 
Authority History database. It does not appear in 
records in the Authorities File.

Search the Client Help for the term “timestamp” for more details.

_______________________________________________

Manon Théroux
Authority Control Librarian
Catalog Department, SML, 2-8376