Profile Guide Step 3.10
National Authority File MARS 2.0 processing can match bibliographic headings against headings in the Library and Archives Canada’s Authority Files. The NLC Authority Files contain both the NLC Canadiana and NLC Canadian Subject Heading authority records. The 630,000 NLC Canadiana personal and corporate name authority records contain name headings that appear on publications catalogued for the Canadian National Bibliography and for names contributed by the National Archives of Canada and the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions (CIHM). Some of the records have been authenticated by the NLC for use by the Library of Congress. About 2,000 new and updated records are received in each semi-monthly update.
Contents
Step 3.10 Question
Fields Matched
The following fields are matched against the NLC Authority File:
- Only those with a 2nd indicator of ‘5’ are Canadian Headings
Ignore / Do Not Process
Some libraries have catalogs that do not contain subject headings coded as Canadian headings. Other libraries have bibliographic records in their catalog that contain Canadian headings, but their local system is profiled to exclude them from the OPAC indexes. Most libraries in which the Canadian headings are not used and are not causing any problems for patrons select the “Do Not Process” option for Step 3.10. Under this option, MARS 2.0 ignores the Canadian headings during Authority Control Processing.
Remove Without Processing
Under this option, all subject headings with a second indicator of 5 are removed from the bibliographic records.
Databases and Search Order
If you choose to have your Canadian headings processed, you also have the choice of which database to search against as well as in which order the databases should be searched. The two databases available to search are:
- Canadian [NLC] Authority File
- LC Authority File
- Other National Files available (please check with with your Project Manager)
Search Canadian Authority File Only
In this option, MARS 2.0 processes match the Canadian headings against the NLC Authority File. For those headings that match a heading in the NLC Authority File, the indicator remains as a 5. Headings that match a cross-reference in the NLC Authority File are flipped to the established form of the heading and the second indicator is again retained as a 5. After the matching is completed, all remaining Canadian headings (i.e., those that did not match a heading in an NLC authority record) are retained in the records.
Search Canadian Authority File Against LC Adult Only
In the catalogs at some libraries, the presence of Canadian headings in their bibliographic records creates duplicate and sometimes confusing index entries for patrons. These libraries may wish to consider choosing this option:
In this option, MARS 2.0 processes first match the Canadian headings against the LC Authority File as if the headings had a second indicator of 0 instead of 5. For those headings that match a heading in the LC Authority File, the indicator is changed from 5 to 0. Headings that match a cross-reference in the LC Authority File are flipped to the established form of the heading and the second indicator is again changed from 5 to 0. After the matching is completed, all remaining Canadian headings (i.e., those that did not match a heading in an LC authority record) are removed from the records. Or, you could choose that any Canadian headings that fail to match an LC authority record are retained in the bibliographic record with the original second indicator value of 5.
Search Canadian First, LC Second
Some libraries prefer to search their Canadian authorities against the NLC Authority File first. Any matches found will update the heading, but the second indicator value will remain as 5. However, unmatched Canadian authorities could then be searched against the LC Authority File. Any matches found during this procedure would change the value of the second indicator from 5 to 0. Choosing this option would look like this for Step 3.10:
In this option, MARS 2.0 processes would retain unmatched Canadian headings, with a second indicator value of 5, to be searched at a later date by the library (of course, Remove unmatched headings could instead be chosen above if the library preferred that option). Matched headings for this option could either have a second indicator value of 5 for matches found within the NLC Authority File or a second indicator value of 0 for matches found within the LC Authority File. This option is particularly useful for libraries interested in updating and retaining their Canadian headings if possible, with the option to upgrade them to LC headings if there is no match during the first pass against the NLC Authority File.
Examples of authority records for Margaret Atwood
LC authority record n 79102766: 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor,$d1939- 400 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC authority record 0100H2190: 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- 400 1 $aAtwood, Margaret. 400 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor 400 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor,$d1939-
Assume the following headings appear in various bibliographic records in a library’s catalog:
(1) 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- (2) 700 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor,$d1939- (3) 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret (4) 700 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor
The headings above would be converted as follows, based on the authority match option selected:
Option Selected: LC First, NLC Second (LC preferred) (1) 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor,$d1939- LC updated heading (2) 700 1 $aAtwood, Margaret Eleanor,$d1939- LC matched heading (3) 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC updated heading (4) 700 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC updated heading Option Selected: NLC First, LC Second (NLC preferred) (1) 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC matched heading (2) 700 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC updated heading (3) 100 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC updated heading (4) 700 1 $aAtwood, Margaret,$d1939- NLC updated heading
Search LC Only
In the catalogs at some libraries, the presence of Canadian subject headings creates duplicate and sometimes confusing index entries for patrons. In this option, MARS 2.0 first matches the Canadian subject headings against the LC Authority File as if the headings had a second indicator of 0 instead of 5.
For those headings that match a heading in the LC Authority File, the second indicator is changed from 5 to 0. Headings that match a cross-reference in the LC Authority File are flipped to the established LC form of the heading and the second indicator is again changed from 5 to 0. After the matching is completed, all remaining Canadian headings (i.e., those that did not match a heading in an LC authority record) are removed from the records.
