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Displaying and Searching Diacritics and Special Characters

FAQs

SEARCHING:
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- Subject Authorities
- Name Authorities
- Title Authorities
- Name/Title Authorities
Search History

SEARCH RESULTS:
MARC Display
Labelled Display
Headings List
References/Scope Notes
Save, Print, Email

OTHER TOPICS:
Headings List Types
Icons, Buttons & Tabs
Session Time-out Errors
Known Problems

Library of Congress Authorities Help Pages: use the browser's back button to resume searching

Known Problems in This Release

Below is a list of problems in the current version of Library of Congress Authorities. These have all been reported to the Library's ILS vendor.

The list includes a description of the problem, and suggestions to work around the problem (if any).

General Searching

Problem: When the user does a search and then follows a link to a different heading, the result may be a BLANK Headings List. (The same problem also occurs in the Library of Congress Online Catalog)
Description:

This example illustrates the problem:
A. Do a Subject Authority Headings search for "travel."
B. Select the Authorized, Ref & Notes icon for the "travel" heading.
C. Select the Narrower Term "luggage packing."
D. Select the Authorized Heading icon for "luggage packing."
E. Select the authority record for "luggage packing."
F. From the Labelled Display, select the Headings List button.
G. The result is a BLANK Headings List.

Workarounds:

Either re-key the search term, or copy-and-paste the quoted phrase from the "You searched:" text at the top of the display or from the Search History display.


Problem: There is a bug with the Headings List button when the user is viewing a Reference Information screen.
Description:
  1. After doing an authority search, the user sees a Headings List of authority headings.
  2. Next, the user selects one of the Authority icons and sees a Reference Information screen or a list of Authorized Headings.
  3. At this point, the user expects that it should be possible to return to the Headings List shown in step 1. BUT the Headings List button is inactive and can not be used. So the user is forced to use the Browser Back button, which may lead to false results.

For example:

  • Do a Subject Authority Headings search for "gardening."
  • Select the Authorized, Refs & Notes icon -- the Reference Information screen is displayed.
  • Select the Headings List button / Nothing happens.
Workaround:

Use the Headings List button works when viewing the complete Authority record (MARC or Labelled display) where is does work.


Problem: When the Heading represents a Reference Record, the catalog displays a Scope Notes icon (incorrectly) and it is not possible to display the complete authority record.
Description:

Examples:

Names Index: European Union
Subject Index: European Union; Regimental histories

Workaround:
None

Saving Records

Problem: Unable to save MARC records with newer browser versions
Description:
When attempting to save records in MARC format, some users get a message that says Your Email request failed!, even though they are saving, not emailing. The problem appears to be a software incompatibility between the Library's Catalog and certain web browsers (esp. Netscape 6.0 and higher, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher).
Temporary workarounds:
  1. Users with earlier browser versions (for Windows, Netscape 4.7, Internet Explore 5.x) do not seem to experience this problem when saving MARC records .
  2. Some users report that web browser Opera, version 7, does not have this problem.
  3. Save MARC records using a Z39.50 client.
    See Frequently Asked Question #12 for more information


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Library of Congress Authorities - authorities.loc.gov
Library of Congress Online Catalog - catalog.loc.gov 
The Library of Congress Home - www.loc.gov 
June 8, 2004