NACO - The name authority program component of the PCC
Through this program participants contribute authority records
for names, uniform titles, and series to the LC/NAF. An
individual institution may join this program, or a group of
libraries with a common interest may form a funnel project to
contribute records via a coordinator.
Purpose
Participants agree to follow a common set of standards and guidelines
when creating or changing authority records in order to maintain
the integrity of a large shared authority file.
Training
A week of specialized NACO training is undertaken by participants,
optionally at their home institutions or at LC. During the training,
guidelines are discussed and expanded upon with an ever-growing awareness
of the need to streamline cataloging efforts while building a consistent
and predictable file. This file will help the global library community work
more efficiently and effectively, allowing it to maximize
its resources.
New Name Authority Record Contributions
NACO participants may contribute new name authority records and
make changes to existing records within certain parameters. In addition,
participants may contribute series and uniform title authority records.
NACO Program Parameters
The following is a brief outline of the fundamental parameters within
which all NACO participants agree to work. There is also a list of frequently
questions about joining NACO, to which we have provided answers posted
on the PCC homepage titled: FAQ on Joining NACO. We hope this will further clarify
the program parameters. If you have questions or would like more information
please e-mail: Team Leader, Cooperative Cataloging at: afra@loc.gov
As previously stated the underlying principle of the NACO authorities
project is that participants agree to follow a common set of standards
and guidelines when creating or changing authority records in order
to maintain the integrity of a large shared authority file. During
the week of NACO training these guidelines are discussed and built
upon with an ever growing awareness of the need to streamline efforts
while building a consistent and predictable file that will reduce
the efforts of the global library community and maximize its resources.
BASIC DOCUMENTATION NEEDED
A basic principle of NACO is that all authority contributions are
to be formulated using the following documentation:
- The Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (second revised
edition) Chapters 22-26 and index.
- The MARC 21 Authority Format (including the supplements
issued by the Library of Congress (known as the blue and yellow
pages))
- The Library of Congress Rule Interpretations (LCRIs)
Chapters 22-26
- The Library of Congress Subject Cataloging Manual (SCM)
Memo H405
NEW NAME AUTHORITY RECORD CONTRIBUTIONS
- NACO participants may contribute new name authority records (NARs)
and may make changes to existing authority records in the LC/NACO Authority
File (LC/NAF), with some exceptions.
- NACO libraries may contribute series authority records and music
uniform title authority records only after completing the appropriate
additional training. Information on joining the NACO-Music funnel
project and a schedule of series training workshops are available
on request from the Cooperative Cataloging team.
- NACO libraries are not obligated to contribute all authorities
generated by their cataloging or any one individual heading, except
in the following cases:
- All bodies that are part of an established hierarchy; e.g., when
establishing a body that is entered subordinately to its parent
body, if an NAR for the parent body is not present in the LC/NAF,
it must be established and contributed as well.
- All bodies referred through in cross references; e.g.,
if a heading is entered independently and a reference is
given through a higher body, the higher body needs to be
represented in the authority file as well, this may mean
that the library will need to create an additional name authority
in addition to the one the library needs to use in its catalog.
- All names and corporate bodies used in see also references
(5XXs); e.g., when establishing a name for an author who
uses a pseudonym, or a corporate heading representing an
earlier and later change of name, the library will need to
connect the headings by means of see-also's. In order to
avoid blind references the participant will need to make
sure that the corresponding heading is established.
- All headings under which uniform titles are entered; e.g., if
an NAR for the uniform title Works is entered under an author who
is not established in the LC/NAF, an NAR for the author must be
contributed as well.
- Although NACO libraries are not required to contribute uniform
title NARs, if one is contributed, all eligible elements must be
represented in the LC/NAF as set out in LC Descriptive Cataloging
Manual Z1, Introduction, p. 2.
CHANGES TO EXISTING NAME AUTHORITY RECORDS
All headings in the LC/NAF are eligible to be changed by
NACO participants.
CANCELLATION OF NAME AUTHORITY RECORDS
- The construction of the master file database utilized by the
LC/NAF does not allow for online cancellation of authority records
by participants or the bibliographic utilities. Therefore when
candidates for deletion are identified (usually because of
duplication) NACO participants are asked to forward requests for
cancellation of NARs to their Library of Congress liaison.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC FILE MAINTENANCE (BFM)
- In order that LC bibliographic records (as distributed by
CDS) remain in synch with the LC/NAF, we ask that NACO
participants notify their Library of Congress liaison to
perform bibliographic file maintenance if these fall within
the specified parameters listed in the Guidelines
for reporting BFM. Upgrades or notification of needed changes
to bibliographic records in the utilities because of these changes
are determined by the specific utility membership policies.
AUTHORITY (NACO) NORMALIZATION
- Normalization is a program requirement that has been agreed to by
all copy holding participants of the LC/NAF (LC, OCLC, and the
BL) in order to detect duplicate records. This may affect how certain
headings and cross references are formulated (e.g., libraries may need
to create "non-unique" headings in order to avoid duplicates due to
normalization or add certain references only to local files).
CUTTER NUMBERS (053s)
- Libraries with large collections of literature often find that
the presence of 053s (LC classification number for literary authors)
on authority records are helpful in improving the efficacy of their
workflow. NACO libraries, while not obligated, are encouraged to
add 053s to their newly created authority records for literary
authors by using the 053 request
form found on the NACO Home Page.
- In order to maintain the integrity of the LC Classification
Schedules, 053s may be added without consultation with LC
only if these class numbers have appeared on LC-issued records.
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