We too make a point not to link headings in OCLC to undifferentiated 
name authority records. Right now OCLC's software requires a two-step 
process when you try to link to a personal name heading without dates. 
The message displays: "Note: Requested control is for an unqualified 
personal name." I've always assumed that OCLC does this so that people 
will stop and make sure the link is not to an undifferentiated record. 
However, something more forceful is needed since we *do* find name 
headings incorrectly linked to undifferentiated NARs.

If anyone from OCLC is monitoring this list, perhaps this suggestion 
will be noted and looked into ... and, better still, acted on so that an 
automated mechanism can be set up to disallow such links.

Sue

Adam L. Schiff wrote:

> This is an interesting discussion that raises issues involved with 
> linking headings to authority records.  Because of the problems 
> involved, I make it a point not to link headings in OCLC to 
> undifferentiated name authority records.  I wonder if anyone else has 
> a policy about this?  It might be useful if OCLC didn't allow such 
> links, since the potential for a flip of a heading to a heading for 
> the wrong person is very high.
>
> Adam
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Adam L. Schiff
> Principal Cataloger
> University of Washington Libraries
> Box 352900
> Seattle, WA 98195-2900
> (206) 543-8409
> (206) 685-8782 fax
> [log in to unmask]
> http://faculty.washington.edu/~aschiff
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


-- 
Sue Wartzok
Head, Cataloging Department
Green Library
University Park Campus
Florida International University
Miami, Florida  33199
Phone:  (305) 348-6269
Fax:  (305) 348-1798