If you don't have authority records in your local file, how are you going to generate cross references for your patrons? Authority control isn't just a cataloger's game, it's designed to point the library user to the correct heading for searching the local catalog. We're using Voyager and regularly load current MARC authority records (that are also on OCLC) to our local Voyager system.
Clarence J. Brown
Original Cataloging
312 Memorial Library
University of Wisconsin--Madison
Madison, WI 53706
608-262-3529
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----- Original Message -----
From: Bing Zuo-Dittmer <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 4:02 pm
Subject: local authority files
To: [log in to unmask]
> Please excuse me if this topic has already been discussed.
>
> I would like to know how much time others spend on maintaining their
> local authority files. How do you use them?
>
> To me, OCLC Connexion provides everything we need for cataloging. One
> can use Connexion's Authorities button to check name and subject
> headings. It even provides "Browse LC Names and Subjects History" that
> allows one to check what headings have been previously changed by other
> libraries. Also, LC Authorities is accessible to everyone. Isn't this
> what a shared bibliographic utility is for? OCLC's Bibliographic Record
> Notification service delivers updated MARC records to libraries if they
> hold the items whose headings have changed. Do you think one can do the
> same job without the local authority files?
>
>
>
> Bing Zuo-Dittmer
>
>
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