On Mon, 25 Oct 2010, Mary Mastraccio wrote:

> Providing personal information in authorized forms of a name is an 
> issue, because authors complain.

  The initial point of complaint, then, since we are talking about theses, 
should be with the requirement of a printed vita.  If it is not a 
requirement but appears by author-choice, then those authors providing 
them have no basis for complaint.  If they are simply given the 
opportunity to provide vita and don't question it, then what do you say?

> One of the concerns is identity theft.

  Actually, that remains a speculation until an experiment or example 
proves a definite need for concern.  We are all given enough things to 
fear (and get angry about) everyday.  Having to censor a million existing 
authority records is not a fear I want to carry around without 
justification (not just speculation).

  Is there an existing law that could be revised so that we need not always 
fear being threatended by lawsuits?

> I'm not too concerned about 670 fields because this is usually not 
> available to the public

  They are certainly available in the LC file, so perhaps we should jump on 
our Governnment (again) to keep the information secret and unobtainable.

  We (NACO contributors) could always transfer the liability by saying that 
our practices are defined by Government policy (we are essentially working 
for LC, albeit without direct compensation).

> and people besides catalogers aren't likely to know to go looking for 
> the 6xx details in the authority records

  They (and "honest" data salespersons as well) certainly would if there 
was any possibility of making money from the 6XX fields.  Maybe we need to 
make the issue more public so that it happens more quickly-- bolster the 
economy, so to speak.

> Perhaps we should consider NOT including mothers name

  Can't say I've ever seen one like that (in 30 years).  Got an example 
where such information is essential to the record?

Thanks!

jgm

                                             John G. Marr
                                             Cataloger
                                             CDS, UL
                                             Univ. of New Mexico
                                             Albuquerque, NM 87131
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