About adding name authority records

Overview

Only libraries participating in the Name Authority Cooperative Program (NACO) who have one of the following authorization levels can add new name authority records to the Library of Congress (LC) authority file:

• NACO Regular
• Enhance National
• CONSER National

See Create name authority records for more about creating new name authority records, including procedures for creating a record from:

• A workform
• An existing record
• A name heading in a bibliographic record

Note: Before adding a new name authority record to the LC authority file, you can submit it for review (see Exchange records for peer review for details):

• To the Library of Congress if you are a newly authorized NACO participant required to do so.
• To colleagues at other libraries if you have a question about a name authority record you created.

Add name authority record to the LC authority file interactively

1. Open the new authority record you want to add from the online or local authority save file.
2. On the Action menu, click Add to Authority File or press <Ctrl><Alt><A>.

Results:

• Duplicate detection
  • The system searches the LC authority file for the main entry in the record(s) (uses NACO Normalization rules to match the 1XX heading of the record you want to add against the 1XX and 4XX name headings).
  • If a matching heading is found, the system displays an error message and prevents you from adding the record.
• Validation
  • The OCLC Cataloging system validates the record(s) before adding.
  • If the record(s) contain invalid data, the client returns a list of errors, which you can print if needed. Correct the errors and then retry adding the record.
  • When the record is valid, the system:
    • Adds the record to the LC authority file.
    • Assigns an OCLC authority record number (ARN) and a Library of Congress control number (LCCN).
    • Stores the record for delivery to the Library of Congress.
    • Locks the new WorldCat record pending LC distribution.
      • Distribution of new records normally takes three to four days.
      • If you try to lock the WorldCat record for editing during this time, the system notifies you that it is already locked.
    • Deletes the original record from your authority save file.
    • Displays the new authority record, including the assigned ARN and LCCN, with the Add status changed to C (Complete) in the record's status bar and in the Add column of a list.

Caution: False error message about duplicates

A false error message may result from system duplicate detection when you add a new authority record or replace a WorldCat record.

The system uses NACO Normalization rules to match the 1XX heading of any record you want to add against the 1XX and 4XX name headings to detect duplicates. However, the system incorrectly ignores the first comma in subfield a, which results in the following incorrect validation error message: This main entry exists in another authority record: LCCN=xx xxxxx ARN=ocaxxxxx.

If you receive this message as a result of this problem, and the new heading is not a duplicate, click OK to close the message, and simply reissue the Add to Authority File command.