PCC Authority Source Citation Task GroupFinal report, Oct. 1, 2011

Summary

In its report, the PCC Authority Source Citation Task Group makes the following recommendations:

There is no need at this time to change the existing subfield coding in MARC 21 Authority Format fields 670 and 675. The PCC should emphasize to its members the importance of the proper use of the existing subfield coding. The Task Group makes several suggestions for the citation of information in 670 fields.

PCC practice for the use of MARC 21 Authority Format fields 670 and 675 needs to be made more rational. Such a change would simplify the training of new participants in the use of these fields. The definitions of the fields need to be adjusted slightly to reflect the rationalization of practice.

The Task Group has identified the need for a new field in the MARC 21 Authority Format. This field will present titles associated with the entity represented by the authority record (or, in exceptional cases, titles not associated with the entity represented by the authority record) in a manner suitable for machine action.

The Task Group believes that the recently-defined subfield $v for source citations in various fields in the MARC 21 Authority Format is in most cases being used in a redundant manner, and that the need for simplicity would be best served if this subfield were made obsolete; or at least if subfield $v were no longer available for use in NACO authority records.

A means should be found for identifying frequent collaborators with the entity identified in the 1XX field of an authority record.

A means should be found for explicitly linking a NACO authority record to its VIAF cluster and to other addressable entity descriptions in the linked data environment.

PCC should establish a new Task Group, with a time line longer than that afforded to this Task Group, to consider the use of linked data in authority records.

The Task Group includes with its report a number of proposals and discussion papers related to its recommendations, ready for submission to MARBI for consideration at its Midwinter 2012 meeting.

Introduction

The PCC Authority Source Citation Task Group was formed to consider several issues related to fields 670 and 675 in the MARC 21 Authority Format. The discussions of the group, which were held exclusively via e-mail, focused chiefly on the need to find a machine-actionable place in the format to contain titles of items related to the entity represented by the authority record. During the discussions, the Task Group identified a number of additional issues related to the use of the 670 and 675 fields. Some of these issues call for restatements of PCC policy, and some call for both adjustments to the MARC format and to PCC policy.

General recommendations for source citations

The Task Group considered replacing the current 670 and 675 fields with one or more new fields. In the end, the Task Group believes that with the addition of one new field to the MARC authority format to contain titles associated with the entity represented by the authority record and the restatement of policies regarding use of the 670 and 675 fields (all described below), the current 670 and 675 fields can continue with the existing content designation.

The Task Group believes that current policy regarding the content of the 670 and 675 fields is not entirely logical (and certainly not an easy matter to describe in training), and proposes the following adjustments:

Any resource in which any information is found should be recorded in a 670 field. This includes resources that contain information only concerning entities related to the entity represented by the authority record (now cited in the 675 field). In general, it may be stated that whenever a source citation contains a parenthetical listing of information found in the source, that source citation should be carried in a 670 field.

Instead of this (the citation identifies only an earlier name for a conference):

675: : |a Medical applications of synchrotron radiation, c1998: pref. (International Workshop on Medical Applications of Synchrotron Radiation held in Haga, in Hyogo Prefecture, Aug. 8-11, 1997 (HAGA '97); in 1992 held in Diago in Ibaraki Prefecture (DAIGO '92)

Do this:

670: : |a Medical applications of synchrotron radiation, c1998: |b pref. (International Workshop on Medical Applications of Synchrotron Radiation held in Haga, in Hyogo

Prefecture, Aug. 8-11, 1997 (HAGA '97); in 1992 held in Diago in Ibaraki Prefecture (DAIGO '92)

This does not mean that subfield $b is required in order for a source to be identified in a 670 field. In many cases, the title of the source contains all of the relevant information found in the source, and subfield $b is not used. Many historical uses of the 670 field also do not contain a parenthetical citation of information found, even though such a citation would be included were the field constructed today.

670: : |a Wallner, A. Divertimento für Hornquartett (1982), c1984.

670: : |a A history of the Beddington, Carshalton & Wallington Archaeological Society (now the Carshalton & District History & Archaeology Society), 2010

The use of the 675 field should be restricted to the citation of resources in which no information at all was found. The Task Group considered the possibility of making the 675 field repeatable and subfield $a not repeatable, but after the removal of citations containing parenthesized information (see the preceding recommendation) could see no compelling need for this additional change. The following example reflects current practice, which the Task Group believes to be acceptable, at least for the present.

675: : |a GEOnet, 21 July 2011; |a Wikipedia, 21 July 2011

The Task Group believes that following this refinement to the definitions of the 670 and 675 fields, the 675 field should be used for the citation of the item being cataloged in those rare instances when that item contains no information. Current practice is to cite the item being cataloged in a 670 field in every case, followed if appropriate by an indication that the item contains no information; this practice should be discontinued.

Instead of this:

670: :|a His Miscellanea variegata, anagrammata, epigrammata, disticha: seu Basilica, & heroica sacra memoriæ, 1663 |b (name not given)The name of the author does not appear in the item being cataloged, although it can be found in reference sources.

Do this:

675: :|a His Miscellanea variegata, anagrammata, epigrammata, disticha: seu Basilica, & heroica sacra memoriæ, 1663

Instead of this:

670: :|a Timing of migration, spawning, and juvenile emergence by sockeye salmon in Bear Lake, Alaska, 2003 |b (name not given)The heading being established is "Aleutians East Borough (Alaska)," which does not explicitly appear in the item being cataloged. The name of the Borough is needed in the parenthetical qualifier to make the name of the Lake unique.

Do this:

675: :|a Timing of migration, spawning, and juvenile emergence by sockeye salmon in Bear Lake, Alaska, 2003

This report contains a MARBI proposal concerning this re-alignment of the definitions of the 670 and 675 fields (proposal 2).

The Task Group considered the definition of more elaborate subfield coding for the 670 field. Such coding might include separate subfields for various elements now stuffed into subfields $a (introductory phrase, main entry, title, date an online resource was consulted, LCCN, and others) and $b (location of information, and information found at that location) but rejected that possibility almost immediately. The retrospective automated re-coding of existing data according to any new standard would be impossible, and the effort needed for additional content designation is better deployed for data elements that are presented in a standard format, not transcribed. The Task Group instead decided that the PCC should emphasize the importance of the proper use of existing coding.

A new field for titles

The main work of the Task Group was to consider how best to make one piece of information currently buried in the 670 field—additional titles related to the entity represented by the authority record—available in a machine-actionable manner. The Task Group's conclusion was that a new field should be defined to contain this information. A discussion paper for submittal to MARBI concerning the need for such a new field is included with this report (discussion paper 1).

Source citations in the new field, and in other fields

The Task Group considered whether or not the new field for titles related to the entity should contain a subfield for the source of the information, parallel to subfield $v available in the 046, 372 and other fields. Now that some experience has been gained in its use, the Task Group believes that subfield $v should be seen as an unnecessary over-elaboration; instead of reducing redundancy as intended, in practice subfield $v appears to increase it. The unforeseen redundant use of source subfields has resulted in records with constructions like the following:

373: : |a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services |v Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011374: : |a Assistant secretary for health |v Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011670: : |a Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011: |b title screen (Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH)

The information from 373 $a and 374 $a should have been included in the 670 field, and both uses of subfield $v eliminated.

The Task Group has created a MARBI proposal to declare these source subfields obsolete (proposal 1). (Our community has never felt the need to tie a 4XX field to a particular source citation, and on reflection it seems unnecessary to begin to do so for other types of information.)

If PCC does not wish to pursue this proposal, the Task Group believes that the PCC should declare that source subfields should not be used in NACO authority records. If PCC does not wish to pursue the proposal to make subfield $v obsolete in these fields or declare them not to be used in NACO records, it should provide suitable strict guidelines for the use of subfield $v, and indicate how subfield $v should be used in combination with the 670 field to reduce, and not increase, redundancy.

Further, the Task Group believes that the proposed new field for titles related to the entity described by the authority record, the existing 372 field, and similar fields, do not require the support of an explicit source citation in any case; the information in some such fields may be taken as facts established by the person creating or modifying the authority record, and some may be taken as implied by information present elsewhere in the authority record. (For example, the site of a person's activity may be implied by the location of the institution with which that person is identified.)

A new field for collaborators

It is often the case that the identification of an authority record as representing the entity of interest can be eased if names of other entities with which that entity has frequently collaborated are clearly identified. The Task Group includes with this report a MARBI discussion paper (discussion paper 3) that presents some of the issues related to this need.

Additional recommendations related to source citations

The Task Group has the following further recommendations:

The Task Group considered the use of linked data in authority records and sees great potential for its use. PCC should establish a new Task Group, with more time available to it than was available to this Task Group, to consider more fully the inclusion of linked data in authority records. The Task Group includes a discussion paper for MARBI (discussion paper 2) that explores some of the possibilities for linked data within the current MARC structure.

When citing a source of information in a 670 field, NACO participants should give all of the information found in the resource, even if that information repeats information found in other source citations. This full recording of information is critical for undifferentiated name authority records, but in all cases eases the work of others in comprehending a record when the record is re-visited in the future. Under this principle, the following should be regarded as an improper use of the 670 field, as at least the person's name must have been given in the source of information:

670: :|a Wikipedia, Sept 15, 2011: |b (born 1952)

As machine-actionable pieces of information currently jumbled into the 670 field are identified, a separate home should be found for them in other fields. The source of this information should continue to be recorded in the 670 field. The 670 field is the home for information transcribed from resources; information found in a resource may also be presented in elsewhere in the record (often in a standardized form). Information derived from information any of the 670 fields (alone or in combination) does not require an additional source citation.

When subfield $a of the 670 field contains the title of a resource, it should contain the full title as presented by the resource; words should not be abbreviated or omitted.

Appendix: Charge to the PCC Authority Source Citation Task Group

Charge: The PCC Authority Source Citation Task Group is charged to:

review the manner in which sources consulted are recorded in authority records (670 and 675 fields; and more recently subfield $v in other fields)

consider changes to practices that would permit greater automated assistance with heading assignment and maintenance, as well as potential uses for supporting the user needs of finding/identifying resources and support the future migration of data

suggest enhancements to MARC coding needed to support any changes in practice

Background: The manner in which sources consulted are recorded in authority records has not changed substantially since the adoption of the MARC format for authority data in the mid-1970s; and the MARC format simply made it possible to continue card-based practices in effect for many decades before that time. As human resources available for database maintenance activities continue to dwindle, it seems reasonable to determine whether changes to current practice could result in greater opportunities for automatic resolution of heading problems. The goal of the work of this task group is a change to the granularity of MARC content designation which will allow some strings to be treated as data, thereby increasing interoperability and machine action-ability.  This goal is in support of PCC Strategic Direction number 3 (SD3).

The work of the Task Group will result in the preparation of a written report addressing the points outlined above, and any related matters that seem appropriate to the Task Group. As appropriate, the report will be accompanied by one or more separate documents outlining suggested changes to MARC coding, ready for submission to the Library of Congress for consideration by MARBI.

Time Frame:

Preliminary report to SCA: September 15, 2011 Final report to SCA: October 1, 2011. Final report to Policy Committee or Steering Committee: Dec. 2011 Deadline for comments from OpCo and PoCo: Jan. 13, 2012

Status: In process

Chain of Reporting: The task group reports to the Standing Committee on Automation (SCA) who will report to PoCo.

Task Group members:

Karen AndersonRobert BremerStephen HearnGary Strawn, ChairDavid WilliamsonJohn Wright

[Discussion paper 1]MARC Discussion Paper no. 2012-DPXX

DATE: October 1, 2011

NAME: Identifying titles related to the entity represented by the authority record in the MARC 21 Authority Format

SOURCE: Program for Cooperative Cataloging

SUMMARY: This paper explores options in the MARC 21 Authority Format for making titles related to the entity represented by the authority record machine-actionable

KEYWORDS:

STATUS/COMMENTS:

1 BACKGROUND

Field 670 in the MARC 21 Authority Format contains citations of sources in which information related to the entity represented by the authority record was found. These fields contain two principal segments: an identification of the source (subfield $a), and information found in the source (subfield $b).

670: : |a Her The art of the table, 1962.

670: : |a Her Wines of the Graves, 1988: |b t.p. (Pamela Vandyke Price)

670: : |a Hertel, J. M. Concerto for trumpet ... [SR] p1976 (a.e.) |b labels (Bo Nilsson, trumpet) container (b. 1940, Stockholm)

670: : |a Optimization and regulation for computational inverse problems and applications, c2011: |b t.p. (Anatoly G. Yagola) t.p. verso (Prof. Dr. Anatoly G. Yagola, Dept. of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State Univ.)

670: : |a Domenico Buratti, realtà, sogni, scritture pittoriche di un artista torinese, 2003: |b p. 9 (Italian painter, poet, book illustrator, editor) p. 65 (b. Nole Canavese, Nov. 21, 1881) p. 66 (d. Turin, May 24, 1960)

The 670 field was designed as a holder for the raw information used in the construction of the authority record or of potential use to future users of the record. In recent years, application programs have begun to mine information in the 670 field for other purposes. For example, a program loading authority records may attempt cautiously to reassign headings in bibliographic

records based on a comparison of titles in bibliographic records to titles in the 670 field. While this is made difficult because subfield $a of the 670 field can contain many kinds of information in addition to a title (such as: an identification of the author, the date of publication of the resource and/or the date of consultation of the resource, the format of the resource, and the function of a heading for an entity within the bibliographic record for the item), these efforts have seen substantial success, and in general the technique can be described as valid.

Among the pieces of information that may be carried in subfield $b of the 670 field is a listing of additional titles for which the entity represented by the authority record is responsible in some manner.

670: : |a Phone call to pub., 2/23/88 |b (Ronald Fernandez, also author of Social psychology through literature)

670: : |a E-mail from Dr. Martin, 2 Sept. 2011 |b (confirms authorship of various reports emanating from ETSU, TRRL, Financial Times, Dept. of Energy; also authored doctoral thesis "The mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre composites at high rates of loading")

670: : |a Phone call to M.Johnstone, Routledge, 12-10-99 |b (John Andrew Forth; also wrote Pathways through unemployment, Rents and work incentives)

In some cases, the 670 may conversely identify items for which an entity has no responsibility:

670: : |a BL AL recd., 11 June 2010 |b (Christine Routledge, born 2 Sept. 1965; is not the author of Kaleidoscope)

This information would be of significant use to a program attempting to reassign headings in bibliographic records, but because it is buried within a free-text field it is not easily made machine-actionable. If this additional information were isolated and so made machine-actionable, a program attempting to judge the headings in bibliographic records should be able to perform its work to even greater effect.

A Task Group of the PCC established to look into the matter considered whether a more elaborate scheme for the subfield coding of the 670 field would allow for titles embedded within the 670 to be identified, without requiring redundant data entry. If for no other reason than the ongoing difficulties found in the application of even the current simple scheme, the Task Group rejected that idea in favor of a request for a new field, to contain an identification of the titles of items related to the entity represented by the authority record.

2 DISCUSSION

The PCC believes that the definition of a new field, probably in the 67X block, is needed to identify items related to the entity represented by the authority record. This new field should probably be modeled in its important parts on the bibliographic 245 field. This not only allows

the field to be built from existing data with ease, but allows programs already written for one context to be adapted to a new context without much difficulty. The following definitions are suggested:

First IndicatorRelation of title to entity0 – Title is not related to the entity represented by the authority record1 – Title is related to the entity represented by the authority record

Second IndicatorNonfiling characters0 – No nonfiling characters1-9 – Number of nonfiling characters

Subfield Codes$a – Title (NR)$b – Remainder of title (NR)$f – Inclusive dates (NR)$g – Bulk dates (NR)$k – Form (R)$n – Number of part/section of a work (R)$p – Name of part/section of a work (R)$0 – Authority record control number (R)$6 – Linkage (NR)$8 – Field link and sequence number (R)

This field is designed to assist programs and operators in selecting from amongst a set of candidate headings, and not to provide the final answer to questions of authorship. For example, the record for the William Shakespeare who lived from 1564 to 1616 could easily contain a reference to Sir John Oldcastle; such a reference would help a program decide the proper replacement when a bibliographic record for some version of that work arrives, with a heading for just "Shakespeare, William" and no dates.

The contents of the "Field description and scope" section of the field description will depend on the answers to the discussion questions.

The description of the field should indicate that the list of items presented in the new field is intended to be based on cases as encountered, and should not be the subject of intense research.

The Task Group believes that there should be no implication that information in this new field must in every case be supported by information in 670 fields or elsewhere in the authority record. For this reason, two of the examples include titles that are not included in the 670 fields.

Examples of use (the tag 672 is used for illustration purposes only):

670: : |a Phone call to pub., 2/23/88 |b (Ronald Fernandez, also author of Social psychology through literature)672:10: |a Social psychology through literature

670: : |a E-mail from Dr. Martin, 2 Sept. 2011 |b (confirms authorship of various reports emanating from ETSU, TRRL, Financial Times, Dept. of Energy; also authored doctoral thesis "The mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre composites at high rates of loading")672:14: |a The mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre composites at high rates of loading

670: : |a Phone call to M.Johnstone, Routledge, 12-10-99 |b (John Andrew Forth; also wrote Pathways through unemployment, Rents and work incentives)672:10: |a Pathways through unemployment672:10: |a Rents and work incentives672:14: |a The business case for Equal Opportunities672:10: |a Family-friendly working arrangements in Britain 1996

670: : |a BL AL recd., 11 June 2010 |b (Christine Routledge, born 2 Sept. 1965; is not the author of Kaleidoscope)672:10: |a Johnny672:00: |a Kaleidoscope

3 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Should there be any restriction on the kind of title to be recorded in this field? More specifically, should this be limited to the titles of works; or should titles of works, expressions and/or manifestations be allowed as the needs of a particular situation dictate?

2. May this field be used for anything related to the entity represented by the authority record, or should items that are only about that entity be excluded? If both items by and about the entity are allowed, should they be distinguished in some manner (such as by an additional first indicator value)?

3. Should the nature of the relationship between the entity in the 1XX field and the item cited be expressed, using a subfield such as $i, $e or $4? Doing so might help an automated process supply corresponding coding in bibliographic records.

[Discussion paper 2]MARC Discussion Paper no. 2012-DPXX

DATE: October 1, 2011

NAME: Identifying linked data sources in the authority record in the MARC 21 Authority Format

SOURCE: Program for Cooperative Cataloging

SUMMARY: This paper explores options in the MARC 21 Authority Format for making machine-actionable links between the authority record and online sources of linked data information about the entity represented by the authority record.

KEYWORDS:

STATUS/COMMENTS:

1 BACKGROUND

This discussion paper explores possible changes to MARC coding to support the use of linked data sources for automated authority record enhancement and greater interoperability for authority data at the network level. It is one of several documents for MARBI emerging from discussions in a PCC task group charged to look for ways to make the sources of information provided in authority records more machine actionable.

Field 670 in the MARC 21 Authority Format contains citations of sources in which information related to the entity represented by the authority record was found. These fields contain two principal segments: an identification of the source (subfield $a), and information found in the source (subfield $b). In some cases, the 670 is used to cite an external database as a source of information.

670: : $a OCLC, Sept. 15, 2011 $b (hdg.: Smith, John, 1954- ; usage: John Smith)670: : $a VIAF, Sept. 15, 2011 $b (hdg.: Smith, John, 1954-2000)

In these cases the online database is treated as a source for a single snapshot of information presented in subfield $b. The field is poorly structured to support automated revisiting of the data source, and there has been little expectation that an online data source cited in a 670 as a source of information could serve up data in machine-actionable form.

This situation is changing. Major authority data sources, e.g., the LC/NACO Name Authority File and the Virtual International Authority file, now have versions of their authority data designated by URIs and structured to support online machine queries. These new capabilities represent a new functionality that could be supported by coding in the MARC authority record.

Systems could automatically enhance the data content of MARC authorities by deriving designated data elements from other trusted networked sources. For example, data for MARC authority 7XX Established Heading Linking Entry fields could be derived from VIAF authorities and either written into the record or into an on-the-fly extension of the record. Similarly, lists of titles now recorded in VIAF for a VIAF author entity could be presented in the context of the MARC authority display based on machine interaction with VIAF prompted by a linked data URI. Linked data from DBpedia could include birth date, death date, full name, nationality, and other specified items of information. The possibilities for dynamic enhancement of MARC data presentation and for a more networked model of authority data management are what inspire this discussion paper.

There are several data elements currently defined in the MARC Authority Format for URLs and for record-identifying information:

The 670 field defines subfield |u for the URL of an information source. In practice, the general instability of URLs has led to subfield |u being treated as a secondary and optional designation of the data source which is more properly designated by its name in subfield |a.

670 ## $a The official Stephen King web presence, viewed Oct. 26, 2001: $b The man (Stephen Edwin King; b. Portland, Maine, 1947) $u http://www.stephenking.com

The 7XX Established Heading Linking Entry fields contain subfield |0, defined to contain a record ID number or other resource designation with a source code specified in a parenthetical prefix.

700 05 $w a $a Augustin, $c saint, évêque d’Hippone. $0 (CaOONL)0053A1978F#700 00 $a Augustine, $c Saint, Bishop of Hippo $0 (uri)http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126290.html

The 856 field is defined to contain the elements of an online address in discrete subfields or a URL in subfield |u. Its definition states that “The field may be used in an authority record to provide supplementary information available electronically about the entity for which the record was created.” 856 4# $u http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126290.html

2 DISCUSSION

Each of the locations where the URI for a linked data source might be added to a MARC authority has advantages and problems.

The 670 field is a logical field for a source of information about the entity established in the 1XX field, since it is already defined for that purpose. However, 670 fields already contain URLs which are essentially links to HTML documents and not to sources of linked data. Further, the

information in a source such as VIAF does not really have a name designation. The URIs themselves are the closest that VIAF aggregate records have to a name appropriate for use in 670 subfield $a. Various options might be considered for better accommodating linked data sources in 670:

Define a first indicator value (“1” used here for purposes of illustration only) to specify that the 670 contains a URI for a linked data source.

670 1# $a Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo $u http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126290.html

Define a new subfield ($r used here for purposes of illustration only) specifically for a linked data URI.

670 ## $a Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo $r http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126290.html

The 7XX Established Heading Linking Entry fields are defined to express another authority system’s version of the name of the entity in the 1XX and that system’s authority record number. Typically the system number would be expressed in conjunction with a standard MARC abbreviation for the source organization or standard identifier source code, e.g.,

710 20 $a Royal Society of Medicine Services (Great Britain) $0 (DLC)n##86108151#700 1# $a Vine, Barbara, $d 1930 $0 (isni)1422458635730476

One of the standard identifier source codes is “uri” which enables alternative representations of the subfield $0 data.

700 20 $a Tillett, Barbara B. $0 (DLC)n##88102106#700 20 $a Tillett, Barbara B. $0 (uri) http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n88102106.html

This approach becomes problematic for an aggregated source of data such as VIAF, where multiple established headings for the same person are represented on the same VIAF record. It may not be appropriate to privilege one of these established forms as the ‘linking entry” for use in the 7XX $a. Possible alternatives:

Use the currently defined indicator values to express the particular source of a name heading when the 700 field is linking to an authority data source without a single preferred source.

700 10 $a Tillett, Barbara B. $0 (uri) http://viaf.org/viaf/77390479

Second indicator 0 signifies Library of Congress as a source for the form of established heading given in the 700 $a, though the VIAF record recognizes this heading as being established by other

authority sources, and recognizes other heading forms as established.

Define a new subfield ($? used here for illustration only) to encode the source or other designation of a heading given in subfield $a when no name heading is preferred in the authority data source.

700 1# $a Tillett, Barbara B. $? DLC |0 (uri) http://viaf.org/viaf/77390479

Define a new indicator value (“4” used here for illustration only) to indicate that no name heading is preferred in the authority source and omit subfield |a.

700 4# $0 (uri) http://viaf.org/viaf/77390479

Define a new 7XX field or block of fields to express Concept/Entity Linking Entry. A 720 field (used here for illustration only) could be defined to contain links to sources lacking a single preferred heading form, or a set of fields could be defined—720 for persons, 721 for corporate bodies, 722 for conferences, etc.

720 ## $0 (uri) http://viaf.org/viaf/77390479

720 ## $0 (uri) http://viaf.org/viaf/77390479721 ## $0 (uri) http://viaf.org/viaf/151962300

The 856 field has a definition which matches closest to the envisioned connection to linked data sources: “The field may be used in an authority record to provide supplementary information available electronically about the entity for which the record was created.” With current coding it might be hard to distinguish between URLs which point to an HTML document, e.g., a version of the work or image of the entity named in the 1XX, and those which point to a linked data source. Linked data source such as viaf.org and id.loc.gov are often able to supply data in several different formats. The format options might be contained in subfield $q, Electronic format type, but currently $q is not repeatable.

Define a new second indicator value (“3” used here for illustration only) for 856 to specify that the URI is for a linked data source.

856 43 $u http://viaf.org/viaf/151962300/rdf.xml

Redefine subfield $q to be repeatable to contain specifiable data formats for retrieved linked data information.

856 43 $u http://viaf.org/viaf/151962300 $q rdf.xml $q marc21.xml $q unimarc.xml

3 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Is the potential functionality of a URI for a linked data source sufficiently different from that of other URLs to warrant distinct data designation in MARC authority records?

2. If so, what model for encoding linked data URIs as sources of information about the established entity in MARC21 authorities is preferred?

3. Would it be useful to specify within the MARC format a URI for a linked data version of the record itself, e.g., to express the id.loc.gov URI for an LC/NACO MARC format authority within that authority? If so, where would such a data element belong?

4. Currently there are instances where algorithmically managed matching processes in VIAF fail to cluster authorities for the same entity and mistakenly cluster authorities for different entities. Would explicit expression of relationships between an authority and the URIs for other authorities be of use for correcting these occasional errors? Would additional coding to express a “not the same as” relationship with a specified URI also be of value for managing corrections?

5. ???

[Discussion paper 3]

MARC Discussion Paper no. 2012-DPXX

DATE: October 1, 2011

NAME: Identifying entities with whom the entity identified in an authority record has frequently collaborated

SOURCE: Program for Cooperative Cataloging

SUMMARY: This paper explores options in the MARC 21 Authority Format for identifying entities with which the entity identified by an authority record has frequently collaborated.

KEYWORDS:

STATUS/COMMENTS:

1 BACKGROUND

It often happens that two entities (typically, persons) working together under their own names together produce a body of work. (This situation is not the same as cases in which entities working together produce a body of work under another name—for example, the name of a corporate body, or a joint pseudonym.) For example, two persons might together write a group of books; or one person might write a group of books and another illustrate them; or a person might be known as the frequent contributor of arrangements to a certain orchestra.

Information related to frequent collaborators, when present at all, is buried at present in subfield $b of the 670 field.

670: : |a New York times WWW site, May 19, 2008 |b (Arthur W. Burks; b. Oct. 13, 1915, Duluth, Minn.; d. Wednesday [May 14, 2008], Ann Arbor, Mich., aged 92; member of the team that designed the Eniac computer, a frequent collaborator of John von Neumann, and a pioneer in computing education)

670: : |a Tooley's dict. of mapmakers, 2003 |b (Mitchell, Samuel Augustus, Senior; geographer and prolific publisher of N.E. corner Market and 7th Streets, Philadelphia; also wrote textbooks and geographical manuals; successor to Henry S. Tanner; collaborated with J.H. Young, engraver)

670: : |a Hinter der Vierten Wand, c2010: |b p. 13 (Philippe Schwinger, artist) p. 171 (b. Saint-Imler, Switzerland; lives and works in Berlin, Germany and Geneva, Switzerland; collaborating with Frédéric Moser since 1988)

670: : |a Verano musical, viewed Aug. 5, 2011 |b (Luis Cabrera Martín, double bass; b. in Madrid in 1985 ... has also collaborated with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment)

670: : |a ASCAP, 4th ed. |b (Roberts, Gene; b. New York, NY, Jan. 16, 1918; d. New York, Oct. 23, 1970; composer, author; chief collaborator: Valerie Brooks)

670: : |a Dance by nine [VR] c2009: |b credits & accomp. program (Lee Brewster; choreographer, dancer; studies at Sonoma State Univ.; performs and collaborates with Virginia Matthews)

670: : |a Taller Coreográfico de la U.N.A.M [VR] c2008: |b credits (Guy Reyes; composer; collaborates with Gloria Contreras' Taller Coreográfico de la U.N.A.M. in Mexico City)

At present, the 670 field in the MARC21 Authority Format has this definition:

IndicatorsFirst indicator: # - undefinedSecond indicator: # - undefined

Subfield codes$a – Source citation (NR)$b – Information found (NR)$u – Uniform Resource Identifier (R)$6 – Linkage (NR)$8 – Field link and sequence number (R)

2 DISCUSSION

Having the names of entities with which a given entity has frequently collaborated available as a separate piece of information would simplify the assignment of headings to bibliographic records, especially for persons who have common names; but because the names of collaborators are at present contained only with a free-text area (670 subfield $b), they are not easily available for presentation on their own merits, or as the source of some machine-mediated action.

If a machine-useable home for this information is to be found, two possibilities suggest themselves: a new field (or, because a collaborator may be a person or a corporate body, a new suite of fields), or the authority 5XX fields.

In addition to subfields specific to various tags, the 5XX fields in the MARC21 Authority Format all have these subfields that might be used to contain information relating to collaborators:

$i – Relationship information$w – Control subfield$0 – Record control number$4 – Relationship code

Subfields $i and/or $4 could be used to indicate that the 5XX field represents a collaborator; subfield $w/0 would contain "i" or "r" as appropriate, and subfield $0 could contain the control number of the record for the related entity.

100 1# ‡a Burks, Arthur W. ‡q (Arthur Walter), ‡d 1915-2008500 1# ‡w i ‡i collaborator with ‡a Von Neumann, John, ‡d 1903-1957

Using the 5XX block in this manner represents only a new practice and does not require the definition of any new content designation.

If this practice is felt unnecessarily to clog the 5XX block with unwanted information, a similar block of tags could be identified elsewhere in the authority format for collaborator information.

Another possibility, the MARC21 Authority Format 7XX fields, should not be considered for use in this case. These fields should continue to be reserved for equivalents for the 1XX field.

3 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Should a separate place for identified frequent collaborators be found in the MARC21 Authority Format?

2. Should the 5XX fields be used to identify frequent collaborators, or should a new tag group be found?

3. ???

[Proposal 1]MARC Proposal 2012-XX

DATE: October 1, 2011

NAME: Making field 046, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 378, 381 subfield $v (Source of information) obsolete in the MARC 21 Authority Format

SOURCE: Program for Cooperative Cataloging

SUMMARY: This paper proposes making subfield $v obsolete in the 046, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 378 and 381 fields.

KEYWORDS:

RELATED: 2009-01/1 (046, 371, 372, 374, 375, 376); 2011-05 (373); 2011-04 (377); 2011-06 (378); ?? (381)

STATUS/COMMENTS:

1 BACKGROUND

Proposal 2009-01/1 described the definition of several new fields in the MARC 21 authority format. During the discussion of the proposal, it was suggested that the definition of a subfield to contain a citation of the source in which the information was found might reduce redundancy in the authority record in certain cases. At the time, it was envisioned that this subfield would be used only in exceptional cases, when a source contained only one bit of useful information.

In practice, the hoped-for reduction in redundancy has not occurred. Instead, the presence of this subfield has actually increased the redundancy of information in authority records, and caused some people creating authority records to remove information from places where it belongs.

For example, we have authority records that contain fields constructed in this manner:

373: : |a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services |v Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011374: : |a Assistant secretary for health |v Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011670: : |a Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011: |b title screen (Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH)

The resource consulted is identified in the 670 field, but that citation does not correctly identify all of the information taken from that source. Instead, the source is identified in the 373 and 374 fields. A tidier construction of MARC fields with the same information would be as follows:

373: : |a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services374: : |a Assistant secretary for health670: : |a Eliminating health disparities through the affordable care act and beyond, 2011: |b title screen (Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH; Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services)

The PCC has considered simply issuing a guideline instructing those creating or modifying authority records not to use subfield $v, but believes that better records would result if the possibility of alternate ways to record the same information were removed.

2 PROPOSED CHANGES

In the MARC 21 Authority Format:

Make subfield $v in the 046, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 378, 381 fields obsolete.

[Proposal 2]MARC Proposal 2012-XX

DATE: October 1, 2011

NAME: Realignment of the definitions of fields 670 and 675 in the MARC 21 Authority Format

SOURCE: Program for Cooperative Cataloging

SUMMARY: This paper proposes an adjustment to the definitions of the 670 and 675 fields in the MARC 21 Authority Format.

KEYWORDS:

STATUS/COMMENTS:

1 BACKGROUND

The MARC 21 Authority Format defines the contents of the 670 field (Source data found) in this manner:

Citation for a consulted source in which information is found about the 1XX heading in an established heading record, an established heading and subdivision record, a subdivision record or a reference record. May also include the information found in the source.Each source citation is contained in a separate 670 field.Citation for a consulted source that yielded no information about the heading is contained in field 675 (Source Data Not Found).Citations and information in this field are often not written in a form adequate for public user display.

The MARC 21 Authority Format defines the contents of the 675 field (Source data not found) in this manner:

Citation for a consulted source in which no information is found about the 1XX heading in an established heading record, an established heading and subdivision record, or a subdivision record. In unusual instances, the field may also include questionable information that is found in the source (e.g., when the name found may refer to a different person). Multiple source citations are contained in a single 675 field. Citation for a consulted source that yielded information about the heading is contained in field 670 (Source Data Found). Citations and information in this field are often not written in a form adequate for public user display.

Current PCC practice expands on the definition of the 675 field; in PCC practice the 675 field is to be used for a source in which information about an entity related to the entity represented by the authority record—but nothing about the primary entity itself—was found.

This means that a source that contains information can be cited as a "source data not found."

PCC practice is always to cite the item being cataloged in a 670 field, even when that item contains no information related to the entity represented by the authority record. (Such a citation typically contains subfield $b with an expression such as "(name not given).") This means that a source that contains no information can be cited as a "source data found."

This mismatch between the names of these fields and the data that they contain has been the source of difficulty in training in the use of the MARC 21 Authority Format. As part of its work, a Task Group recently constituted by the PCC has recommended that guidelines for the use of the field be aligned with the names of the fields. While this means principally that PCC guidelines need to be rewritten, the underlying MARC documentation requires small changes as well.

2 PROPOSED CHANGES

In the MARC 21 Authority Format:

Make the following changes to the definition of the 670 field:

1. Change the "Field definition and scope" section as follows:

Citation for a consulted source in which information is found related in some manner to the entity represented by the authority record or to entities related to that entity. May also include the information found in the source.Each source citation is contained in a separate 670 field.Citation for a consulted source that yielded no information is contained in field 675 (Source Data Not Found).Citations and information in this field are often not written in a form adequate for public user display.

2. Transfer the "Headline series" example from the definition of the 675 field, with this additional explanation: The source cited contains information only concerning a series related to the series being established.

Make the following changes to the definition of the 675 field:

1. Change the "Field definition and scope" section as follows:

Citation for a consulted source in which no information is found related in any manner to the entity represented by the authority record or entities related to that entity.

Multiple source citations are contained in a single 675 field. Citation for a consulted source that yielded any information related in any manner to the entity represented by the authority record is contained in field 670 (Source Data Found). Citations and information in this field are often not written in a form adequate for public user display.

2. Remove the "Headline series" example