Chapter 5 Notes - Access Points (course notes)

DEFINITIONS:

Access: is the process of selecting names and titles -the most important descriptive elements-to use as headings in the catalogue, ad formulating them consistently so that searchers can find them expeditiously.

Access points: Any name, word, or phrase by which a catalogue record can be retrieved from the catalogue, known also as an Entry, Heading or Retrieval point.

Authority file: file containing the official forms of names, uniform titles, series titles, subject heading, or all of these , used as access pints in a catalogue and citations to sources used to establish them as well as cross-references to variant forms.

Authority record: Once record in an authority file

Corporate bodies: A named group of people that acts as an entity.

Main entries:
1. The first and most important descriptive access point assigned to a catalogue record by which the item can be retrieved
2. In a single entry catalogue, the access point for a record. Added entries are all others considered appropriate for material being catalogue

Added entries:
A secondary access point; any heading by which a catalogue record can be retrieved other than the first or main entry.

Titles proper: titles proper are entered the way they appear on the materials being catalogued.

Uniform Titles: 1. bring together versions of one work that bear different titles proper 2. Differentiate two different works that bear the same title proper.



Points to Consider When Choosing the Main entry and Added Entries :

-Only one person, one corporate body, or one title can be chosen as the main entry. The creator of a work is its most important in identifying element and is the main entry unless work is the product of a corporate body.

-If more than three people share usual responsibility the title is chosen as the main entry

-Added entries can consist of entries containing spelled out versions of title words that appear on chief sources as digits, ampersands, or other symbols.

-Use the most commonly known form of someone’s name.

-Use a different name if:
1. If a person's name changes and change is likely to persist
2. If a person makes a request to be known under a different name.

-Use name that users most likely to know the author (for example Mark twain instead of Samuel Clemens)

-May include fullest forms of person's names because large collections are likely to contain similar names or birthday and death dates can be added to distinguish author’s with similar names

-Geographic names-use the English form of the name of a place. Problems... multiple names for one location and multiple locations share one name. May add the name of a country to clarify, or add more that one name to clarify.


Authority control practice three phases:
1. Researching all name forms appearing in all published works of the person or body in question and count number of times each form appears
2. Selecting the name form that appears most often as the authorized access point and designation other forms cross-references
3. Documenting the decision and the sources of the information.