BCC01/Auth/3

Authorities Subcommittee MLA-New York Report (Feb. 2001)

During the past year, the subcommittee focused on discussing terms to be included in the Types of Composition document.  We also offered comments on the draft report of the PCC SCS Cross-Reference Task Group, including thoughts on the subcommittee’s role in developing MLA recommendations for aspects of the subject requiring input from music catalogers.

During our business meeting in New York, we welcomed David Sommerfield as the new Library of Congress liaison, replacing Joe Bartl, who has been an invaluable member of the subcommittee.  Subcommittee members volunteered to work with the Subcommittee on Descriptive Cataloging on the Cross-Reference Task Group recommendations.  The group brainstormed possible solutions to the problems that undifferentiated personal-name authority records cause when they become unique, in response to a discussion at the ACIG meeting at ALA Midwinter in Washington, D.C.  Mickey Koth, custodian of the Types of Composition document, reported that changes for the past year totaled eight pages.  Some terms await assessment.  The subcommittee decided to undertake a project to check the citations that justify the designation of a term as distinctive or generic, and to take a straw poll to see whether MLA members favored splitting the document up into alphabetically-distinguished pages.  Future directions for the group could include a survey of online systems to determine how well they do authority control, and work with the Automation Committee on a joint session on writing RFP’s (requests for proposals) for authority-control products and services.

The open meeting included a brief version of the report from the ACIG meeting mentioned above, highlighting the undifferentiated personal-name problem, the authorization for distribution of records containing the MARC character for the musical sharp (though not its use by LC or by OCLC participants), and the revised date of May 2001 for the appearance of full authority records in the LC ILS (amended on the spot by David Sommerfield to July).  Robert Freeborn, subcommittee member, announced the imminent appearance of an online annotated bibliography of resources for creating authority records for headings in audiovisual cataloging, being compiled by the OLAC CAPC.  He invited input from those present.  Mark Scharff, on behalf of Mickey Koth, solicited volunteers to assist her with compiling a list of Web resources for authority work and the development of 670 citation practices for the same; interested parties are invited to contact her at michelle.koth@yale.edu.  The remainder of the meeting was an open forum.  Edie Tibbits began by asking attendees to consider how online systems use or don’t use authority records for their various functions -- simple cross-reference, search redirection, agents of headings maintenance, aid to catalogers.  A wide-ranging discussion ensued with a healthy mix of opinions, questions, and opportunities for learning.

Members leaving the Subcommittee after the New York meeting are Rebecca Dean and Mark Scharff.  The new chair of the Subcommittee is Terry Simpkins, and two new members will be added subject to appointment by the MLA President.

Submitted by Mark Scharff

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Last updated March 14, 2001