Searching the UNICORN Authority File

The authority file and the bibliographic file are separate (as they are in RLIN).

**If you use the House or Binoculars buttons in WorkFlows you will only be searching Bibliographic records.

The authority file itself has also been divided into several separate indexes. The two you will use most often are: NAME and SUBJECT (similar to RLIN).

Searching in the AUTHORITY FILE:

When you begin searching the authority file you will have to select the appropriate index for your heading.

The NAME index contains all authority records with main heading tags:

1. 100 Personal Names, Name and Title's
2. 110 Corporate Names
3. 111 Meeting Names
4. 130 Uniform Titles, Series Titles
5. 151 Geographic Names (it does not matter if the term is considered a subject or a name by LC, all of the records with a 151 tag are in the name file)

The SUBJECT index contains all authority records with main heading tags:

1. 150 Subject Terms

The main heading tag determines to which index that heading and any cross references on that record will be posted. Cross references irrespective of tag, will be posted to the index in which the main heading resides. Note: This only applies to the authority indexes that are used in the tech side of workflows, in the bibliographic/public indexes references and cross references post to the correct (i.e. subject, author, etc.) indexes depending on their tag.

Example:

Authority Record: 040: : UPB|cUPB

130: 0: Book of Mormon|xAnimals

450: 0: Animals in the Book of Mormon

This authority record has a main heading tag of 130; therefore, the main heading will be posted to the NAME index. The 450 cross reference will also be posted to the NAME index; it will not be cross posted to the SUBJECT index. Because of this, you may need to use your go back button and reexecute your search to determine that you have found all the cross references in the authority file.

4XX (see) references will post to the authority indexes.

5XX (see also) references do not post in the authority indexes they only post on bibliographic /public searches.

There are two ways to search the Authority file:

DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY and BROWSE AUTHORITY

DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY

Here you can search for authority records using the authority ID number or an exact match text string. This search is great if you know exactly what you want. If you do not know the exact heading or the authority ID number this is not a good search.

Use the DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY search if:

you want to find an authority record and you know the Authority record ID number

or if you want to find an authority record and you know the exact form of the 1XX field

Do not use the DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY search if:

you are unsure of the exact form of the 1XX

or if you are unsure if the heading has been established in a fuller form or if more information was added to the heading

or if you want to look at the authority record for a main heading as well as all the subdivisions the main heading has used.

With the DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY search you can do two types of searches: the Authority ID search and the term search.

To perform a DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY Authority ID search:

1. Click on the <Shield Magnifying Glass> Button or use the pull down menu <Command/Verb/Display1/Authority>
2. Enter the Authority ID number in the authority ID box
3. Press Enter
4. Click Close when completed

Note: When doing a DISPALY1 AUTHORITY Authority ID search it is not necessary to select which authority index needs to be searched, all authority ID's are unique and they are not dependent upon authority indexes.

Practice:

Find the following authority records by Authority ID number and write down the main heading that appears at the top of the screen across from the Authority ID number:

XX581589 _________________________________________________

N84078326 _________________________________________________

SH85038823 ________________________________________________

To perform a DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY term search:

1. Click on the <Shield Magnifying Glass> Button or use the pull down menu <Command/Verb/Display1/Authority>
2. Type the exact heading you wish to find in the term box
3. Use the scroll down box to select the index (NAME or SUBJECT) you wish to search
4. Press Enter
5. Click on Close when completed

Find the following headings and write down the Authority ID number. This is exactly how these headings appear in the authority file. Note: When using the DISPLAY1 AUTHORITY term search, punctuation marks and subfield marks have no affect on your search, you may or may not use them, as they will make no difference in the search.

Red badge mystery (Boston, Mass.) ________________________

Cahn, Edmond Nathaniel,|d1906-1964 ________________________

Cats on postage stamps _____________________

BROWSE AUTHORITY

Here you can search the Authority file if you are unsure of the exact heading you need or if you are unsure if the heading on the bibliographic record is correct. This search takes the search terms you give the computer and then puts you into the middle of the long list of authority records in the database.

Use the BROWSE AUTHORITY search if:

you are unsure what the exact main heading is on the authority record

or if you are unsure if the heading on the bibliographic record is correct

or if you believe that what you are searching for may be a cross reference on an authority record

or if you want to look at a list of headings to see how subdivisions or titles are used in conjunction with a heading.

Do not use the BROWSE AUTHORITY search if:

you know the Authority ID number

or if you know exactly how the heading you are searching for appears.

To perform a BROWSE AUTHORITY search:

1. Use the pull down menu Command/Objects/Authority/Browse or the pull down menu Command/Verbs/Browse/Authority
2. Use the scroll down box to select the index (NAME or SUBJECT) you wish to search
3. Type the terms you are looking for into the heading ==> box
4. Press Enter
5. Double click on the heading to show the record
6. Press the Forward Arrow button to move forward in the list
7. Press the Backward Arrow button to move backward in the list
8. Press the GoBack Arrow button to return to the previous screen and the main browse authority screen.

Reading the Browse Authority Screen:

When you perform a Browse Authority search a screen with three columns appear.

1. The first column lists the number of records on the screen.
2. The second column has a code that indicates whether the heading in the third column is the authorized term or a cross reference.

* = the term is from a 1XX (main heading) field

? = the term is from a 4XX (see) field

blank =the term is from a reference record

1. The third column consists of the headings found in the search.

Practice:

Find an authority record for the following and write down the Authority ID number.

Richards, Alfred N. born in 1876 _______________________________

Bobbsey twins books _______________________

Rattan furniture ______________________________

Rattan furniture industry _____________________________