Using Authority Control

 

By installing Mandarin M3 Cataloging, Oasis users can manage authority records and access all of the Authority Control functionality available in M3. All authority record management, including importing, creating, and editing records, must be performed in M3 Cataloging. Changes made to authority or bibliographic records in M3 Cataloging are automatically and seamlessly implemented in Oasis.

 

Once M3 Cataloging is installed, Authority Control allows librarians to quickly link authorized name, subject, and series title authority headings to bibliographic records. Authority headings are created by national bibliographic agencies or other approved institutions for use in bibliographic records. Authorized name, name/title, and series (uniform title) headings adhere to AACR 2 or other descriptive cataloging rules, and authorized subject headings follow subject heading system/thesaurus conventions such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings or other agency subject systems.

 

Linking bibliographic records to headings provided by an authorized source ensures consistent, high quality terminology in a library’s records. This eliminates common problems such as variant versions of headings, which cause inconsistent search entry points. Authority Control also allows authorized users to create new headings and local authority records, increasing consistency in forms of headings and dramatically improving users’ access time.

 

Authority Control is site licensed per collection and there is no restriction on the number of workstations that can access it.