Browse Authority Headings
To configure metadata, you must have one of the following roles:
- Cataloger
- Catalog Manager
- Catalog Administrator
Alma enables users to browse authority files for name and subject authority records. This browsing functionality displays both the preferred (
) and non-preferred terms in the authority record, clearly indicating which terms are preferred. Libraries can easily explore the authority files used in their cataloging workflows, access authority records, and view any linked bibliographic records.
) and non-preferred terms in the authority record, clearly indicating which terms are preferred. Libraries can easily explore the authority files used in their cataloging workflows, access authority records, and view any linked bibliographic records.Librarians can use this functionality to browse the authority vocabulary using a specific name or subject, even if they are unsure whether it is the preferred term or not. For librarians without cataloging privileges, the authority record browsing is a read-only capability. It is automatically enabled in all Alma roles, similar to the repository and authority searches.
Browsing Authority Headings
When utilizing Browsing Bibliographic Headings and Browse Authority Headings, the previously selected options from the drop-down menu are retained. Alma upholds the selected "Heading Type", along with the selected "Source Code" and "Vocabulary" for each respective type.
To browse authority headings:
- Open the authority headings browsing options in the MD Editor using one of the following methods:
- Select Browse Authority Headings (Resources > Cataloging > Browse Authority Headings). The MD Editor page appears with the authority headings browsing options.
-
Open the MD Editor (Resources > Cataloging > Open Metadata Editor), and select Browse Authority Headings in the Search & Browse menu.
- "Family" – If more than one active registry has been configured for your system, use this option to select the preferred registry (such as MARC 21, UNIMARC, or CNMARC) for browsing.
- Select the type of headings to browse from the below options.
When you select a headings type option, the page refreshes to display the appropriate options for the headings type selected. See the table below for a description of the headings type options.
Headings Type Options Headings Type Options Source Code – Select one of the following options:- Corporate Name
- Meeting Name
- Personal Name
- Event Name
- Uniform Title – This option appears when browse_headings_use_uniform_title_in_names is set to true. See browse_headings_use_uniform_title_in_names for more information.
Vocabulary – This options appears when there is more than one vocabulary defined for Names. The Names vocabularies that are searched for Browse Authority Headings is determined by the customer parameter set by Ex Libris for authority names. If more than one Names vocabulary is specified, the vocabularies appear in the drop-down list for this option. Use this option to select the vocabulary that you want to use for browsing authority headings.Search Value – Enter a names value for which you want to search.Subjects Vocabulary – Select one of the vocabularies from the available options in the drop-down list such as Library of Congress Subject Headings or U.S. National Library of Medicine, Medical Subject Headings. The options for locally defined vocabularies vary depending on which local vocabularies you have configured in your system. Source Code – Select one of the following options:- Chronological Term
- Genre/Form
- Geographic Name
- Medium of Performance
- Topical Term
Search Value – Enter a value for which you want to search. - Select Browse. The results appear in the following columns:
- Column 1 – An icon to indicate whether the authority heading is a preferred () or non-preferred term.
- Column 2 – The name or subject authority heading.
- Column 3 – A View button for viewing the complete authority record.
- Column 1 – An icon to indicate whether the authority heading is a preferred (
- Use the less than/greater than symbols (< >) to browse the list backward and forward. As you page backward and forward, the first row of the page you are viewing appears as the last row of the previous page.
- When you have located a headings record that you want to view in more detail, select View for that row. For bibliographic headings records identified with the authority
icon, the detail in the split-screen view displays both an Authority tab and a Bibliographic Records tab:
- The Authority tab presents the authority record.
- The Bibliographic Records tab shows the total number of bibliographic records found in parentheses. From the Bibliographic Records tab, you can view and/or edit the results. While viewing the bibliographic records, when there is more than one page, you can page forward and backward through the bibliographic records using the list page number or Greater Than < /Less Than > symbols.
