Technical Services Division
Cataloging and Metadata Department

Authorities and Metadata Quality Unit

The Authorities and Metadata Quality Unit of the Cataloging and Metadata Department is responsible for reviewing and revising the forms of names, subjects, and series headings used in current cataloging and also for maintaining the authority structure for all headings used in the UF catalogs. Heading forms are dynamic and changes are received weekly from Library of Congress (LC) revised authority records. These revisions can affect cataloging records for even the oldest titles held by the Library.  Reports generated by the Florida Center for Library Automation (FCLA) assist the unit in accomplishing its tasks.  Other authority activities in the Department include NACO and SACO and assisting the Digital Library Center with issues on authority control for digital projects.

The unit is also responsible for batchloading MARC records acquired in bulk (including e-resources) in to the library's catalog using GenLoad, the ALEPH dataload client developed by FCLA.  We keep track of the number of records loaded in to the catalog in the Batchloads Spreadsheet, 2004-.  The unit is also responsible for maintaining data quality control for these records.

 

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Unit Staff and the Services they Provide:

Priscilla Williams (Head, Authorities and Metadata Quality Unit, 1.0 fte.): Manages the Authorities and Metadata Quality Unit of the Cataloging and Metadata Department.  Responsibilities include reviewing and revising the forms of names, subjects and series headings used in current cataloging and also for maintaining the authority structure for all headings used in the UF catalog; maintaining data quality control for e-resources including assisting the Digital Library Center with issues on authority control for digital projects; managing the workflow for microform analytics; coordinating the outsourcing of foreign language materials. Also responsible for coordinating activities for the Name Authority (NACO) and Bibliographic (BIBCO) national cooperative programs.

Works with FCLA on current authority control issues to update authorities in ALEPH to support UF and also the CSUL for reporting and global change capabilities that impact the work of the unit. Currently deletes series in the UFU10 ALEPH local authority file that match the LC treatment; monitors the linkage to the LC Production file.

Jackie Heiland (Library Associate I, .30 fte): Jackie spends her 0.30 FTE in the Authorities and Metadata Quality Unit working with the Library of Congress Subject Authority file (LCSH) eror reports/updates to make the necessary corrections to changed or revised LCSH headings to update our catalog.  She works on cleaning up split files by correcting personal name headings that match cross references in authority records by going systematically through the ALEPH browse index; and also on correcting typos from the BALLARD mispellings list; and assists with name authority projects to support the DLC, when needed.  Jackie also assists the unit with batchloading MARC records in to the library’s catalog using FCLA’s ALEPH GenLoad loader.

Gerald Langford (Library Associate II, 1.0 fte): Responsible for batchloading MARC records acquired in bulk for e-resources in to the library’s catalog, as well as MARCIVE records for government documents; and microform analytics.  Loads records with added tables of contents and records for shelf-ready material so that existing records are overlaid.  Assists the unit in its responsibility to maintain the authority structure for all headings used in the UF catalog, and also in the other CSUL catalogs.  Assists the unit head with deleting series in the UFU10 ALEPH local authority file that match the LC treatment; monitors the linkage to the LC Production file.

(Vacant) (Digital Projects Metadata Librarian, 1.0 fte): Works closely with the Digital Library Center, and the Systems Department in conjunction with the Cataloging and Metadata Department to establish and refine associated workflows; investigating and implementing authority control mechanisms to enhance patron access to the library’s digital collections. This librarian is also responsible for documenting workflow procedures for creating digital materials that need cataloging.  Documenting associated workflows for DLC cataloging projects is challenging due to the array of DLC projects needing a different cataloging approach due to specifications of the project. DLC-CatMet Workflows.

IGI

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Annual Reports:

2006/2007,2005/2006, 2004/2005, 2003/2004,2002/2003, 2001/2002, 2000/2001, 1999/2000, 1998/1999, 1997/1998

Goals & Objectives:

 2007/2008 2006/2007 2005/2006  2004/2005

Professional Reading:

Collaborative Project: Managing Authority Lists for Customized Linking and Visualization: a service for the STEM Digital Libraryhttp://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Articles/nsdl-alist.html

Technical report: The Perseus American Collection 1.0 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/%7Egcrane/americancoll.12.2005.pdf

Finding a catalog

http://www.cs.umass.edu/~mimno/papers/JCDL2005/f74-mimno.pdf Authority Control in Academic Libraries in the United States: A Survey
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=57215