Skip to content

Authority Control in the Public Library

about this Video

Every heading and cross-reference in an authority record adds to your catalog’s web of access points, enhancing discovery and putting relevant content into a patron’s hands. Maintaining authorized name and subject headings across thousands or even millions of records is a perpetual challenge. Automation makes authority control manageable, but some librarians are hesitant to turn their catalogs over to a one-size-fits-all algorithm. We believe that partnering with an authority control vendor should give you more control over your catalog, not less. In this webinar, Backstage’s Casey Cheney explores factors that affect a public library’s authority control needs. She discusses common processing choices among our public library clients and how to select these options in your Backstage profile.

Related Content

Three Authority Control Procedures for a Perfect Fit

Three Authority Control Procedures for a Perfect Fit

We’ve discussed the importance of authority control in the past and how it acts as a principal access point into your catalog. How does it work? What steps have to…

Trust Your Technical Librarian, Authority Control is a Must!

Trust Your Technical Librarian, Authority Control is a Must!

Authority control can be a difficult concept to visualize for those who don’t encounter it regularly. Bibliographic records and authority records look very similar, but while a bibliographic record describes…

The Impact of Inclusivity in the Library Catalog

The Impact of Inclusivity in the Library Catalog

Your library can send powerful messages about how you value readers as individuals, especially if your collection acknowledges and respects the diversity of your local community. In 2019, the documentary…

Looking for Something?

Search our site below