[Dspace-general] Authority files

[Jeffrey Trimble]

MacKenzie, et al.,

While I understand the issues below, I'd like to place out on the  
table for
discussion some ways in which we could creatively "push the envelope"
for development in this area.

First, some assumptions to be mentioned, and then some suggestions:

1.  There is not DC or QDC for authority data.

2.  Authority data currently is stored in either MARC21 format or in  
some type
of XML format using MARC21 schema for example.

3.  Current DSpace Postgres is not storing the data in QDC or DC.  Only
upon item export is the data formatted in DC/MODS, etc.

Suggestions/possibilities:

1.  Create tables in Postgres to store authority data.  (i.e.,  
authors, and
their cross references (see and see alsos).  (Subject headings, and  
their
appropriate thesaurie).

2.  Records could be imported using our regular import tools--of course
with some adjustments.  Crosswalking from MARC21 to DC is a bit a  
problem
but there are tools out there to do that.  And of course, manual  
creation
via our usual UI (jsp or Manakin)

3.  Integrate these tables into the browse indexes as "informational  
headings"
for the established term, and cross references for the "see" and "see  
also" terms.


Since DC or QDC has no define structure for authority records,  
perhaps it is time
to think outside the box.  Yes, I am aware of the newer features in  
DSpace 1.4.x
that can give browse-ability to theasuri, but how many theasuri are  
in the format
specified?  (LCSH, MeSH, and AAT are not).

We are thinking of having a student manually code a file with AAT in  
it, but that
file will be MASSIVE to say the least.  And then someone will want me  
to have
LCSH coded into XML for their use.

While it was at least 5 to 10 years before authority control caught  
on with library
ILS vendors back in the 1980s/1990s, this should be given great  
consideration
for IRs since hind sight is 20/20, and many libraries are still  
cleaning up the
messes caused by the lack of authority control.

Jeffrey Trimble
Systems Librarian
Maag Library
Youngstown State University
jtrimble at cc.ysu.edu


On Sep 24, 2007, at 6:27 PM, MacKenzie Smith wrote:

> Hi Glen,
>
> I apologize for not replying earlier. As far as I know, there is no
> general approach to name authority control via the DSpace  
> submission UI
> today. You're probably remembering the experiment we did with OCLC  
> using
> their name authority Web Service, which worked quite well except  
> for the
> fact that most of our DSpace submitters aren't published book  
> authors so
> they weren't in the authority file. That's the main problem with
> authority control in IRs... who has the authoritative list of names?
>
> If you have a name authority list to use, then if it's small you could
> make the author field a drop-down list. If it's large (as I'm sure  
> it is
> in your case) then you would need a Web Service like OCLC's that
> contained all your names.  MIT is working on something like that with
> our campus HR system, but we don't have it working yet -- maybe in six
> months? And if it works here then you might be able to do something
> similar for your own institution.
>
> Best,
>
> MacKenzie
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Has anyone made better progress on the incorporation of local
>> authority files into Dspace?  Or has anyone solved the duplication of
>> local names within Dspace in a semi-automated way?
>>
>> I remember the discussion of authority files on this listerv back in
>> late 2005 (see
>> http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/dspace-general/2005-December/ 
>> 000802.html)
>> and I was curious if there was any update.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Glen
>>
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> ---
>>
>> *Glen Wiley
>> Metadata Librarian
>> *Metadata Services
>> 107E Olin Library
>> Cornell University
>> Ithaca, NY 14853
>> --/ Our Vision is to be internationally recognized and respected as a
>> center of metadata expertise. --
>> /gsw55 at cornell.edu
>> 607-254-5445
>> http://metadata.library.cornell.edu/
>>
> -- 
> MacKenzie Smith
> Associate Director for Technology
> MIT Libraries
>
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