> -----Original Message----- > From: J. McRee Elrod [mailto:m...@slc.bc.ca] > Sent: November-04-13 3:50 PM > To: Brenndorfer, Thomas > Cc: RDA-L@listserv.lac-bac.gc.ca > Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Qualifying access points > > > Thomas said: > > >I already make extensive use of that data in the new RDA-based MARC > >authority fields when checking authority records. RDA authority records > >are a delight to work with, even with the few odd updates to access > >points such as spelled out terms. > > > What good does recording this data in an authority record accomplish if > patrons have no access to it? Some libraries are adding "discovery layers" > which make no use of authorities at all.
If catalogs can't take people to authority records (and some can), Wikipedia doesn't seem to mind. It's just a question of programmers matching the data to the users. Here are some examples of what's possible when one sees the forest of possibilities: Authority data links from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_presley German DNB authority record for Elvis Presley (with all the RDA equivalent elements wonderfully accessible for any catalog user): http://d-nb.info/gnd/118596357/about/html WorldCat Identities (lots of attribute and relationship elements here, nicely meshed together without much thought to restrictions based on what can fit into a catalog based on 5X3 cards): http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n78-79487 LC authority data in id.loc.gov: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n78079487.html And more RDA goodness here and ready to be integrated when systems are ready: http://lccn.loc.gov/n78079487 Once the data is there then the sky's the limit. It's a web-based world now after all, and it's pure folly to not plan for it. Thomas Brenndorfer Guelph Public Library
