Adding an Authority Record

IMPORTANT: To add authority records in bulk, contact your system administrator and tell them that they can use this script: misc/migration_tools/bulkauthimport.pl

• Click 'New Authority'
• Choose the type of authority record you would like to add to your system
  • Tip: To alter this list you need to make changes to your system parameters
    • Get there:Home > Administration > MARC Authorities framework
• Continue with cataloging your authorities

Altering Authorities Records

• Search for the Authority
• Click on the summary for the record you want to edit
• Click 'Edit' at the top left

Adding Authorities to a record

There are three ways to add authorities to a record:

• query authority file when adding/editing a record (during cataloging)
• enable Koha to auto-detect authority records when a record is saved
• library maintains its own authority records based on the dataset

Here are details on these options:

Query authority file when adding/editing a record (during cataloging)

The Bibliographic editor allows queries to the authority file at the add/edit stage of a record, so that cataloging staff can create the links between a bibliographic and authority record when they are cataloging.

If you wish to provide access to authority records for a given subfield -- MARC 21's 700a subfield, for instance, to make sure an author's name is available in an added entry in its approved form -- you will need to create a subfield "9" for that tag (e.g. tag 700, subfield 9).  This is done by adding the subfield via the 'Authority types' administration module.

• Get there: More > Administration > Authority types
  • TIP: Make sure this subfield is managed in the same tab as the other managed subfields for this tag, and then click the "hidden" checkbox so it will not be displayed with the rest of the record.

Koha uses subfield 9 to store the link between a bibliographic record and an authority record.

When the catalogers are adding a record, they will see three dots (...) after the textbox of the 700a subfield (or any field you have chosen to add a subfield 9 to). Clicking on these dots will open a pop-up window allowing the cataloger to search your authority records for a standardized version of the author's name. If the desired name is found in your authority records, it can be automatically copied into the 700a subfield. (If the desired name is not found, the cataloger can enter the name manually.)

Auto-detection of authority records when a record is saved

Alternatively, the library can opt into the auto-detection of authority records when a record is saved.  This is done by turning the 'BiblioAddsAuthorities' system preference on.

• Get there: More > Administration > Global preferences > Authorities > BiblioAddsAuthorities

Library-maintained authority records

A third option allows libraries to maintain their own authority records based on the dataset; many libraries prefer not to enable that option because it creates 'ghost' authority records in the system. It's up to the library (or group) which options to enable, or disable.