1. Archival authority files and
the representation of literary
networks: first steps and
opportunities
Cataloguing Creativity, 15/11/2013:
Bill Stockting, British Library
2. www.bl.uk
Introduction
• Briefly review the data model,
standards and role of authority
records in the Library’s
Integrated Archives and
Manuscripts System - IAMS
• Demonstrate Authority records,
navigation and visualisation in:
– Library’s online catalogue -
SoCAM
– Social Networks and Archival
Context – SNAC - prototype
• Issues for cataloguing - more
questions than answers!
12. www.bl.uk
SNAC: The Social Networks and Archival
Context Project
• US project funded by Mellon
looking at researchers need to find
material relating to individuals
among distributed resources
• Archival and bibliographic data
from US, UK (Library and Archives
Hub) and France (BNF) merged to
single EAC-CPF record for each
entity with links to open data
sources such as VIAF
• Enhanced prototype due to be
available by March 2014 with more
data and enhanced visualisations
of personal networks
Site: http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/
Prototype:
http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/xtf/search
31. www.bl.uk
Cataloguing Issues:
• Important to note that
SNAC based on real
catalogue data - warts and
all:
– all normalisation
automatic
– no extra detailed
cataloguing or
transcription
• But portals such as SNAC
need rich, consistent and
well structured metadata so
compromises...
32. www.bl.uk
Legacy Data
• SNAC can’t use the
specificity the Library gives
for role in creation of
material – simply ‘creator’
not ‘author’ and ‘editor’ etc
• Library CPF authority data
has deficiencies:
– Duplicate records
– No life dates
– No links to NRA or VIAF
– No links to places or subjects
– Persistent identifiers in
development
• So work to do!
33. www.bl.uk
New Cataloguing
• The Library’s new cataloguing better
for sharing with portals such as
SNAC
• Developing authority file descriptions
unaffordable – not MPLP?
• No – a workflow rather than a
resource issue:
– Necessary research done anyway
during cataloguing
– Biographies can focus on material
being catalogued – not necessarily
whole life history
– Save thinking time in forming
‘perfect’ name by links to open data
such as VIAF
