Guidelines for Usage: NACO/LSP and LC

Guidelines for Usage: NACO/LSP and LC (Introduction)

The LC guidelines for authority records are issued with and intended to be used in conjunction with the USMARC Format for Authority Data. They were compiled by the Network Development and MARC Standards Office, with the assistance of personnel in the Cataloging Directorate of Collections Services.

Scope of LC guidelines:

The LC guidelines present information relating to two areas of usage in authority records:

usage pertaining to records contributed to the Library of Congress authority files by participants in the National Coordinated Cataloging Operations (NACO) via the Linked Systems Project (LSP); and,

usage pertaining to authority records created by the Library of Congress including those contributed by LC catalogers via LSP. Records created by LC include name, series, and subject authority records.

The guidelines were developed from various internal and published documents, including Authorities: A MARC Format, the National Level Authority Record, and the NACO/LSP Manual.

Direction for use of LC guidelines:

The LC guidelines for authority records should be used by institutions participating in NACO LSP that create authority records to be added to the Library of Congress authority files. The guidelines may also be used by institutions that need or want to know special LC practice in authority records.

At present, only Name and Series authority records are accepted from NACO participants via LSP. NACO LSP participants are instructed not to use those data elements that are appropriate only to Subject authority records.

These guidelines are intended to be used in conjunction with the USMARC Format for Authority Data. Data requirements that are not specific to NACO LSP and/or LC are presented only in the main text of the authorities format.

NACO LSP participants and Library of Congress staff creating authority records must also apply the appropriate procedures presented in various LC cataloging documents (e.g., the LC Descriptive Cataloging Manual). These related documents are not referenced in the USMARC Format for Authority Data nor in the LC guidelines for authority records. Cooperating institutions may also refer to the forthcoming NACO Participants Manual.

Organization of LC guidelines:

NACO LSP Usage is given first, with a list of data elements and explanatory text where appropriate. When there is no special NACO LSP usage, any data requirements detailed in the main text of the Authority format are still applicable.

LC Usage follows NACO LSP Usage. Some LC usage may be more restrictive than that prescribed for NACO LSP participants. NACO LSP participants may not necessarily be restricted from using specific data elements even though LC does not use them. These differences are noted when they occur.

Currency of information:

The LC Guidelines are current as of the 1993 edition of USMARC Format for Authority Data, published by the Library of Congress.

This on-line help:

There are two ways to access the LC Guidelines in this online help:

from the specific field or character position to which the guidelines apply

from the LC Guidelines for Usage listing of affected fields and character positions

Note: The LC Guidelines that apply to a specific field or character position can quickly be accessed by clicking the button in the topic's banner.