Chapter 5 Issues of Name Authority Control in the Cataloging of Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

SUMMARY Cataloging practice in providing personal names and corporate names as access points for print theses and dissertations (TDs) and for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) varies greatly. Likewise, authority control practice of these access points differs from institution to institution. Results of two relatively recent Autocat surveys revealed a wide range of practice in regard to authority control of these two types of access points for TD/ETDs. One of these surveys (conducted by the authors) also queried concerning membership in NACO (Name Authority Cooperative Program). The current study reviews the types of names (author, author's academic department, faculty advisor, committee members) that might be selected as access points in the TD/ETD catalog record and whether they should be under authority control. The authors provide a snapshot of NACO training and briefly describe the creation of Name Authority Records (NARs) for names of academic departments and for the student authors of TD/ETDs at Mississippi State University (MSU). The theses and dissertations program representative within the MSU library assisted in the implementation of a system for obtaining additional student information (preferred form of name and date of birth). Posted on a departmental drive, this information aids catalogers in creating unique personal name authority records. Implementation of authority control concepts such as those presented herein could improve access to TDs and ETDs.