Thanks. Nate.

“Our fix will examine each deleted authority for every client and check whether it was later updated by a new heading that came through during processing. Using this method, we can identify the authorities that should actually not be designated as deletes any longer and should have been reinstated in your master authority file. Then we will deliver to you the updated former deleted authority records to load into your system. The other part of our fix is to ensure that any future deletes you send us will only apply as long as a new bib heading doesn’t come along and reinstate that deleted authority.”

Will this process ensure that we don’t end up with blind references (authority records loaded into our local system; but we don’t have any bibs using them as headings) in our local systems?

Lihong Zhu
Head, Technical Services
Washington State University Libraries
P.O. Box 645610, Pullman, WA 99164-5610
E-mail: lzhu2@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 335-7769
Fax: (509) 335-9589

From: bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Nate Cothran
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 2:47 PM
To: 'Backstage Library Works Authority Contol Listserv'
Subject: Re: [BSLWAC] Handling Deletes...

As part of our fix for this delete issue, I wanted to let you know what our plan is.

Our system keeps track of when a record was submitted to us by a client as a delete. It also keeps track of when that deleted authority was updated again. For example, say “Smith Jones, Heather” was deleted back in 2010, but a new bib heading was sent through in early 2011. Unfortunately our system still treats the new bib heading as if it was a delete, but it will reinstate the usage on that authority based on the bib heading being matched against.

Our fix will examine each deleted authority for every client and check whether it was later updated by a new heading that came through during processing. Using this method, we can identify the authorities that should actually not be designated as deletes any longer and should have been reinstated in your master authority file. Then we will deliver to you the updated former deleted authority records to load into your system. The other part of our fix is to ensure that any future deletes you send us will only apply as long as a new bib heading doesn’t come along and reinstate that deleted authority.

I don’t think I made this part of our fix and the issue as clear as I needed to yesterday. This fix will retroactively address any deletes you have sent us that should have been reinstated based on new headings processed, but haven’t yet.

Nate Cothran

Backstage Library Works

From: bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Nate Cothran
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 4:12 PM
To: 'Backstage Library Works Authority Contol Listserv'
Subject: Re: [BSLWAC] Handling Deletes...

Lihong, that is the issue we are working on fixing this month. If an authority has been previously deleted, yet a new bib is sent for processing which contains that previously deleted authority or usage, our system is still currently treating the authority or usage as deleted. The fix we are working on will reinstate the usage or authority status so that you would start receiving the updates to that authority again.

Nate Cothran

Backstage Library Works

From: bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Zhu, Lihong
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 4:06 PM
To: Backstage Library Works Authority Contol Listserv
Subject: Re: [BSLWAC] Handling Deletes...

Thanks for the information. I have one follow-up question just to clarify:

When we delete an authority record used as name in our local system, we will include LCCN of that record in the lists of our locally-deleted authority records to BackStage indicating its usage as name. Backstage will shut it into “ghost-like” status. If we have a new bib using that authority record as name in our local system, when we send that bib for quarterly authority processing, BackStage will send that authority record to us again in the file for us to load into our local system. Is my understanding correct? Thanks.

Lihong Zhu
Head, Technical Services
Washington State University Libraries
P.O. Box 645610, Pullman, WA 99164-5610
E-mail: lzhu2@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 335-7769
Fax: (509) 335-9589

From: bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Nate Cothran
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 2:41 PM
To: 'Backstage Library Works Authority Contol Listserv'
Subject: Re: [BSLWAC] Handling Deletes...

Bill, thank you for bringing up your concern about the way deletes are handled at Backstage. This particular issue is currently on our to-do list with the expectation that it will be fixed by the end of March 2011.

Since authorities can contain multiple usages, our system will first attempt to remove the particular usage as designated by the client. So if a client sends in a deleted authority / LCCN for a name usage and the authority is valid for both name and subject, our system will only remove the name usage from that authority record, for that particular client.

For example, “Smith Jones, Heather” [n 2010048612] is valid as both a Name and Subject authority. If a client sends in this LCCN as a name delete, our system will remove only the name usage from the authority. Then when LC makes an update to this authority and we happen to send our updates to this particular client separated by names and subjects, the system would only send the update in the subject file. To the client and our system, the name usage is no longer valid for that particular authority.

If a client sends us an LCCN that contains multiple usages but doesn’t instruct us how to apply the delete, our system will remove all usages from the authority record. As Bill pointed out, it does shunt the deleted authority record into a “ghost” like status. The primary reason it does this is to provide us with a detailed log of what happened to the authority each time it was updated (either by LC or by Backstage / Clients). This helps us track down the history of changes to authorities in case our clients ask us for those details. We can isolate exactly when a specific authority was last updated, the type of update, and the previous and subsequent changes for that authority.

The issue Bill brings up is what we have in our queue and plan on implementing the fix for later this month. Once a record is marked as delete, if a bib heading comes through that matches that authority, it should clear the delete flag and set the appropriate usage. Also if we get a list of client updates (either records or LCCNs) and a deleted record is “added”, the delete flag should be removed and the appropriate usage set. So this would make it possible for clients that have sent in deletes to authorities reinstate either the full authority or the usages for that authority if they send through a new bib with that previously deleted usage / authority.

Nate Cothran

Backstage Library Works

From: bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:bslwac-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Bill Kelm
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 2:35 PM
To: bslwac@mailman.xmission.com
Subject: [BSLWAC] Handling Deletes...

I just have a processing question for libraries that use Backstage. Do you send your authority deletes to them? We are pondering not doing it, after we have learned that by sending them in and letting them know they are deletes they are appropriately marked as deleted on the Backstage end.

However, they do not really delete them on their end, they get a special almost "ghost" like status. So they never get unmarked as deleted should we acquire a bib that needs the heading.

Has anyone else found a way to deal with this problem?

Thanks,
Bill Kelm

--

Bill G. Kelm - Systems Librarian

Willamette University Library

900 State Street - Salem, OR 97301

Phone: 503-375-5332   Fax: 503-370-6141

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