Create an Authority Record

You can create authority records in Leap if you have the Authority records: Create permission enabled in Polaris System Administration (web-based). For more information about cataloging permissions, see Cataloging Permissions Reference.

Tip:
You can use keyboard shortcuts to catalog MARC records without using the mouse. See Keyboard Shortcuts for a list of all available shortcuts.

  1. Select New > Authority Record.

    A New Authority Record dialog appears.

  2. (Optional) If you want to use a template to create the new record, select a template from the Authority Record Template list. By default, no template is selected.

    Note:
    For more information about record templates, search for "Using Cataloging Templates" in the Polaris staff client help.

  3. Select OK.

    The New Authority Record workform appears. If you are using a template, the workform displays the MARC fields specified in the template. If you are not using a template, the workform displays the following fields:

    • Leader
    • 008 field

  4. Add or edit MARC tag data by doing one or more of the following:

    You can edit the Leader and the 008 control field. You cannot edit the 001 tag (Control Number) or the 005 tag (Date and Time of Latest Transaction).

    To edit the Leader or the 008 control field

    1. Select the arrow Arrow icon next to the field you want to edit.

      The view expands to display editable fields that correspond to the MARC field you selected.

      Note:
      You can also edit 008 field data without expanding the view.

      Editing the Leader in an authority record

    2. Edit MARC data.

    3. Select OK to collapse the editable fields and retain your changes.

    To edit a data field tag

    1. Select the tag you want to edit.

      Editing tag data in an authority record

      Note:
      If you have enabled MARC format hints, an information icon Information icon appears next to the tag number. Select the icon to see information about the valid MARC subfield definitions for a tag. For more information, see Set Workform User Defaults.

    2. Edit any of the following elements of the tag data:

      • Tag number
      • First indicator value
      • Second indicator value
      • Subfield data

    You can add an 008 control field to the authority record only if the record does not already contain one.

    To add an 008 control field

    1. Select the plus sign Plus sign icon next to a control field.

      Leap adds a new control field below the existing one.

      Adding an 008 field to an authority record

    2. Enter the control field number (008).

    3. Select the arrow Arrow icon next to the new 008 field.

      The view expands to display editable fields that correspond to the control field number.

      Note:
      You can also edit 008 field data without expanding the view.

    4. Edit MARC data.
    5. Select OK to collapse the editable fields and retain your changes.

    To add a data field tag

    1. Select the plus sign Plus sign icon next to a data field tag.

      Leap adds a new tag below the existing one.

      Adding a data field tag in an authority record

    2. Enter tag data:

      • Tag number
      • First indicator value
      • Second indicator value
      • Subfield data

      Note:
      If you have enabled MARC format hints, an information icon Information icon appears next to the tag number. Select the icon to see information about the valid MARC subfield definitions for a tag. For more information, see Set Workform User Defaults.

    Note:
    If your library has enabled automatic MARC tag sorting for authority records, Leap sorts the tags in the authority record in the order specified in the MARC validation profile when you save the record. You don't need to manually reorder tags, and Leap doesn't save any changes to the tag order that you make manually. (An exception to this rule is that if a tag is repeated -- for example, if a record contains three 100 tags -- you can reorder the repeated tags.) For more information about automatic tag sorting, search for "Turn Automatic MARC Tag Sorting On or Off" in the Polaris staff client help.

    If your library has not enabled automatic MARC tag sorting for authority records, you can change the order of the MARC tags in an authority record. The following conditions apply:

    • You can't move the Leader, the 001 tag, or the 005 tag.
    • You can't move an 008 control field below a data field tag. You also can't move a data field tag above an 008 control field.

    To reorder tags in the authority record

    • Select the up arrow or the down arrow next to a tag.

      Leap moves the tag up or down.

    You can't delete the 001 tag, the 005 tag, or any tag that your library has defined as a required authority record tag. For more information about required tags, search for "Administering MARC Validation and Display" in the Polaris staff client help.

    To delete a tag

    • Select the minus sign next to a tag.

      Leap deletes the tag.

  5. Select SAVE to save the new record to the database.

    Leap performs record validation and duplicate detection and then saves the record. For more information, see Authority Record Validation and Duplicate Checking.