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In library science, authority control is a process that organizes library catalog and bibliographic information〔Block, Rick J. 1999. "Authority Control: What It Is and Why It Matters.", accessed March 30, 2006〕〔〕 by using a single, distinct name for each topic. The word ''authority'' in ''authority control'' derives from the idea that the names of people, places, things, and concepts are ''authorized,'' i.e., they are established in one particular form.〔Note: root words for both ''author'' and ''authority'' are words such as ''auctor'' or ''autor'' and ''autorite'' from the 13th century.〕 These one-of-a-kind headings are applied consistently throughout the catalog, and work with other organizing data such as linkages and cross references.〔〔〕 Each heading is described briefly in terms of its scope and usage, and this organization helps the library staff maintain the catalog and make it user-friendly for researchers.〔 Cataloguers assign each subject—such as an author, book, series or corporation—a particular unique heading term which is then used consistently, uniquely, and unambiguously to describe all references to that same subject, even if there are variations such as different spellings, pen names, or aliases. The unique header can guide users to all relevant information including related or collocated subjects.〔 Authority records can be combined into a database and called an authority file, and maintaining and updating these files as well as "logical linkages" to other files within them is the work of librarians and other information cataloguers. Accordingly, authority control is an example of controlled vocabulary and of bibliographic control. While in theory any piece of information is amenable to authority control such as personal and corporate names, uniform titles, series names, and subjects,〔 library cataloguers typically focus on author names and book titles. Subject headings from the Library of Congress fulfill a function similar to authority records, although they are usually considered separately. As time passes, information changes, prompting needs for reorganization. According to one view, authority control is not about creating a perfect seamless system but rather it is an ongoing effort to keep up with these changes and try to bring "structure and order" to the task of helping users find information.〔 ==Benefits of authority control== * ''Better researching''. Authority control helps researchers get a handle on a specific subject with less wasted effort.〔 A well-designed digital catalog/database enables a researcher to query a few words of an entry to bring up the already established term or phrase, thus improving accuracy and saving time.〔 * ''Makes searching more predictable''. It can be used in conjunction with keyword searching using "and" or "not" or "or" or other Boolean operators on a web browser.〔 It increases chances that a given search will return relevant items. * ''Consistency of records''.〔Burger, Robert H. Authority Work: the Creation, Use, Maintenance and Evaluation of Authority Records and Files. Littleton, Colo. : Libraries Unlimited, 1985〕〔Clack, Doris Hargrett. Authority Control: Principles, Applications, and Instructions. Chicago : American Library Association, 1990.〕〔Maxwell, Robert L. Maxwell's Guide to Authority Work. Chicago : American Library Association, 2002.〕 * ''Organization and structure of information''.〔 * ''Efficiency for cataloguers''. The process of authority control is not only of great help to researchers searching for a particular subject to study, but it can help cataloguers organize information as well. Cataloguers can use authority records when trying to categorize new items, since they can see which records have already been catalogued and can therefore avoid unnecessary work.〔〔 * ''Maximises library resources''.〔 * ''Easier to maintain the catalog''. It enables cataloguers to detect and correct errors. In some instances, software programs support workers tasked with maintaining the catalog to do ongoing tasks such as automated clean-up.〔 It helps creators and users of metadata.〔 * ''Fewer errors''. It can help catch errors caused by typos or misspellings which can sometimes accumulate over time, sometimes known as ''quality drift''. For example, machines can catch misspellings such as "Elementary school techers" and "Pumpkilns" which can then be corrected by library staff. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Authority control」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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