ArchivesSpace Agent and Subject Records: Best Practices

Created by YAMS ArchivesSpace Agents and Subjects Task Force, February 2017; revised September 2017, February 2019, and March 2022

• Introduction

• Resource and Catalog Records Requirements

• Identifying Existing Agent and Subject Records

• Importing Records into ArchivesSpace

  1. Import LCNAF and LCSH records using the ArchivesSpace import plugin

  2. Edit imported agent records

  3. Edit imported subject records

• Merging Records

• Editing Records

• Creating New Agent Records

• Creating New Subject Records

Introduction

These best practices were developed in 2017 by the ArchivesSpace Agents and Subjects Task Force, a subgroup of the Yale Archival Management Systems Committee charged with establishing cross-repository control of names and subjects in Yale’s ArchivesSpace database. This document was revised in 2019 February, with revised instructions for creating new records, and new instructions for identifying existing records, importing LCNAF and LCSH authority records, and merging duplicate records.

During 2017-2018, the agent and subject records created before the 2017 July implementation of these best practices were revised, after which the ArchivesSpace Agents and Subjects Task Force identified and merged or deleted circa 55,000 duplicate records. Most of this revision and merging was done via batch processing; remaining duplicate records may be identified and merged as needed by YUL staff, according to procedures outlined below. These procedures assume familiarity with ArchivesSpace resource editing and linking, and with your repository’s local practice. For more guidance, consult with your supervisor.

This document is maintained by Yale Archival Management Systems Committee (YAMS). Please direct comments to the current chair(s) of YAMS.

Resource and Catalog Records Requirements

Resource records for finding aids and their associated collection-level catalog records must meet the following requirements:

• Each resource record in ArchivesSpace must have a corresponding collection-level record in Voyager. The following elements are required for cross-referencing resource records and catalog records:

  • In Voyager (035 ‡9 field) enter the ArchivesSpace EAD ID, in this format: (YUL)ead.[repository id].[ead id]
    Examples: 035 ‡9 (YUL)ead.beinecke.livingston 035 ‡9 (YUL)ead.divinity.196

  • In ArchivesSpace (end of Basic Information section) enter the Voyager Bib ID. The Bib ID may be copied from an 035 field added during Backstage authority processing.

• Only create agent and subject records that you will link to finding aids. Finding aid resources must include links to all agent and subject records corresponding to the following:

  • Collection-level catalog records: all 1xx, 6xx, and 7xx fields

  • Other levels of description: follow your repository’s local practice

For general instructions on linking agent and subject records to finding aids, see the Linking Records section in the ArchivesSpace at Yale: User Manual.

Identifying Existing Agent and Subject Records

Search for records already in ArchivesSpace and prefer authority records displaying the following sources:

• Agents: LCNAF (identifiable by an URI in Authority ID field: id.loc.gov)

• Subject, topical, geographic, or occupation: LCSH (identifiable by an URI in Authority ID field: id.loc.gov)

• Subject, genre: AAT (identifiable by an URI in Authority ID field: vocab.getty.edu/aat/) Merge any duplicate local records in ArchivesSpace into the preferred authority record.

If no authority record is found in ArchivesSpace but one exists in LC, AAT, or another source, search and import a new record into ArchivesSpace:

• Agents: search and import, using the LC import plugin

• Subjects, topical, geographic, or occupation: search and import, using the LC import plugin

• Subjects, genre: search AAT website and create new record manually

• If no LC or AAT authority is found, optionally, in accordance with your repository’s local practice, search instead Union List of Artist Names or other authority databases and manually create a new agent record or new subject record

Merge any duplicate local records in ArchivesSpace into the imported or manually-created authority record.

If no authority record is found in any source, determine if a local record exists in ArchivesSpace:

• Verify personal and corporate identities:

  • Review usage in existing finding aids in Archives at Yale.

  • Consult staff at other YUL repositories as needed

If no authority record or local ArchivesSpace record is found, manually create a new agent record or new subject record.

Importing Records into ArchivesSpace

Import LCNAF and LCSH records using the ArchivesSpace import plugin

• In ArchivesSpace, click on the gear icon next to repository code on upper right

• Click on Plugins

• Choose LCNAF import

• Choose either LCNAF or LCSH button. For names with both LCNAF and LCSH forms, note the following:

  • Corporate names: use LCNAF Example: United Nations (name authority record identifier: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79021345)

  • Family names: use LCSH Example: Pease family (subject authority record URI: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85099077)

• Enter search terms

  • Search personal names in this form: [last name], [first name]

• If a record is found, click Select

• Click Import

• After redirect to jobs page, wait until job has completed

• Click Refresh page

• Scroll to “New & Modified Records” and open record

• Click Edit, and edit fields as shown below

Edit imported agent records

• Authority ID field: change the imported authority record identifier to a LC linked data URI by preceding the identifier with: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/ Example:

  • Imported authority record identifier: n85286106

  • Authority ID field: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85286106

• If information is imported into the Dates of Existence fields, edit the following:

  • Begin and End fields verify or edit so that dates are in standard form: YYYY, YYYY-MM, or YYYY-MM-DD

  • After entering dates in standard form in Begin and End fields, delete Expression field

• For name/title records, edit title in Qualifier field:

  • Delete subfield labels supplied by ASpace

  • Verify subfields and subfield order in conformance with LCNAF

  • Enter subfield delimiters, in this format: $[x]:

  • Delete extra periods at ends of subfields Example: LCNAF: ‡a Brahms, Johannes, ‡d 1833-1897. ‡t Gesänge, ‡n op. 72. ‡p: Alte Liebe Qualifier field, as imported: Number of part/section of a work: op. 72.. Name of a part/section of a work: Alte Liebe. Title of work: Gesänge,. Qualifier field, edited: $t: Gesänge, $n: op. 72. $p: Alte Liebe

Edit imported subject records

• Authority ID field: change the imported authority record identifier to a LC linked data URI by preceding the identifier with: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/ Example:

  • Imported authority record identifier: sh85099077

  • LC linked data URI Authority ID field: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85004336

• Optionally, if there is potentially outdated or harmful language used in the subject record scope note, consult with the Reparative Archival Description Working Group (RAD) by contacting its chair. RAD will work with you to potentially identify a local revision to the scope note. Once that has been determined, RAD will follow these steps:

  • Edit the scope note to reflect locally-preferred language.

  • Add the following boilerplate text at the end of the scope note: This Library of Congress Subject Headings scope note was edited for local use in Archives at Yale by Yale University Library staff in [YEAR] to address outdated or harmful descriptive language. For more information, see the Yale Statement on Harmful Language in Archival Description: https://guides.library.yale.edu/specialcollections/statementondescription

  • Announce and document the change by:

    • Recording it in AMDECO meeting minutes as an update

    • Logging it via a list on the RAD LibGuide (to be set up as RAD sees fit, or documented as the A&I AG suggests)

Merging Records

To merge duplicates into a preferred authority or local record:

• In ArchivesSpace, open the preferred record

• Click Merge (located to the left of the red Delete box)

• Click the down arrow to the right of the search box and choose Browse

• Search for name to merge into the preferred record

• Select the correct record by checking the box to the the left of the name, and click Link to Agents

• Do not select for merging any names followed by work titles or other subfields (i.e., $v Portraits)

• Click Merge button (below selection) and Merge again (in pop-up box)

After merging, resources linked to both records are now all linked to the preferred record. Please note that when merging an agent record into another agent record, if the agent record that will be merged has any associated notes or contact details, that data will NOT be added to the record into which the agent is being merged. Please be sure to copy any existing notes or contact details that should be retained prior to performing a merge.

Editing Records

Optionally, update local agent records:

• Verify that new information is for the same person

• Add birth and death dates or make other name form changes

• Add a brief Biography/Historical note, especially to distinguish from similar names. Optionally check Publish to display this field in Archives at Yale.

Optionally, if you identify potentially outdated or harmful language used in the subject record scope note, consult with the Reparative Archival Description Working Group (RAD) by contacting its chair. RAD will work with you to potentially identify a local revision to the scope note. Once that has been determined, RAD will follow these steps:

• Edit the scope note to reflect locally-preferred language.

• Add the following boilerplate text at the end of the scope note: This Library of Congress Subject Headings scope note was edited for local use in Archives at Yale by Yale University Library staff in [YEAR] to address outdated or harmful descriptive language. For more information, see the Yale Statement on Harmful Language in Archival Description: https://guides.library.yale.edu/specialcollections/statementondescription

• Announce and document the change by:

  • Recording it in AMDECO meeting minutes as an update

  • Logging it via a list on the RAD LibGuide (to-be-set up as RAD sees fit, or documented as the A&I AG suggests)

If you wish to make an LCSH proposal for a revised subject heading, contact the Reparative Archival Description Working Group (RAD) chair. RAD which will bring the question to the Authorities and Identities Advisory Group for conversation and support. More information about the LCSH process is here: https://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeSHM/H0400.pdf

General editing instructions:

• Do not enter punctuation or parentheses at the end of subfields; all punctuation will be supplied by ArchivesSpace.

• Be sure you do not leave any blank spaces at the end of the subfields or any other data field.

Fields in ArchivesSpace agent records map to MARC fields in Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) records as listed below.

Agent

Basic information

• Dates of existence (personal)

  • Begin: 046 ‡f

  • End: 046 ‡g

• Dates of existence (corporate)

  • Begin: 046 ‡s

  • End: 046 ‡t

Name Forms (personal)

• Primary Part of Name: 100 ‡a (surname only)

• Rest of Name, personal: 100 ‡a (forename or initials only)

• Title, personal: 100 ‡c [includes name suffixes, such as Jr.]

• Fuller Form, personal: 100 ‡q

• Number, personal: 100 ‡b

• Dates, personal: 100 ‡d

• Qualifier: 100 ‡t and other subfields following ‡t

Name Forms (corporate)

• Primary Part of Name, corporate: 110 ‡a

• Subordinate Name, corporate: 110 ‡b

• Subordinate Name, conference: 111 ‡e

• Number, conference: 111 ‡n

• Dates, conference: 111 ‡d

• Qualifier, conference: 111 ‡c

Name forms (family)

• Dates, family: 100 ‡d

• Qualifier, family: 100 ‡c, ‡g

The following LCNAF subdivisions are not mapped to agent records. After linking the agent to a resource record, add these as terms via the Add Term/Subdivision button. Do not include ending punctuation or trailing spaces:

• Free-floating subdivisions: ‡v and ‡x

###Subject

Term

• Topical: 150 ‡a

• Occupation: 150 ‡a

• Geographic: 151 ‡a

• Preferred title: 130 ‡a through ‡t

Type

• Topical: 150 ‡x

• Geographic: 150 ‡z

• Chronological: 150 ‡y

• Genre: 150 ‡v

Creating New Agent Records

Manually create a new agent record only if no LCNAF authority record is available for import. Definitions of agent record fields in the instructions below reference corresponding MARC fields in LCNAF records.

The following instructions are for constructing an Agent record for a Person. Follow these same basic instructions for Family and Corporate Entity records–any variants specific to those types will appear below.

Click Create and choose the record types from the two dropdown menus

The New Person screen will appear with the following fields:

Basic Information

Publish: check box

Dates of Existence

Optional; use primarily if an authorized name lacks life dates. To add, click the Add Date box on right and a form will appear. For Type choose Range

and enter dates (LCNAF 046 ‡f ‡g for personal names, or LCNAF 046 ‡s ‡t for family and corporate names) in fields Begin and/or End.

Name Forms

Required. Authority ID: required, if available from LC Linked Data Service; URI is found near the top of the entry

To find the URI for a ULAN record, click Semantic View on the left above the name

which opens another screen with the URI up at the top:

Source: required; choose Library of Congress Name Authority File, Union List of Artist Names, or appropriate local library code if not in either authorized source. Rules: choose Resource Description and Access if Source is a local library code; otherwise leave blank. Name Order: required; choose Indirect for Person unless the person has a single name (then choose Direct). Primary part of name: required. Use LCNAF 100 ‡a for family (surname) only Rest of Name: Use LCNAF 100 ‡a for forename or initials only

Required when applicable:

• Title: LCNAF 100 ‡c [includes name suffixes, such as Jr.]

• Fuller Form: LCNAF 100 ‡q

• Number: LCNAF 100 ‡b

• Dates: LCNAF 100 ‡d

• Qualifier (for name/title): LCNAF 100 ‡t and other subfields following ‡t

All other Name Forms elements: leave blank. Do not include free-floating subdivisions (‡v, ‡x). After linking the agent to the resource, add these to the linked agent as terms/subdivisions in the resource record. See the Linking Records section in the ArchivesSpace at Yale: User Manual.

Sort name: check Automatically generate at end of field.

Example of Person with Library of Congress authorized record:

Contact Details

Please note that contact details are never displayed in the ArchivesSpace public user interface, even if the agent record is published.

Notes - Biographical/Historical

Consider adding a brief Biography/Historical note, especially to distinguish from similar names. Optionally check Publish for display in Archives at Yale.

This note is required when creating an Agent record for a Yale staff member or student worker who will be adding or editing ArchivesSpace records. Add a Biography/Historical note with the person’s YUL affiliation, including dates of service if known, followed by a semicolon and the person’s NetID. Do not check Publish.

Example of YUL Staff Person:

Other fields

Generally, do not use.

For Family agent records

Name Forms

Required name element: Family Name: LCNAF 100 ‡a Required when applicable:

• Dates: LCNAF 100 ‡d

• Qualifier: LCNAF 100 ‡c, ‡g

For Corporate Entity agent records

Name Forms

Required name element: Primary Part of Name: LCNAF 110 ‡a Required when applicable: Subordinate Name 1 and 2: LCNAF 110 ‡b

All other name elements: blank

For Corporate Entity (conference) agent records

Name forms

Required name elements: Primary Part of Name: LCNAF 111 ‡a Required when applicable:

• Subordinate Name 1 and 2: LCNAF 111 ‡e

• Number: LCNAF 111 ‡n

• Dates: LCNAF 111 ‡d

• Qualifier: LCNAF 111 ‡c

All other name elements: blank

Creating New Subject Records

Manually create a new subject record only if no LCSH or AAT authority record is available for import/entry. Definitions of subject record fields in the instructions below reference corresponding MARC fields in LCSH records.

The following instructions are for constructing a Subject record for a Topical subject. Follow these same basic instructions for Occupation, Geographic, Preferred Title, and Genre records–any variants specific to those types will appear below.

Click Create and choose Subject.

Basic information

Required: use default fields shown

Authority ID: optional. If available, use a URI from LC Linked Data Service or Art & Architecture Thesaurus. Source: required. Choose Library of Congress Subject Headings, another thesaurus code, or appropriate Yale Library local code (at the end of the list) from the drop-down menu.

For LCSH subjects with subdivisions:

• If the subdivisions are free-floating, code the record as local, using the appropriate code

• If the entire heading, with subdivisions, has an authority record, record the LC linked data URI for the entire heading in the Authority ID field (Example: Carrots ‡x Diseases and Pests).

Terms and Subdivisions

Term: required: LCSH 150 ‡a, or local term Type: required: use default, Topical

Add Term/Subdivision: optional and repeatable Term: LCSH 150 ‡x, ‡z, ‡y, ‡v, or local term Type: use one of the following:

• LCSH 150 ‡x: Topical

• LCSH 150 ‡z: Geographic

• LCSH 150 ‡y: Chronological

• LCSH 150 ‡v: Genre

Other fields

Generally, do not use External Documents.

Create new subject: Occupation

Terms and Subdivisions

Term: required: LCSH 150 ‡a, or local term Type: required: choose Occupation

Add Term/Subdivision: optional and repeatable Term: LCSH 150 ‡y, ‡z, or local term Type: choose Geographic or Chronological

Create new subject: Geographic

Terms and Subdivisions

Term: required: LCSH 151 ‡a, or local term Type: required: choose Geographic

Add Term/Subdivision: optional and repeatable Term: LCSH 151 ‡v, ‡x, ‡y, ‡z, or local term Type: choose Genre, Topical, Geographic,or Chronological

Create new subject: Preferred title

Terms and Subdivisions

Term: required: LCSH 130 ‡a through ‡t, or local term Type: required: choose Preferred title

Add Term/Subdivision: optional and repeatable Term: LCSH 130 ‡v through ‡z, or local term Type: choose Genre, Topical, Geographic, or Chronological

Create new subject: Genre

Terms and subdivisions

Term: required: choose term from AAT or other thesaurus, or local term Type: required: choose Genre

Add Term/Subdivision: optional and repeatable Term: local term Type: choose appropriate term