MARC Editor User Manual

The authority-controlled fields have a look-up function, allowing you to search directly within the field and then select the correct authority. Your search term shows up in red, and the result are listed below: 

Once you click on the result you need, the red disappears and the chain link icon at the end of the field will show you that the authority has been properly linked:

In most authority-controlled fields, the search is by keyword/free text meaning if you're looking for example for the authority “UN. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya”, you can enter "special head libya" and get the result you're looking for.

For fields 191 and 991, the search is by partial phrase, meaning you have to enter your search terms in the correct order and with proper punctuation. If your search terms consist of only one character, for example 191 $b T/ and 191 $c 4, the search might not bring back any results even though the authority exists, this is a known issue.

• If the authority record you need consists of more than one subfield, you can start by adding a value in the first subfield, but you will most likely get too many results. In order to narrow down the results, you can add a value for a second subfield as well.
  • For example, for a GA agenda item you will want to add both 991 $a and $b

• If you don't know a specific agenda item number, you can also search by 991 $a and $d

If you cannot find the agenda item you're looking for, make sure that you don't have extra space anywhere and try again. Agenda items for the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Security Council have usually been created in advance, and you should not have to create a new one. Watch the video below to learn more.

• If you don’t get any results via the authority lookup, you should always run a simple, advanced, or browse search for authorities. The lookup only looks at the headings, but not at the variants/references. Once you find the authority you’re looking for, copy and paste it into your bib record, and the look-up should find it. It is possible to keep several tabs/windows of the MARC Editor open at the same time to facilitate searching. Below is a video demonstrating this.

• If you feel confident that the authority record you need doesn’t exist and you want to create a new one:
  • Enter it in the correct format (capitalization, word order, etc.) into the authority-controlled field
  • Let the search run one more time to confirm that it is indeed not found
  • Press the plus icon at the right end of the field: 
    • 
  • This creates a new authority record. The red highlighted text becomes yellow, and a chain icon appears at the end of the field
    • 
• If you click on the chain icon, the authority record will open in a new tab
  • The record will contain the 1XX field, the symbol from 191 $a goes into 670 $a, the 040 from the bib record and 905 with the default value "DHL" are added:

In Horizon, certain indicators and subfields are carried/copied over from the authority record into the bib record. As part of the transition to the MARC Editor, we will phase out most indicators and the use of subfield $2 in most authority-controlled fields.