Choice of authors access points. Implication of applying cataloguing codes to Spanish university online catalogues.

Abstract

Empirical study on the implications of the rules for the choice of access points during online cataloguing with the purpose of collecting data for the revision of criteria used and developing more functional applications to improve retrieval of information by author name. A sample of 1,315 records from Spanish university libraries was used to study the following: author location sources, potential access points, number of entries made and loss of entries. The results show 5,443 potential author access points (M= 4.14 per item). Distribution by source: title page 52.75%, table of contents 41.6%, other sources 5.6%. Distribution of loss of entries: a) 3,184 (58.5%) of the total of authors are lost; b) 960 (30.2%) of title-page authors are lost. An analysis of losses of entries when authors were divided into two groups (one made up of authorship statements of up to 3 authors and the other of over 3 authors) shows that the first group accounts for 15.6% of total losses while the second group accounts for 84.4%, with an irregular distribution by type of authorship and with very high losses (90%) of co-authors and collaborators. The precise relationship between the high number of losses and the selection criteria used is discussed. The reason for these losses lies in the exclusion of the tables of contents as a source for the provision of entries, the rule of three and other specific limitations; and in ambiguities and gaps in the rules concerning added entries. A revision of criteria used is suggested to adapt online cataloguing practices to the bibliographic reality and to improve author indexes for information retrieval.