Searching the Authority Files

INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHORITY FILES

Relevant RLG Web pages on the NAF & SAF Authority Files

• Guide to Searching the Authority Files: http://www.rlg.org/rlinaut.html
• Authority File sizes: http://www.rlg.org/autsize.html

To access the Authority Files

Type: call rlin (aut) <ret>

Authority Files in the central RLIN databases

File	Abbrev.	Usage (select)
LC Name Authority File	naf	sel fil naf
Subject Authority File	saf	sel fil saf
Avery Reference (for Avery Index)	arf	sel fil arf

Commands for Searching Authority Files

• Find
  • Format: fin <index> <term> - Initiates search
  • Example:
    • fin pn hemingway, ernest
• Browse
  • Format: bro <file> hp<term>
    • Alphabetic sort order listing from Heading Phrase index
    • Example:
      • bro saf hp internet
  • Format: bro gro <term>
    • Alphabetic sort order listing from Heading - Grouped sort order listing
    • Example:
      • bro gro internet

Booleans

Operator	Function
and, &	Restricts search
and not, not, &~, ~	Restricts search
or, |	Expands search
res	Resume - continue search in next file

Heading Indexes for NAF, SAF, and ARF, and their Use with Find or Browse

Abbrev.	Index	Find	Browse
HP	Heading phrase	x	x
PN	Personal name	x
PE	Personal name exact	x
TP	Title phrase	x
TW	Title word	x
CP	Corp./conf. phrase	x
CW	Corp./conf. word	x
SW	Subject word	x
SD	Subject subdivision	x

Additional Record Indexes for NAF & SAF

Abbrev.	Index
ID	RLIN record ID
PRP	Pending record phrase
LCCN	LC control number
ISBN	International Standard Book Number
ISSN	International Standard Serial Number
CLS	Classification number
LDN	Local data number
ST	Record status
VST	Version status

Additional Record Indexes for ARF

Abbrev.	Index
ID	RLIN record ID
PRP	Pending record phrase
ST	Record status
VST	Version status

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