Name Authorities: RDA, Personal Names

Use this section in conjunction with the following sources:

• RDA, chapters 8, 9
• LC-PCC PS, chapters 8, 9 (GPO follows all LC-PCC PSs)
• MARC 21 Format for Authority Data: relevant fields, including field 046
• DCM Z1: relevant fields, including field 046 (Always consult and follow, unless instructed otherwise)
• LC Guidelines (at the end of MARC 21 Format for Authority Records)
• PCC document: “MARC 21 Encoding to Accommodate New RDA Elements 046 and 3XX in NARs and SARs”
• NACO home page (includes: documentation & updates, cataloging FAQs, and training
• PCC Post RDA Implementation Guidelines and Standards home page
• Frequently Asked Questions: Program for Cooperative Cataloging and RDA (PCC-RDA-FAQ Update 20130401)
• NACO Normalization
• PCC NACO Training
• PCC NACO Training: Module 2: Describing Persons

Procedure for ECIP

The NACO liaison will work with ECIP catalogers toward the goal of NACO independence for personal names. Personal name authority records generated by ECIP, will be reviewed by the NACO liaison (or assignee) on a three-day turnaround. Submit draft of record, OCLC save file number, and ECIP data (printout or access to) to the special ECIP review box.

Procedure for CRS Reports

The NACO liaison will work with catalogers of CRS reports toward the goal of NACO independence for personal names. Personal name authority records generated by CRS reports will be reviewed by the NACO liaison (or assignee) on a two-day turnaround. Submit draft of record, OCLC save file number, and a link to the CRS report to either the special CRS reports review box or via email directly to your assigned reviewer. Only include data elements that are readily available in the resource cataloged, unless the element is needed to break a conflict.

General Instructions

In general, when a particular element is included in the authorized access point (100 field), also include that same element in the appropriate attribute field 046 or 3XX. The form of that element in the 046 or 3XX field may differ from that in the 100 field. For example, the profession “Astronomer” may appear in the 100 field, while “Astronomers ǂ2 lcsh” may appear in the 374 field.

046 – Special Coded Dates (RDA 9.3)

ǂf, ǂg, ǂs, ǂt

Include if readily available in the resource cataloged, or if needed to break a conflict. See RDA in NACO Training, Module 2 for more information.

The best source of information for the 046 field is: DCM Z1 instruction sheet 046, Special Coded Dates. Additional information on the edtf format is found in LC-PCC PS 9.3.1.3, and at the end of: MARC 21 Encoding to Accommodate New RDA Elements 046 and 3XX in NARs and SARs.

ǂs and ǂt in the 046 and 3XX optional fields

For ECIP: Do not include ǂs and ǂt in any fields other than 046.

Although ǂs and ǂt may be entered in the 046 field to identify a general period of activity, these subfields may be added to other fields to specify dates for specific associations. When adding a start and end date to other fields, consider: is there a change in function/scope/activity, etc. which needs to be expressed? If so, and the information is readily available, please include the dates. The following fields are for a personal name, when the work cataloged contained biographical information in a curriculum vita (resume) format.

373 Peace Corps (U.S.) ǂ2 naf ǂs 1983 ǂt 1985

373 Hastings College of the Law ǂ2 naf ǂt 1989

373 United States. Department of State ǂ2 naf ǂs 1991 ǂt 20120912

373 National War College (U.S.) ǂ2 naf ǂt 2010

374 Diplomats ǂ2 lcsh ǂs 1991 ǂt 20120912

374 Ambassadors ǂ2 lcsh ǂs 20120522 ǂt 20120912

100 – Authorized Access Point

For recording the preferred name, consult RDA 9.2.1 and 9.2.2. Then, consult RDA 9.19.1.1, and “Make additions to the name as instructed at 9.19.1.2—9.19.1.8 as applicable.”

For order of subfields: Consult and follow:

• RDA chapter 9 examples, RDA and LC-PCC PS 9.19, RDA 9.2.2.9.5,
• DCM Z1: Field 100  
• Question 21 (What is the correct order of subfields in the MARC 21 Authority 100 field) of “FAQ on creating Personal Name Authority Records (NARs) for NACO ,” on the NACO Web site.
• MARC 21 Format for Authority Data: Field 100, examples

ǂq – Fuller Form of Name

Follow RDA 9.19.1.4, and especially, LC-PCC PS 9.19.1.4. For existing authority records follow the practice: “Unless otherwise changing an existing heading (e.g., conflict), do not change an existing AACR2 or RDA heading merely to add or remove a fuller form of name.” Also see the NACO Advisory Group's Fuller Form of Name.

ǂd – Birth and/or Death Date

Follow LC-PCC PS 9.19.1.3. Only add dates if readily found in the resource cataloged or in additional sources, or if needed to break a conflict. Consult additional sources in cases of conflict or when the name is used as a subject. Follow the guidance in: Name Authorities: General Procedures. See RDA in NACO Training, Module 2 for more information.

ǂc - Titles and Other Words (Professions) Associated with a Name

Consult RDA 9.19.1.6, LC-PCC PS 9.19.1.6: “When adding a profession or occupation term to an access point in 100 subfield ǂc, use a singular form of the term. See Policy Statement 9.16.1.3 for instructions on recording profession or occupation as an element.”

368 - Other Attributes of Person or Corporate Body

Do not include or revise, unless one of the situations in 9.6 applies.

370 - Associated Place (RDA 9.8-9.11)

Only include this field if readily available in the resource cataloged. Do not belabor. 

GPO local practice: Include the 370 field even if the only subfield is ǂc.

371 - Address (RDA 9.12)

Do not include.

372 – Field of Activity (RDA 9.15)

Include if readily available and helpful. Do not include when it involves too much deliberation.

Follow the general guidance in the section: Name Authorities, RDA, General Policies. For persons, record a field of endeavor, area of expertise, etc., in which the person is or was engaged. Use discipline words instead of full sentences. Single, general terms are sufficient.

In general, when adding a geographic scope as part of the field of activity, the geographic scope should reflect the entire potential coverage of the activity, rather than simply the location of the person.

373 – Associated Group (RDA 9.13: Affiliation)

ǂa = Associated Group

In almost all cases, record corporate bodies that are associated with the person in the 373 field, not in the 510 field. Even if the relationship can be described using one of the relationship designators in RDA Appendix K.4.1, still use the 373 field. The only exception made at this time is for Founder; in these rare cases, the corporate body that the person founded may be recorded in the 510 field. 

374 – Profession or Occupation (RDA 9.16)

Note: According to Webster’s and the Oxford American College dictionary, the definition of “term” begins with “a word or phrase.” Therefore, “term” will be used in this section to mean “a word or phrase.”

Include when required as a core element; see beginning of 9.16 for Core Element statement. Otherwise, include if readily available and helpful. Do not include when it involves too much deliberation. Justify the term(s) input in 374 ǂa by either providing the source in 374 ǂv, or by providing the source and brief information found in the 670 field.

Consult and follow DCM Z1: Field 374. Prefer terms from a controlled vocabulary.

GPO local practice: prefer terms from LCSH.

When using multiple terms from the same vocabulary, repeat ǂa rather than the field.

Use a term that names a profession or occupation. Do not use a term that names a field, such as “Public relations.” 

375 – Gender (RDA 9.7)

Do not include this field. “Delete existing 375 fields when editing a record for any other reason.” (per PCC Policy Committee, April 15, 2022)

377 - Language (RDA 9.14)

Always include when known.

378 – Fuller Form of Name (RDA 9.5)

Record the same data that would be included in the ǂq of the 100 field, even if it is redundant. Essentially, copy the ǂq from the 100 field and insert it in the 378 field, but without parentheses.

A fuller form of name may be included in the 378 field, even if that fuller form is not present in the 100 field. See RDA in NACO Training, Module 2 for more information. Also see the NACO Advisory Group’s Fuller Form of Name.

400 - See From Tracing - Personal Name

For a former authorized access point: See the “FAQ on creating Personal Name Authority Records (NARs) for NACO” on the NACO Web site, question 13: “When should an AACR2 established (1XX) form be included as a variant access point (4XX) when the AACR2 NAR is evaluated and re-coded to RDA? … Make a see reference for the old valid form of heading, with ǂw nnea, unless the reference itself is a valid RDA variant access point, in which case use ǂw nne. In case of doubt, use ǂw nnea.” Be sure to take the NACO Normalization rules into account.

510 - Related Corporate Body

See Field 373. The only time the 510 field may be used is for Founder; in these rare cases, the corporate body that the person founded may be recorded in the 510 field.

678 - Biographical or Historical Data (RDA 9.17)

For ECIP: Do not include.

Optional: May be included if biographical data is readily available and does not require significant time to construct. However, since this information does require justification (i.e., the source of the data), it is usually more expedient to provide this data along with its source in a single 670 field. The first indicator will usually be coded “blank,” since a biographical sketch is usually too time-consuming to construct.