Do series authority records behave the same way as name authorities when In Distribution status?
Symptom
- You want to know how OCLC handles series authority records while in distribution.
Applies to
- Authority records
- Record Manager
- Connexion client
- Connexion browser
Resolution
OCLC is considered a NACO node. NACO nodes contribute records to the Library of Congress (LC) Authority File (LCAF) on a regular basis. For OCLC, this occurs every night at midnight. All of the new or edited (i.e. replaced) name authority records (NAR) and series authority records (SAR) are sent together as a group to the LCAF. LC loads them into the LCAF and then redistributes them back to all of the participating nodes, including OCLC.
During this time the WorldCat Authority File (WCAF), OCLC's version of the LCAF, keeps the new and updated records "In Distribution" with a NACO lock to ensure that our copy will match the copy that LC re-distributes back to OCLC. While records are in distribution, they are still visible via Connexion and anyone can see them. After LC re-distributes the NARs and SARs via the normal NACO Distribution Process, the records in the WorldCat AF are unlocked and available for updating if needed.
Additional information
It may take a day or two for the NARs and SARs edited or added via the WCAF to appear in the LCAF. Please note that sometimes the distribution files can be delayed so there are times, when it can take longer than the normal 48-72 hours for the records to be processed