Search for authority history records

Overview

If you are not starting from an open distributed LC authority record, you can search or browse the authority history file interactively the same way you search or browse the distributed LC authority file.

• Enter a command line search or a guided search using text boxes and lists.
   Note: Batch processing is not available for searching or browsing the authority history file.
• Search for headings using a word index or browse using a phrase index. You cannot search for specific types of headings. All heading fields (100, 110, 111, etc.) are combined in the search and browse Heading index.

See Authority history indexes for details.

Enter a command line search or browse

1. Navigate to Authorities > Search > LC Names and Subjects History or press <Alt><U><S><H>.
2. In the Search LC Names and Subjects History window, in the Command Line Search box, enter a keyword or numeric search (derived searches are not supported).
   • Command line search - Use full search syntax including index label, a colon (:), a word, and Boolean operators if needed to combine search terms. See Authority history search indexes for more information.
   • Command line browse - Use full syntax including the Scan command (sca), index label, an equal sign (=) for phrase or colon (:) for an ARN, and a browse phrase or number. See Authority history browse indexes for more information.
     • Use the Status index only as a qualifier. Always combine a status index term with a search term in another index. A status search used alone produces an error message.
     • (Optional) Use the truncation symbol (*) and character masking (wildcard) symbols (? or #) to include variant or unknown endings or spellings of a word.
     • See Search WorldCat interactively for more about the difference between word indexes and phrase indexes.
   
    Note:
   • To delete all displayed searches, click Clear Search. The client deletes all search terms but keeps the most recent 10 in drop-down lists.
   • To keep the search you entered, select the Retain Search check box.
3. (Optional) Show or hide cross references in search results:
   • To show See reference tracings in addition to the main entry for each record, select the Show See References in Results check box. The search results list shows multiple-line entries that include the 4XX fields for each main entry.
   • To show See Also reference tracings for each main entry, select the Show See Also References in Results check box. The search results list shows multiple-line entries that include hot links to the 5XX fields for each main entry.
   • To include both See and See Also references for each main entry, select both check boxes. The search results list shows multiple-line entries that include both the 4XX fields and hot links to the 5XX fields for each main entry.
   • To show only the main entry for each match, deselect both check boxes (default).

      Note: Cross reference settings apply to command line keyword and numeric search results. The system ignores these options for command line browse results.

4. When you are finished, perform one of the following actions:
   • Click OK or press <Enter> to send the search.
   • Click Cancel to cancel the search and close the window.

See Results of search or browse for more details.

Enter a guided search or browse using text boxes and lists