Formation and use of the Authority file “Individual Authors” in IRBIS64+ Library Automation System (the case study of Belarus Agricultural Library)

Within the framework of the project of acquiring the corporate database “Agrarian Scientists of Belarus”, the experience of the Belarusian Agricultural Library (hereinafter BelAL) in creating authoritative/ normative records for the names of persons in the ATHRA database – Authority File ‘Individual Authors’ in the Library Automation System IRBIS64+ is discussed. The stages of work and status of the project are described. The author reviews the practical guide “The authority file “Individual Authors” of Library Automation System IRBIS64+ (ATHRA database): The procedure” (Minsk, 2023), prepared by BelAL experts. The guide comprises the rules of filling-in the fields / subfields in the main worksheet “ATHRA1 – worksheet for entering authority / master record on Individual Authors’’ in accordance with the methodological solutions adopted by BelAL. The author also discusses using the Authority File “Individual Authors” in the current cataloging and updating of bibliographic records in the electronic catalog and other library’s databases.