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Associating Authority Files

Authority Files are separate databases in Calm which allow you to create authority records which can be linked to your catalogue records and used for searching.

The Authority files in Calm which are designed to be used with Museum Catalogue Records are:

  • Names: a persons database with templates for individual people, groups of people, families and corporations

  • Places: a hierarchical place index

  • Events: a database of significant events of any kind relevant to your collection

  • Periods: a database for historical periods such as Tudor, Victorian or Renaissance, with your definition of what time period they cover.

  • Subjects: a single hierarchical subject index

  • Terms: a poly-hierarchical subject index which may have the UKAT (UK Archival Thesaurus) thesaurus easily imported into it for your use.

There are also a number of additional Poly-hierarchical Thesauri designed for particular use by museums:

  • Activities

  • Concepts

  • Cultures

  • Materials

  • Object names

In addition there are some optional add-on databases for Calm; records in these databases may also be linked to catalogue records:

  • Images database: a database to record metadata about digital images in your collection

  • Performances Module: a module consisting of three databases to record information about creative works, performances and individual roles within performances

All Authority file, Image and Performance records are created from within their respective databases and then linked to catalogue records from the catalogue database.

Once the record has been created, it can be linked to a single catalogue record or to a hit list of catalogue records. In the catalogue database, search for the record or records you wish to link the authority file record to. To add an authority:

  • Click on the Associated > button in the button strip, you will see a list of all the authority files available to link to Museum catalogue records.

    NB: you will also see an Object button which will allow you to link to another record in the Catalogue database, not to an Authority File

  • Click on the button for the type of authority you wish to link, a search dialogue box is displayed

  • Search for the record you wish to link to

  • NB: if you retrieve more than one match, the resulting hit list is displayed in an overview. Choose the correct record in the overview and click OK in the dialogue box that has moved to the bottom right corner of the screen

  • When you have selected one record you will be asked to confirm that it is the correct record. Choose “yes” if so, or “no” to search again

  • You will then be asked whether you wish to add the authority to the current catalogue record only or the entire hit list.

The authority record you select will be linked to your catalogue record/s.

If the Authority file is an Event, Name, Place, Image or Performance, the unique code field from the record will be copied into your catalogue record/s. This has made a link between your catalogue record/s and the Authority Record. In the case of the image database the Thumbnail field is also added to your catalogue record and will display the image from the Thumb field in the linked image record.

You may use the navigational tabs for Events, Names, Places, Images and Performances to browse to the linked record/s. You may then use the < Back button in the button strip to return to your previous hitlist in the catalogue database. Alternatively you may use the navigational tabs in the authority file record to browse for all the “Museum Catalogue” records which have been linked to the Authority file record.

Linking to a Period Authority file will copy the Date and Period fields into your catalogue record/s. Linking to Subjects, Terms, Activities, Concepts, Cultures, Materials and Object names will insert the appropriately named field into your catalogue record/s and copy the term from the database into the field.

You may repeat the process to link multiple Authority files of the same type or several different types to a catalogue record or hit list of catalogue records. Using the navigational tabs to browse to the associated authority files will enable you to see all the linked authority files in one hit list.

For some authorities (such as Events, Names, Places, Images and Performances) authority codes are shown in the Content section of the record/s and details of the authority entry are shown as a “linked record” at the bottom of your catalogue record/s. However only one Authority entry (of each type) can be shown at the bottom of a catalogue record at a time, if there is more than one linked Authority, press the Tree > button in the button strip, followed by the Joins button to display all linked records in the Joins Tree. Click on the linked records in the Joins Tree to switch between them and display another one on screen. Alternatively, press the relevant navigational tab to view a hit list of attached authorities from that particular database.

Removing an Association with an Authority File

If you accidentally link a catalogue record or hitlist of catalogue records to the wrong authority file it is possible to remove the link.

With the relevant Catalogue record/s on screen, repeat the process above, as though you were going to associate the same authority file again. At the point of linking Calm will tell you that the link already exists and give you the opportunity to remove it.

To remove any “linked record” text from the bottom of your catalogue record, click the Floppy disk button in your tool bar to refresh the screen.

NB: This process only removes the link between this particular Catalogue record (or hitlist of Catalogue records) and the entry in the Authority file. The term has not been deleted from the Authority file and will remain there, available to be associated with other Catalogue records.