Verifying Record Headings

Headings verification enables you to ensure consistent, authoritative headings in your database. Using headings verification, you can:

Verify all indexed fields on an authority or bibliographic record, including subjects, call numbers, authors, and so on.
Verify headings while editing or creating an authority or bibliographic record.
Verify and update an individual field. You can use this option to verify that nonheading fields in item records are unique, such as call numbers, accession numbers, running numbers, and so on.
Replace one indexed heading with another.
View verification code definitions.

Verifying Headings While Editing a Record

To verify all indexed headings on a record:

Retrieve a bibliographic or authority record, and click Edit.
Select Tools | Verify Record Headings. The verification codes appear to the left of the variable-length fields.

To view a brief description of the verification codes, select Tools | Explain Verification Codes.

If a heading is incorrect, you can update the heading to match the correct heading. For more information, see Updating Indexed Headings.
If you change or add an indexed field while verifying headings, an X appears next to the variable-length field. To verify new or changed fields, select Tools | Verify Record Headings again.

Using Extended Information

If you verify a heading that contains "extended information", the system offers a new heading combining the indexed heading with the extended information from your heading. Sierra considers the following subfields to be extended information:

MARC 6XX fields - subfields 'v', 'x', 'y', or 'z', and any subsequent subfields
MARC non-6XX fields - subfield 't' and any subsequent subfields, and subfield 'e'

In the case of duplicate extended information subfields, the system replaces the indexed subfield with your subfield information.

Verifying Headings While Creating a Record

To verify headings when creating a record:

Create a record that uses indexed headings.
When you are ready to enter variable-length field information, select Tools | Verify Record Headings. If your system uses wizards in record creation, you must complete the prompted fields before using headings verification.
As you enter each new field, an X appears next to the variable-length field. To verify new or changed fields, select Tools | Verify Record Headings again.
To verify an individual field, enter the field information and, with your cursor anywhere in the field, select Tools | Verify Heading. For more information, see Updating Indexed Headings.

Verification Codes

When you verify the headings on a record, Sierra displays codes next to the MARC tag for headings that are indexed in the database. To view a description of the verification codes, select Tools | Explain Verification Codes while editing or viewing a record. The codes, shown below, provide information about the headings as they are indexed in the database.

Code	Explanation
<blank>	The heading is found only in the record currently being edited (and it is already in the index), that is, this record is the only one in the system that has this heading.
*	The heading is found only in the record currently being edited (and it is already in the index), that is, this record is the only one in the database that has this heading. This heading might be valid, or it might contain a spelling error that should be corrected. Verify the heading to ensure database consistency.
+	The heading is not in the index. However, a longer version of this field is found in an indexed field in another record, for example, a birth or death date may have been established. This code can appear for new headings instead of the code N. You should verify this field to update the heading to include the additional information.
1, 4, 5	The numbers 1, 4, and 5 indicate in which MARC Authority field the heading is to be found: 1—1XX field (valid form of heading) 4—4XX field (SEE FROM tracing) 5—5XX field (SEE ALSO FROM tracing) Numbers may appear alone, or together with code B. You should verify the heading to ensure it is tagged with the correct MARC Authority field.
B	The heading is found in an indexed field in another bibliographic record. This code may be combined with a numeric code, or with code N. If the B code appears alone, you do not need to take any further action. If the B appears with a numeric value, you should verify the heading to ensure it is tagged with the correct MARC Authority field.
N	The heading is not in the index. This code appears for new headings. If this code appears for a heading that you know is not new, it may indicate that the transaction file is not fully processed or that there is an indexing error in the system (contact Innovative to resolve the error). This code might be combined with code B.
X	Field has not been verified. This occurs if an indexed field is added or modified after the record has been verified.

See also:: Updating Indexed Headings; Validating MARC Tag Information