Definition

An archival authority record identifies and describes a personal, family, or corporate entity associated with a body of archival materials; documents relationships between records creators, the records created by them, and/or other resources about them; and may control the creation and use of access points in archival descriptions.

Source: Describing Archives: A Content Standard, Part II, Chapter 9.

The authorized form of name combined with other information elements that identify and describe the named entity and may also point to other related authority records.

Source: ISAAR(CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families, 2nd Edition.

Introduction

• Archival authority records are access points that also provide comprehensive biographical sketches or administrative histories of the creators of archival records.
  
  

• The University Archives creates archival authority records in accordance with the International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families, known as ISAAR (CPF), 2nd edition. 
  
  

• The Archives Catalogue includes more than 3,700 authority records that support browsing and searching the Archives Permanent Collection.

Records management

• Archival authority records also support the Dalhousie Records Management Program.

  • The University Archives creates archival authority records for each Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) and Office of Secondary Responsibility (OSR).
    
    

  • The Archives creates unique Office IDs for each Office and records the identifiers in the authority record (ISAAR 5.1.6). 
    
    

  • The Office IDs are used as Producer Source IDs that help identify the origin of SIPs sent to the Archives. 
    
    

  • The Archives also uses the Office ID in signing authorities, disposition forms, accession records, and other documentation produced in the course of managing university records.

International Standard Archival Authority Record (ISAAR-CPF)

ISAAR (CPF) organizes elements of description for an archival authority record into four areas:

• Identity area – where information is conveyed which uniquely identifies the entity being described and which defines standardized access points for the record
  
  

• Description area – where relevant information is conveyed about the nature, context and activities of the entity being described
  
  

• Relationships area – where relationships with other corporate bodies, persons and/or families are recorded and described
  
  

• Control area – where the authority record is uniquely identified and information is recorded on how, when and by which agency the authority record was created and maintained

Related terms

Access point

Archival appraisal

Archival arrangement

Office ID

Office of Primary Responsibility

Office of Secondary Responsibility

Original order

Producer

Provenance