Cyrillic Script Fields in Authority Records


At the time of writing (January 2016), non-Latin script fields are permitted for name (personal and corporate/conference), title, and geographic authority records. Non-Latin script fields are not permitted in LCSH records.

The cataloging community is still awaiting a widely agreed policy for the input of non-Latin scripts into authority records. Until such a policy is available, an interim policy is in place for NACO catalogers. Under the interim policy, addition of non-Latin fields is optional (but encouraged) and can be used in the following fields only:

    • 4XX Fields (i.e., 400, 410, 411, 430, and 451)

    • 667 Fields

    • 670 Fields

    • 675 Fields

Coding for authority records with non-Latin script fields includes:

    • Ref Status should be coded "b" if non-Latin script references are in the authority record. This is to reflect the current lack of a widely agreed standard for evaluating the variant access points in non-Latin script.

    • A 667 field should be added if non-Latin script references are present in the authority record with the following wording:

      • Non-Latin script reference not evaluated. [for an authority record with a single non-Latin script reference]

      • Non-Latin script references not evaluated. [for an authority record with multiple non-Latin script references]

Sometimes authority records include a 667 field with the information: Machine-derived non-Latin script reference project. This means that non-Latin variant access points were added during the automated pre-population process of NARs back in 2010, when a non-Latin form of name was taken from the parallel vernacular field in the associated bibliographic record.

Example (in MARC format):

This chapter provides general guidelines on adding Cyrillic script fields in authority records, with a focus on variant access points in 4XX and construction of the 670 fields.

4XX fields in Cyrillic script

Unlike bibliographic records, authority records will NOT have parallel fields, but they can have fields that otherwise duplicate a Latin-script transliterated field. These fields will be coded as 400, 410, 411, 430 or 451. However, the authorized form in a 1XX or 5XX field will be ONLY in Latin script.

Since guidelines for formulating non-Latin script references are not established yet, catalogers might see a variety of practices that have been used for the construction of non-Latin headings. But in general, catalogers should follow the same practices for variant access points in authority records that they use for parallel headings in bibliographic records.

LCRI 26.1 Forms of References: Until practices related to the form and style of nonroman script references have been established, it is not necessary to construct nonroman references in the same form as the heading.

There may also be multiple references for any given language or script. Presently, no attempt will be made to signal any one of the references as the valid non-Latin form for the 1XX heading. See Non-Latin Script Data in Name Authority Records: Frequently Asked Questions, Question 12.

Please note that in authority records, non-Latin script fields are NOT parallel fields. It is not necessary (or desirable) to automatically add a non-Latin script field for every variant access point.

Some fields might contain a mix of Cyrillic and Latin scripts. Catalogers should be aware that some manual editing might be needed to adjust the heading that includes mixed scripts.

Example (in MARC format):

100 0 Alexandru ǂb IV Lăpușneanu, ǂc Voivode of Moldavia, ǂd active 1552-1568

400 1 Lăpușneanu, Alexandru, ǂc Voivode of Moldavia, ǂd active 1552-1568

400 1 Lėpushni︠a︡nul, Aleksandr, ǂc Voivode of Moldavia, ǂd active 1552-1568

400 1 Лэпушнянул, Александр, ǂc Воиводе оф Молдавиа, ǂd а∎тиве

1552-1568 [needs manual editing]

400 1 Лэпушнянул, Александр, ǂc Voivode of Moldavia, ǂd active 1552-1568

[correct form]


670 field with data in Cyrillic script

Descriptive Cataloging Manual, Z1, 670 Source Data Found, Transcription of names and titles: Data must be given in romanized form. Normally it is understood that the cataloger has provided the romanization; therefore, when transcribing romanization found in the source, add after it the bracketed phrase [in rom.]. If a cataloger chooses to provide nonroman script variant access points, the 670 $b should contain both the nonroman script transcription(s) found in the source, and the systematically romanized forms(s).

For formulating the 670 field, follow the Library of Congress guidelines 670 (Source Data Found) Citations for Name Authority Records with Non-Latin Script Data:

  1. Romanize the title citation in 670 ǂa.

  2. In 670 ǂb, use the equals sign to equate the found non-Latin script form found on the item to the systematically romanized form.

  3. Romanized forms found on an item should be recorded as found on the source, followed by an indication that this was a found romanization (e.g., add "[in rom.]" after the found romanization).

The formula for citations is as follows:

670 ǂa citation to the work title in romanized form, publication date:

670 ǂb page citation (found non-Latin script form of name or title = systematically romanized form of name and terms) additional page citation (found romanization [in rom.])

Also provide additional variants in ǂb as found on the item if they are important for identification and/or will be used as additional references.

DO NOT provide a 670 field in Cyrillic script only.

100 1 Baran, Vasylʹ

400 1 Baranas, Vasilius

400 1 Баран, Василь

667 Non-Latin script reference not evaluated.

Incorrect: 670 Європейський з'їзд 1429 року в Луцьку, 2006: ǂb t.p. (Василь Баран) colophon (Vasilius Baranas [in rom.])

Correct: 670 I︠E︡vropeĭsʹkyĭ z'ïzd 1429 roku v Lut︠s︡ʹku, 2006: ǂb t.p. (Василь Баран = Vasylʹ Baran) colophon (Vasilius Baranas [in rom.])

DO NOT provide a duplicate 670 field in Cyrillic script.

100 1 Baran, Vasylʹ

400 1 Baranas, Vasilius

400 1 Баран, Василь

667 Non-Latin script reference not evaluated.

Do not supply duplicate field: 670 Європейський з'їзд 1429 року в Луцьку, 2006: ǂb t.p. (Василь Баран) colophon (Vasilius Baranas [in rom.])

Supply only: 670 I︠E︡vropeĭsʹkyĭ z'ïzd 1429 roku v Lut︠s︡ʹku, 2006: ǂb t.p. (Василь Баран = Vasylʹ Baran) colophon (Vasilius Baranas [in rom.])

DO NOT provide biographical data in the subfield b in vernacular language and script only. United States National Authority File is intended primarily for the English-speaking library community; therefore data used for identification of an entity should be recorded in English. See DCM Z1, Transcription of other data: Generally informally translate other data from foreign languages into English, paraphrasing or summarizing as convenient.

100 1 Borovko, Mykola, ǂd 1948-

Incorrect: 670 Vikipedii︠a︡, January 7, 2014: ǂb (Микола Маркіянович Боровко; р. 13 травня 1948, село Борщів Баришівського району Київської області; український поет, член Національної спілки письменників України)

Correct: Vikipedii︠a︡, January 7, 2014: ǂb (Микола Маркіянович Боровко = Mykola Markii︠a︡novych Borovko; born May 13, 1948, in the village of Borshchiv, Baryshiv raion, in Kiev oblast; Ukrainian poet, member of the Ukrainian Writers' Union)

For additional information


See also: OCLC Macros for Cyrillic Fields in Authority Records


Revised: Oct. 9, 2015