> The CONSER Editing Guide, section D, "Links," seems to prefer 730's for
> "tracings" and "added entries." Here's the wording: "Linking fields do
> not take the place of added entries because linking fields do not generate
> tracings. Likewise, an added entry in field 700-730 does not take the place
> of a linking field, because the added entry field does not provide the
> machine link." Jean Hirons of CONSER at LC clarified some of this
> terminology for me, defining "machine link" as the control numbers
> which can be used to retrieve other records; but she did not think the
> statements constituted an official position on whether linking fields
> should be access points in OPACs, and she urged me to ask libraries in
> the field. (Unofficially, she suggested indexing 780-785's only as
> OCLC does.) ...

Our system changed with the new release from indexing 780/785 to all of
the 7xx linking fields. The $x is also indexed in the ISSN index. I
liked having the 780/85 indexed. This way if a patron was unaware of a
title change they could still find their title. The others are overkill
since the 700-730's are added if the entry is desired. It's epecially
bad for series added entries and additional physical forms.

If we were starting our databases from scratch now, I think I would like
to see an indicator for the field that meant do/do not make an added
entry. Since all our (ie OCLC) records have the 700-730's added already
skip the added indexing.

We have not started deleting these fields since they are part of the
complete record and are pushing our vendor to allow an option on these
fields, or cease indexing completely.

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  *  Barbara Swetman                  bswetman@itsmail1.hamilton.edu   *
  *  Serials and Acquisitions Coordinator                              *
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