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1. Not a replacement for text metadata value.Metadata fields still have text values.
   • The text value of a metadata field does not have to be derived from the authority, even if authority control is required for that field.
2. Configured by field. The authority control status of each field is independently configured, but it affects all values of that field.
3. Authority control can be optional or required. When optional, metadata values may take on values that did not come from the authority.

4. Authority values are ubiquitous. Authority values are accessible by crosswalk

   Footnote
   Crosswalk in DSpace context is a functionality that allows DSpace metadata format to be translated to external formats.

   plugins, in the UI, through OAI-PMH, etc.

   • All of those context can detect whether a value is authority-controlled or not by testing for presence of an authority key.
5. Text-based searching and indexing is unchanged. Since metadata values still have text values, the browse and search systems will work unchanged.
6. Choice behavior decoupled. The selection and choice mechanisms can be invoked independently (e.g. in the submit UI) of authority control.

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We will consider adding an administrative UI to detect and list these metadata problems.

Display and CrosswalkCrosswalk  

Every metadata value potentially includes values for an authority key, and an authority confidence. They are only present when the field is under authority control, and when there is an actual authority value, otherwise they are absent (e.g. in the DIM XML representation) or null.

The presentation UI can call on a generic method to get the canonical display string for an authority key, but it is welcome to interpret it in custom code to present a more detailed view. For example, one site may want to customize their Item display so a personal name appears with a link to their page on the institution's social networking site, which it obtains through the authority key.

Dissemination crosswalks will crosswalks will also receive the authority key so they can pass that knowledge on through OAI-PMH, exported packages, and any other dissemination vehicles.

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