Scope: Overview of what ISNI is and how to use the ISNI web interface |
Creator: Mary Jane Cuneo, Karen Carlson Young
Creator: Mary Jane Cuneo, Karen Carlson Young |
International Standard Name Identifier—an ISO (International Standards Organization) standard developed as a global identification system of Public Identities of Parties. It identifies millions of contributors to creative works and those active in their distribution, incl. writers, artists, creators, researchers, publishers, and more.
ISNI is a significantly different approach than that used for authority control in which we establish and maintain consistent forms of terms—names, subjects, titles—to be used as headings in the bib records of the library catalog. There, headings must not only be consistent, they must also be unique. The bibliographic information is organized using a single distinct spelling of a heading—which is “authorized” or established in one particular form and applied consistently.
Creating an ISNI is quite a different experience from what we are familiar with as catalogers. Generally when creating a local or NACO authority we are basing the authority on a resource in hand, but that is not necessarily true when creating an ISNI. We might not have anything in hand and in many cases the names we are working with are primarily outside the library silo, in term of the material we work on.
Another difference is the milieu (peer sources)—ISNI contributors are not only other libraries but also property rights organization, publishers, information aggregators, etc.) so we are placed in a much larger/global environment.
It is important to remember that because ISNI is not an authority file, we are not trying to create a unique access point but an identity so different forms of name are gathered together under a single record for the appropriate identity, including multiple forms of the same preferred name and/or variants.
ISNI identifies public identities of parties:
Note that ISNIs identify the Public Identities of Parties such as author, composers, cartographers, performers, academic/scientific authors, publishers, etc. ISNI does not include works/expressions, subjects.
ISNI=16 digit number (including check digit)
There are two levels of records:
Whether the ISNI receives Assigned status or not depends in large part on a complex algorithm that takes into account the:
See also ISNI Data Quality Policy.
The more information you can add the more likely you are to get an assigned ISNI!
Note that the majority of records in the ISNI production database have a status of provisional, most commonly because there are no matches with records from other sources, or there may be too many matches. Potential matches need to be reviewed (manually) before upgraded to Assigned status.
ISNI data comes primarily from the VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) database. VIAF contains name authority work carried out by agencies worldwide, many of which are national libraries (over 40), but there are non-VIAF contributors to ISNI as well.
Within ISNI there are 3 primary views or databases:
***Need to talk about accept vs production.
See How to use the ISNI web portal. For more detailed information, continue below:
Name: XXXX
PW: XXXXXXXX (to be provided by Harvard)
First time use: brings you to a screen that most likely will present with browser security warning. This can be ignored. Go to Advanced/make exception in browser settings (you should only have to do this once)
The first screen is a Search screen. Notice also other tabs for Results (of your search)
Advanced (shows other search options with filters for different combinations of search terms—note drop-down menus under each)
Help: offers detailed information about the search options and how best to use them. Also offers explanation of the search terms in the drop-down menu (APH, CN, etc.)
See How to use the ISNI web portal. For more detailed information, continue below:
It can be helpful to experiment with the searching options on your own to get an idea of different results based on different search terms/combinations. See also ISNI Search: Guidelines and Examples: http://www.isni.org/filedepot_download/139/470
Search results are sorted by relevance; for example: Results for John Huston:
Note: Results display 10 per screen/click on next to see remaining results in the search
For additional information about the names in the list go to the Filter box: Click on the + and see:
Click on a name: the record displays with Labels. Also look at:
ISNI is designed to uniquely identify, it is not intended to provide access to comprehensive information about a public identity. It can provide links to sources where detailed information is held, and provides a link for occurrences of the public identity across databases on the web.
See How to use the ISNI web portal. For more detailed information, continue below:
Do a thorough search to avoid creating a duplicate. Perform the search several ways.
Note! fairly extensive searching may be part of the process: Google search, IMDb, or other resources depending on where the name is coming from
Option to add an identity for an organization or for a person/fictional character. Select Person template
Name: enter the name you are creating
Names should be as complete as possible where information is available (forenames preferred over initials). If you have a pseudonym, enter that in the Surname box.
Note:
Heading:
Creation Class (defines the repertoire such as musical, a-v, textural similar to RDA’s content type. Some examples are given if you hover over the “i” information icon, but according to the ISNI data element values document creation class is not yet defined; the default is “cre” BUT it is an optional field and most of us are choosing not to enter any value in this field.)
Creation Role (such as author, performer, publisher, illustrator): use the drop-down menu which is fairly comprehensive, for the HFA project there are numerous options in addition to director, such as film director, film producer, etc.
Work: Titles of works created by person (as found in the source):
Name Variant: Additional names as found in source
Related person: co-authors, co-performers, real names, collaborators, etc.
Relation: is related
Relationship type: choose from drop-down list
Related organization: if person is affiliated or member of or otherwise related
Language, Gender, Nationality: optional
External Information and Notes: You can add outside sources such as a website in the Information Box, with an indication of the source such as Wikipedia and the URL to the source providing a link to more detailed information about the Public Identity.
General note: messages for the ISNI quality team, such as information that should be deleted from a record, records that should be merged or separated: i.e. challenge the algorithm….
When completed, click SAVE Changes. (Not necessary to Save after adding information in each tab)
Results:
And you have created a record!
See How to use the ISNI web portal. For more detailed information, continue below:
What is enhancing a record:
There are four ways possible duplicates can arise:
Also make a General note when you have found a mixed identity (names of different persons in one ISNI record), or another error you wish to see corrected.