Monthly Authority File Updates

Summary: Each month, the Metadata Management Unit receives updates to the authority files from Backstage. This document outlines how to receive those updates.

Receiving and processing authority records

1. The Authorities Librarian receives an email from Backstage on the Thursday of the week following the 3rd Wednesday of the month with a notification that MSUL's monthly authority updates are complete. These files are delivered via FTP. To retrieve them, navigate to Backstage's Outbox by entering ftp.bslw.com in the address bar of a file manager, open the "out" folder, and copy the latest zip file. For example, the February 2023 file is named "EEM2302N.zip."
2. Upzip the file. All FAST MARC files and "formerly" spreadsheets are unneeded and can be deleted.
3. Combine all LC authority MARC files into one file in MarcEdit. Deduplicate the file using the 001 field and delete any FAST headings.
4. Load the MARC file into FOLIO using Data Import and the AUTH2 job profile. Generally, Data Import can only handle approximately 5,000 records per load so it may be necessary to split the MARC file into multiple files using MarcEdit. 
5. Check the non-LC authority files to make sure that the control number in the 001 is duplicated in the 010 field. If it is not, use MarcEdit to copy the 001 to the 010.
   1. To add an 010:
      1. Click the "Tools" menu and select "Build new field."
      2. Enter the following text: =010  \\$a{001}
      3. Check the box to "Add a new field if not present."
      4. Click "Process."
6. When all the non-LC files have 010 fields, combine them into a single MARC file and load into FOLIO using Data Import and the AUTH2 job profile.
7. If any records in either set fail to load and is marked as "discarded" in the Data Import log, it is likely that duplicate authority records exist. If that is the case, delete both records and load the "discarded" record separately as a new record.

Reports and statistics

1. Once the authority records are loaded, work can begin on the following reports:
   1. R02_C1XX: Authority add report (NAMES)
   2. R04: Names, Subjects, Titles, & Series Delete Reports
   3. R03_C1XX: Authority Change Report
2. Record the total number of authority records loaded in the "Authority Statistics" spreadsheet on the "Monthly Auths" tab. (Contact the Authorities Librarian if access to this spreadsheet is needed.)