3

EDITORIAL RULES, CONTINUED

3.2

Identifying numbers, status flags, and subject sources

Included in this chapter

• Subject ID (required-default) ^[1]
  
• Parent Key (required)
  
• Merged Status (required-default)
  
• Published Status (required-default)
  
• Review Status (required-default)
  
• Record Type (required-default)
  
• Candidate Status (required-default)
  
• Label (required-default)
  
• Contributors for the Subject Record (required)
  
• Sources for the Subject Record (required)
  
  
• Example

3.2.1

Subject ID (required default)

3.2.1.1

Definition
A number used to uniquely identify the record to the system.

3.2.1.2

Values
Numbers are automatically assigned by the system in the following range: 300,000,000 - 599,999,999.

3.2.1.3

Discussion
The Subject_ID displays at the top of the Subject Edit screen in VCS, in the hierarchy, and in other displays.

The Subject_ID for each record is unique and persistent.

Numbers for a given record change only if the record is merged with another record, when a new record is generated.

Mappings between old numbers and new numbers are generated with the data releases.

3.2.1.4

RULES

• The editor cannot edit the numbers. The rules followed by the system in producing them include the following: Numbers are assigned sequentially. Numbers of deleted records are not re-used. Numbers do not contain commas or any other punctuation.

3.2.2

Parent Key (required)

3.2.2.1

Definition
The unique ID of the immediate parent of the record.

3.2.2.2

Values
Automatically generated by the system. When you link to the parent (which happens when you place the record in the hierarchy), the parent's ID is placed in the record: The range of numbers is the following: 300,000,000 - 599,999,999.

3.2.2.3

Discussion
There may be multiple parents; the Parent Key for the preferred parent appears at the top of the Edit Subject record in VCS.

3.2.2.4

RULES

• See Hierarchical relationships below for rules regarding how to assign or change parents (i.e., how to position records or move them in the hierarchy).
  
  
• The editor cannot edit the numbers. The rules followed by the system in producing the numbers include the following: Numbers are assigned sequentially. Numbers of deleted records are not re-used. Numbers do not contain commas or any other punctuation.

3.2.3

Merged Status (required-default)

3.2.3.1

Definition
Flag indicating whether or not the record has been merged with one or more other records.

The merging information is further recorded in Revision History.

3.2.3.2

Values
When records are merged by an editor, the flag is automatically set by the system.

M - Merged
N - Not Merged.

3.2.3.3

RULES for Merged Status

• For rules for merging, see General Guidelines: 2.2 Merging Records.

3.2.4

Published Status (required-default)

3.2.4.1

Definition
Flag indicating whether or not the record has been released in the licensed files.

3.2.4.2

Values
Automatically assigned by the system.

P - Published
N - Not Published

3.2.4.3

RULES for Published Status

• Rules apply to the system only; editors cannot edit this flag. A new record is assigned as "Unpublished."
  
  Once a record has been included in one of the annual releases, the system automatically switches this value to "Published."

3.2.5

Review Status (required-default)

3.2.5.1

Definition
Flag indicating the stage in the editorial process that the record has reached.

3.2.5.2

Values
Values are drawn from a short controlled list. Some values are automatically assigned by the system. The editors should assign others as instructed in the rules below. Editors can overwrite automatically assigned values if necessary (consult with your supervisor before doing so).

NC - New Candidate
NW - New VP
AC - Accepted Candidate
HD - Holding
IP - In Process
RV - Reviewed
AP - Approved
FN - Finished

3.2.5.3

RULES for Review Status
Assign review status based on the definitions below.

• NC - New Candidate: Automatically assigned. Status of a record that has been loaded as a candidate but not moved from the candidate hierarchy ("temp.parent"). Also assigned when an editor creates a new record in a candidate hierarchy.
  
  
• AC - Accepted Candidate: Automatically assigned. Status assigned when a record is moved from a candidate hierarchy to the publishable hierarchies.
  
  
• NW - New VP: Automatically assigned when a record is created in the publishable hierarchies of VCS. Designates a record created by the Vocabulary Program.
  
  
• HD - Holding: Automatically assigned when a record is moved from the publishable hierarchy into a candidate hierarchy.
  
  
• IP - In Process: Assigned by editor. Indicates a record has been processed after loading, and is minimally ready for published hierarchy. Changes and additions are frequent with In Process records.
  
  
• RV - Reviewed: Assigned by editor. Indicates record has been more thoroughly reviewed than In Process records, and is likely a full record rather than a minimal record. However, such records are still subject to frequent changes and additions, as are all AAT records.
  
  
• FN - Finished: First step in approval process for a section of the hierarchy. Assigned by an editor to a section of a hierarchy. Indicates that the records in this section of the hierarchy (i.e., the hierarchical descendents of this record) have been okayed during the annual review.
  
  
• AP - Approved: Second step in approval process for a section of the hierarchy. Assigned by a designated editor to hierarchical level that had earlier been flagged as "finished." Indicates that the records in this section of the hierarchy (i.e., the hierarchical descendents of this record) have been double-checked prior to the annual review.

3.2.6

Record Type (required-default)

3.2.6.1

Definition
Flag indicating the general type of thing described in the record.

3.2.6.2

Values
Flags are derived from a short, extensible controlled list.

Concept
Hierarchy Name
Guide Term
Facet

3.2.6.3

RULES for Record Type
Editors and contributors should create records having record type concept in most cases. However, for your information, the definitions below explain the meaning of other record types in the AAT. Fuller discussion of the hierarchy of the AAT is discussed in 3.1 Hierarchical Relationships.

• C - Concept: Record type for the postable terms in the AAT. It is the record type indicating the subject of the vocabulary record to which the generic terms refer, including abstract concepts, physical attributes, activities, terms for performers of activities, materials, objects, and visual and verbal communication forms. If the record represents any concept that is not strictly part of the structure of the AAT, is should have record type concept.
  
  
• H - Hierarchy name: Refers to a subdivision in certain dense facets of the AAT, where additional organization is required below facet. The hierarchy name is not used for indexing or cataloging.
  
  
• G - Guide Term: A Guide Term (also called a node label) is a level used to collocate narrower concepts, where a concept does not exist to serve this purpose (e.g., <visual works by location or context>). In displays, guide terms are enclosed in angled brackets. They should not be used for indexing.
  
  
• F - Facet: A facet is a broad division of the hierarchy, generally appearing directly under the Root. In AAT, currently facets include Associated Concepts, Physical Attributes, Styles and Periods, Agents, Activities, Materials, Objects, Brand Names and various candidate hierarchies (designated by their name temp.parent.

3.2.7

Candidate Status (required-default)

3.2.7.1

Definition
Flag indicating if the record is a Candidate or not. A Candidate record is a record that has been submitted for publication in the AAT, but has not yet been processed/okayed by the editors.

3.2.7.2

Values
Automatically generated by the system: C - Candidate, N - Non Candidate

3.2.7.3

Discussion
This flag is used to distinguish Candidate records from publishable records (Non-Candidate); therefore, this flag ultimately indicates whether or not the record will be published. Only Non-Candidate records are published. Candidate records are new records, either added by VP under a candidate hierarchy (temp.parent) or loaded by the VCS Loader.

3.2.7.4

RULES

• The rules are imposed by the system. Editors cannot change this flag.
  
  
• If the record has a parent or other ancestor that is a temp.parent, the record is a Candidate. If it is in a publishable section of the hierarchy, it is a Non-Candidate.

3.2.8

Label (required-default)

3.2.8.1

Definition
Concatenated string used to give a brief identification of the concept in a form intelligible to end users.

3.2.8.2

Values
Free text. Use Unicode characters and, if required, numbers. In AAT, values are generated by the editorial system or algorithm.

3.2.8.3

Sources
Various fields and hierarchical relationships in the target subject record and its parents' and ancestors' records are the sources for values in the Label.

3.2.8.3

Discussion

A label is a brief description of the AAT concept, to be used in results lists and other displays of AAT data.

While the Subject_ID uniquely identifies the record from a systems perspective, the Label identifies the AAT concept and distinguishes it from similar concepts for human readers in results lists and various other displays.

3.2.8.5

RULES for Label

3.2.8.5.1

Minimum Requirements

Required-default: The Editor cannot edit the Label directly. In VCS, it is created by the system or other algorithm from the record-preferred term for the concept record and the parent string (a string of the preferred descriptors for its parents; see Parent Key above).

3.2.8.5.2

Elements of the AAT Label

Implementors should construct the Label using the following fields in the order indicated below.

1. The record-preferred term of the AAT concept (e.g., stained glass).

2. The Qualifier in parentheses, if any (e.g., visual works).

3. The parent string, in ascending order. Include the immediate parent and the Facet name; abbreviate intervening level names as necessary using elipsis (e.g.,<paintings by location or context>, paintings (visual works), ... Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name), Objects Facet).

4. The AAT Subject_ID, in square brackets (e.g., 300263722).


• Example
  
• stained glass (visual works) (<paintings by location or context>, paintings (visual works), ... Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name), Objects Facet) [AAT 300263722]

3.2.9

Contributors for the Subject Record (required)

3.2.9.1

Definition
A reference to the institutions or projects that contributed information to the record as a whole.

3.2.9.2

Values
Controlled by a link to a file of controlled terminology; the list changes as new contributors are added. See Appendix D: Contributors and Contributions.

3.2.9.3

Discussion
Contributors to the AAT term, the scope note, and the overall record are cited in the published AAT. It is required of implementors to also give credit to the contributors for this AAT data.

Contributor acronyms or initials are included in data loads. Editors rarely need enter contributor information.

3.2.9.4

RULES for Contributor

3.2.9.4.1

Minimum Requirements

Required-default: Every term and scope note in the AAT must have a contributor cited. If the contributor is missing, add it. If the Vocabulary Program adds the data, the contributor is VP.

3.2.10

Sources for the Subject Record (required)

3.2.10.1

Definition
A reference to the sources used for information included in the record as a whole.

3.2.10.2

Values
Values are controlled by the Sources file in VCS. A source must be added to the Source file in order to be used in (linked to) the Subject (concept) record. For a discussion of how to add sources to the Sources file, see Appendix C: Sources.

3.2.10.3

Discussion
Sources are linked to the Terms, Scope Note, and - in this field - to the Subject record as a whole.

• This field often (but not always) comprises the sum of all the sources linked to Terms and Scope Note; in addition, it may include some sources not also linked to Terms or Scope Note.

3.2.10.4

RULES

• It is required to cite the sources used for a field that is not linked to a contributor (that is, to any field other than Terms or Scope Note), such as Coordinates or Associative Relationships. This is particularly crucial when the added information is important and when the source is not already listed as a source anywhere else in the record (i.e., not linked to Terms or Scope Note).
  
  
• In the Page Field, it is required to cite the volume, page number, date of accessing a Web site, or other appropriate indication of the specific location where the name was found in the source. For the AAT, note if the term was pre-coordinated in the source.
  
  

• Examples
  
  

• If there are multiple editions or multiple publication dates for a source, link to the specific source that you are using.

^[1] "Required-default" indicates that a default is automatically set; some defaults are editable and should be changed by the cataloguer as necessary. Others are system-generated and cannot be changed.

Last updated 18 December 2015
Document is subject to frequent revisions