Personal name conflicts

Various additions can be made to headings or references to distinguish identical names, for which the cataloger may need to consult reference sources. Additions for personal names, and their order of preference, are specified in RI 22.17-22.20.

1. Heading-Reference Conflicts

Always resolve the conflict by altering the 4xx reference, whether the reference is on the new authority record or on a record already in the NAF. For rare exceptions, consult the NACO Coordinator.

Dates may be added to a reference to resolve a conflict, without changing an AACR2 heading that has already been established without dates. In this case, do not change the heading.

100 10 Bell, J. A.‡q(James A.)
400 10 Bell, James A.,‡d1941-
[The date was added to the reference on an existing NAF record to break a conflict with a newly established heading, Bell, James A., for a different person.]

2. Heading-Heading Conflicts

First try to resolve the conflict by making additions to the new heading. Consult appropriate reference sources if necessary. Consider using the Internet to contact the author or publisher for information to break the conflict. See following sections for additional information.

If it is not possible to break the conflict in this way, document your attempt by adding a 675 field to the new authority record, listing the sources you consulted. (Be selective. It is not always necessary to list every source checked.)

Then try to resolve the conflict by making additions to the existing AACR2 heading.

• If the conflict is with a heading on a pre-AACR2 LC bibliographic record, you may need to establish the AACR2 form of the LC heading, to determine if a conflict still exists. If the LC heading (as found) would be an acceptable AACR2 form, and the conflict can be resolved by making additions to your new heading, it is not necessary to create an authority record for the LC heading.