Authority Sources

Authority Files      Thesauri      Authority Lists

AUTHORITY FILES

The Organization Authority File and Person Authority File are available in ARC, and are based on the Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF).

THESAURI

Topical Subject Thesaurus
This thesaurus is used to index the content of archival materials. NARA created the Topical Subject Thesaurus from terms in Data Elements 800 (DE 800), the Library of Congress Subject Headings, and other sources. This thesaurus provides data values for Topical Subject Reference.

Geographic Authority File
This thesaurus is used to index the geographic references in archival materials and the jurisdictions of archival organizational creators. NARA has licensed use of the TGN from the J. Paul Getty Trust. This thesaurus provided the initial data values for Geographic Reference and Jurisdiction; NARA is adding, deleting, or editing these records as necessary.

Specific Records Type Thesaurus
This thesaurus is used to indicate the specific records types of archival materials. NARA developed the Specific Records Type Thesaurus using two specific hierarchies (Information Forms and Visual Works) from the J. Paul Getty Trust's Art and Architecture Thesaurus© (AAT). These two hierarchies were modified to meet NARA's descriptive practices. NARA also added terms from DE 800 and NAIL. This thesaurus provides data values for Specific Records Type.

Program Area Thesaurus
This thesaurus is used to index the program areas or functions of creating organizations. NARA created the Program Area Thesaurus based on terms in DE 800 and other sources. This thesaurus provides data values for Program Area.

AUTHORITY LISTS

Intellectual Elements

• Access Restriction Status Authority List
  • Specific Access Restriction Authority List
  • Security Classification Authority List
• Contributor Type Authority List
• Creator Type Authority List
• Date Qualifier Authority List
• Description Type Authority List
• Edit Status Authority List
• Finding Aid Type Authority List
• General Records Type Authority List
• Language Authority List
• Sound Type Authority List
• Use Restriction Status Authority List
  • Specific Use Restriction Authority List
• Variant Control Number Type Authority List

Physical Occurrence Elements

• Holdings Measurement Type Authority List
• Copy Status Authority List
• Location Facility Authority List
• Reference Unit Authority List

Media Occurrence Elements

• General Media Type Authority List
• Specific Media Type Authority List (former Media Type Authority List)
  • Base Authority List
  • Color Authority List
  • Dimension Authority List
  • Emulsion Authority List
  • Format Authority List
  • Other Preservation Characteristics Authority List
  • Process Authority List
  • Recording Speed Authority List
  • Roll Authority List
  • Soundtrack Configuration Authority List
  • Tape Thickness Authority List
  • Wind Authority List

Digital Object Elements

• Object Type Authority List

Workflow Elements

• Difficulty Authority List
• Digitizing Partnership Authority List
• Priority Authority List