Multiple definitions for the same entry within a format are referred to as variations. SirsiDynix Symphony chooses which variation to use based on indicator values or subfield codes within the data.
The following format variations are defined.
| • | Browse Index Variations |
| • | Keyword Index Variations |
| • | Display Variations |
| • | Punctuation Variations |
| • | Authority Index Variations |
Browse index variations are present for entries that should be posted to browse indexes.
Browse Index policies are created independently of formats. Creating a Browse Index policy creates the data structure to house the index, but the policy gives no indication of how the index is populated.
Browse index variations indicate how browse indexes should be populated. A browse index variation indicates that certain subfield values from an entry should be included in a particular browse index. One entry can have multiple browse index variations so that the heading can be browsed in more than one index.
Browse index variations are defined on the Browse Tab for Entries.
For example, in MARC formats, the 700 field includes an author portion and a title portion. There could be two browse index variations for the 700, one that directs subfield a to the author browse index and another that directs subfield t to the title browse index.
For example, the 650 field contains subject headings. Subject headings come from thesauri constructed by agencies such as the Library of Congress (LC) and National Library of Medicine (NLM). Catalogers indicate the source of an authority heading with the second indicator. Browse index variations might be used to include 650 fields with a second indicator of 0 in an LC Subject browse index while another variation could include 650 fields with second indicator of 2 in a Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) browse index. There are eight indicator positions defined that denote the source of authority records, so a library could have more than two browse indexes (and variations) for the 650 fields. Some libraries create one large, combined browse index, regardless of indicators.
Cross Reference and Hypertext Searches
You can configure the type of search used by cross reference search and hypertext search. If you choose either the search type partial or exact, those searches are made in the browse indexes. In the case of multiple variations for an entry, the first browse variation is used for the search.
Keyword index variations are present for entries that should be posted to keyword indexes.
Keyword Index policies are created independently of formats. Creating a Keyword Index policy maps the name of the index within SirsiDynix Symphony to the name of the index in the BRS search software, but the Keyword Index policy gives no indication of how the index is populated.
Keyword index variations indicate how keyword indexes should be populated. A keyword index variation indicates that certain subfields from an entry should be included in a particular keyword index. One entry can have multiple keyword index variations so that the entry can be searched in more than one index.
Keyword index variations are defined on the Keyword Tab for Entries
For example, in MARC formats, the 700 field includes both an author portion and a title portion. There could be several browse index variations for the 700, one that directs subfield a to an index and another that directs subfield t to a different index. Having more than one keyword index variation is a way to direct different subfields to different indexes.
For example, the 650 field contains subject headings. Subject headings come from thesauri constructed by agencies like the Library of Congress (LC) and National Library of Medicine (NLM). Catalogers indicate the source of an authority heading with the second indicator. Keyword index variations might be used to direct 650 fields with the second indicator of 0 to an LC Subject keyword index while another variation could direct 650 fields with second indicator of 2 to a Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) keyword index. There are eight indicator positions defined that denote the source of authority records, so a library could even have more than two keyword indexes (and variations) for 650 fields.
Cross Reference and Hypertext Searches
You can configure the kind of search used by cross reference search and hypertext search. If you choose the search keyword, those searches are made in keyword indexes. In the case of multiple variations for an entry, the first variation is used for the search.
Display variations control the labels that display and which subfields display for a given entry. Multiple display variations are sometimes desirable for different indicator values for an entry. For example, it might be desirable to have multiple display variations for the 650 field, so that subjects from different thesauri display different labels.
Display Variations are defined on the Display Tab for Entries.
Sometimes librarians expect to see punctuation in bibliographic records that display to the public that is not included in the MARC data. Punctuation such as dashes within subject headings and brackets around series statements are defined in punctuation variations. There are standards for punctuation variations, and the variations that SirsiDynix delivers are standard. Typically, you will not need to make changes to these variations.
Punctuation variations are defined on the Punctuations Tab for Entries.
Entries that are under authority control have authority index variations.
Authority control allows libraries to build thesauri on their SirsiDynix Symphony system, typically using records loaded from a national organization. An authority control option allows for authority controlled headings in the bibliographic record to be checked against an authority index (generated from a database of authority records). A bibliographic heading is said to be authorized when there is a matching heading in the library’s authority index. A heading is unauthorized when there is no match.
Only the 650 and 651 fields will have multiple authority index variations, based on variations in the second indicator. Subjects from different thesauri (this is specified with the value of the second indicator) are often verified against different authority indexes.
Only the largest academic and corporate or special libraries tend to change authority index variations.
Authority variations are defined on the Authority Tab for Entries.
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