Music Library Association Best Practices for variant access point for expression

Prerecording

Prerecording

Record the element in authority records if deemed useful for identification or selection.

Do not record variant titles of expressions in languages other than the language of the preferred title of the work as variant access points for expression. Instead record such variant titles as values of Work: variant access point for work in the authority record for the work.

Recording

Recording

In MARC: Record as a structured description using field 400 or 410 as appropriate.

Recording an unstructured description

Recording a structured description

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. For a misattributed musical expression, provide additional access points as may be appropriate to identify the work.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.

Base of variant access point for expression

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option whenever appropriate. Construct a variant access point by combining:

  1. the authorized access point representing the work
  2. a variant of an addition used in constructing the authorized access point representing the expression.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. If applicable, construct a variant access point by combining:

  1. the authorized access point representing the person, family, or corporate body
  2. the variant title associated with that expression.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.

Format of base of access point in variant access point for expression

Additional elements and designations in variant access points for expression

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. Make additions to a variant access point when needed to break a conflict with an authorized access point in another record, or with another variant access point in the same record or based on cataloger's judgment.

Data provenance

Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option if specifically required by policy or the metadata system, as stated in the Metadata Guidance documentation.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.

Recording an identifier

Recording an IRI

Document Date: 2026/06/14
Document: https://access.rdatoolkit.org/en-US_ala-fab22bd9-d15d-30b2-9155-181e32392751