I haven’t done a whole lot with load profiles but I recently heard someone mention (somewhat off-hand) that they could be used to replace subject headings on incoming records with locally preferred headings instead. I’m wondering if anyone has done anything like this or if there’s anyone out there who knows load profiles really well and could share their thoughts about this is a possibility.
Looking through my training documents it seems like there are two options %replace or a translation table. A translation table seems the more practical way to go but I was wondering what others think.
You could do this with a translation table, but it depends on whether you are using automatic authority control. If you are using AAC, then that could change headings back if you don’t fix your authority records, and if you do fix your authority records, then ACC will change them for you anyway.
It just now occurs to me that a translation table would allow you to insert another heading. So you could have both the old and new headings in your record to improve searching. If you put that new heading in a 690 maybe, ACC would not change it back and if the 690 is in your subject index then it is searchable. I haven’t thought that through completely, having just thought of it.