Records and Information Management (RIM) Practice Exam

Cross references in an authority system are created to link the different name forms a person might be known by to a single, stable access point, so someone can find the record no matter which version of the name they search for. In Miranda’s case, she might be found under an alternate name (for example using a middle name, initials, or a previous surname), and her last name being hyphenated means it could be entered in more than one way (as either two surnames or a single hyphenated unit). Both of these possibilities can lead to different entry forms, so a cross reference ensures that searches for any of those variants lead to the same record. The idea isn't about the number of indexing fields, but about guiding users to the correct record when name forms vary.