Emailing authors and publishers

Updated 2018

Sample email messages

When information is not easily available to break a conflict between two personal names, consider e-mailing the author or the publisher for information to break the conflict.

Ask for a birth date, middle name and/or middle initial.

To publisher

Dear [Publisher],

I am a cataloger at Princeton University Library and I am cataloging ["Book Title"] by [Name Surname]. Because there is another [Name Surname] in the Library of Congress name authority file, I need additional information to distinguish the two people.

Can you provide a date of birth or middle name or initial for [Name Surname], or forward my message to her so she can choose what she wants me to know?

This information will be used to establish a national authority record for [Name Surname]'s name and will set the form of her name used on all bibliographic records created by libraries in the U.S. and other countries.

Thank you for your help,

[signature]

To author

Dear [Author],

I am a cataloger at Princeton University Library, and I am cataloging your ["Book Title"]. Because there is another [Name Surname] in the Library of Congress name authority file, I need additional information to distinguish you both. Will you provide your date of birth or middle name or initial?

This information will be used to establish a national authority record for your name and will set the form of your name used on all bibliographic records created by libraries in the U.S. and other countries.

Thank you for your help,

[signature]