This metadata template links to various library catalogue systems. At the moment, it is used almost exclusively for people.
The supported authority files include:
Integrated Authority File (Gemeinsame Normdatei or GND)
Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)
Virtual International Authority File (VIAF)
LIBRIS by the National Library of Sweden (SELIBR)
International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI)
Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)
Biografisch Portaal|Dutch Biography Portal (Biografisch Portaal or BPN)
Outdated: Name Authority File (Personennamendatei or PND), now part of GND
Outdated: Corporate Bodies Authority File (Gemeinsame Körperschaftsdatei or GKD), now part of GND
Outdated: Subject Headings Authority File (Schlagwortnormdatei or SWD), now part of GND
Where possible, the template also generates a link to WorldCat Identities, using the LCCN variable. (It will shortly be possible to link using VIAF values - this is being tested by OCLC and will be activated in the template as soon as it goes live.)
Authority data on researchers, academics, etc. The ID range has been defined as a subset of the forthcoming ISNI range. Authors - including Wikibooks editors - may obtain an ORCID by signing up at orcid.org.
Dutch project with material for 40,000 digitized biographies, including former colonies of the Netherlands. For free text links, it is also possible to use {{BPN}}.
An identifying system for scientific authors. The system was introduced in January 2008 by Thomson Reuters. The combined use of the Digital Object Identifier with the ResearcherID allows for a unique association of authors and scientific articles.
BIBSYS is a supplier of library and information systems for all Norwegian university Libraries, the National Library of Norway, college libraries, and a number of research libraries and institutions.
ULAN is an online database using a controlled vocabulary currently containing around 293,000 names and other information about artists. Names in ULAN may include given names, pseudonyms, variant spellings, names in multiple languages, and names that have changed over time (e.g., married names).
The template wraps each UID value with the XHTML code: <span class="uid">...</span>, which enables the first-found value to be included in an hCard microformat. For that reason, VIAF, where present, is given first.