1. Introducing RDA
June 13th, 2013
Chris Oliver
McGill University
chris.oliver@mcgill.ca
1

2. What is RDA?
RDA = Resource Description and Access
• new metadata standard replaces AACR2
• set of practical instructions
objectives:
• to record better metadata to support better resource
discovery
• to record data that can be used in the web and linked data
environment
2

3. Plan
not a training session
aim: overview of RDA
understand some of the background and the key
concepts --- to make training sessions easier
1. RDA implementation
2. key concepts and their visible impact on RDA
a) theoretical framework
b) objectives and principles
c) focus on the user
d) content standard
e) bibliographic information as data
3

4. 1. RDA implementation
4

5. AACR2
 successful standard
 adopted by many countries
 in use for many years
but
problems with AACR2
for example:
• written for card catalogues
• inadequate rules to describe new types of resources
• inconsistencies
• library specific
5

6. Timeline
1997 problems identified:
International Conference on the Principles &
Future Development of AACR, Toronto, Ontario
1998-2004 revisions to AACR2
2004 AACR3
2005 new standard: Resource Description and Access
2009 RDA text completed
2010 RDA text + software – standard is a web tool
2010-2013 laying the groundwork for implementation
6

7. U.S. testing of RDA
October 1st, 2010
• US test begins
• RDA records start to appear in OCLC
• the other author countries – Australia, Canada and Great
Britain – delay implementation while U.S. completed its testing
process
January 1st, 2011
• all testers supposed to return to using AACR2
but
• some decide to continue using RDA
7

8. Implementation dates announced
March 2012:
Library of Congress
LC’s official implementation date: March 31, 2013
Program for Cooperative Cataloging
Day 1 for the NACO Authority File: March 31, 2013
8

9. Implementation dates announced
other national libraries also implementing in 2013:
National Agricultural Library
National Library of Medicine
British Library
Library and Archives Canada
National Library of Australia
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
and more: National Library of New Zealand
National Library of the Philippines
...
9

10. Interest in RDA
• translation projects: German completed
French completed
Spanish
Chinese (Mandarin)
Who is interested in implementing RDA?
• libraries that used AACR2
• national libraries in countries that had their own
descriptive standards
10

11. What happened on March 31, 2013?
• all new authority records contributed to LC/NACO authority file
= RDA
• all records coded pcc = all RDA access points
all records coded pcc whether:
• RDA description
or
• AACR2 description
• LC completed training for all its cataloging staff and all LC
records are only RDA records
11

12. Did I miss implementation?
1) day 1 is important for a sharing data environment:
PCC: declares day 1 for contributing to NACO authorities
LC: declares day 1 for its own cataloguing operations
2) some institutions never switched back after the test
3) each institution decides on day 1 for its original bibliographic
data
12

13. March 31, 2013 onwards
• landscape is now changing quickly
• rapid rise in number of RDA bibliographic records
• changes in NACO authority file
implications if use NACO authority records
implications for copy cataloging
• different institutions will make the transition at different
speeds
13

14. Transition in phases
Phase 1: emphasis on continuity
RDA data in MARC 21
RDA and AACR records in one catalogue
still use bibliographic and authority records
some new fields
some changed instructions
some new instructions
BUT
>>> thinking about bibliographic information differently
14

15. Phase 1 = starting down new track
RDA
• moves us to a new track
• starts us on a promising
track for the future use of
our metadata
• what we see in 2013 is only
the beginning
15

16. 2. Key concepts in RDA
16

17. AACR2 RDA
• continue to record the title
• continue to record the statement of responsibility
• continue to record the date of publication
But …
• new vocabulary
• new way of thinking about how we do these steps
17

18. Similar, but ...
AACR2
1.2B1. Transcribe the edition statement as found on the item.
Use abbreviations as instructed in appendix B and numerals as
instructed in appendix C.
RDA
2.5.1.4. Transcribe an edition statement as it appears on the
source of information.
No instruction to abbreviate or to convert to arabic
numerals.
18

19. Similar, but ...
• serious adherence to the principle of representation
“take what you see”
t.p. data recorded
3rd ed. 3rd ed.
Second edition Second edition
19

20. Familiarity with key RDA concepts
• many of the changes trace back to the key concepts
• a useful way to grab hold of RDA
• a useful way to approach RDA implementation
20

21. 2. Key concepts in RDA
a) theoretical framework
21

22. RDA’s theoretical framework
• aligned with the FRBR and FRAD conceptual models
FRBR Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records
1998
FRAD Functional Requirements for Authority Data
2009
FRAD is an extension of the FRBR model
• both models developed under the auspices of IFLA
• broad base of international consensus and support
22

23. The two models
• widely used data modeling technique:
entity relationship model
• entities
• attributes
• relationships
• analyze bibliographic and authority data from the point of view
of how that data is used
23

24. RDA vocabulary from FRBR + FRAD
• user tasks
• meaning and scope of the 11 bibliographic entities
work person concept
expression family object
manifestation corporate body event
item place
• entities – attributes – relationships
24

25. Organization and Structure of RDA
RDA table of contents reflects alignment with FRBR
Section 1-4 = Recording attributes
Section 1. Recording attributes of manifestation and item
Section 2. Recording attributes of work and expression
Section 3. Recording attributes of person, family, and corporate
body
Section 4. Recording attributes of concept, object, event, and
place [placeholder]
25

26. Organization and Structure of RDA
Sections 5-10 = Recording Relationships
Section 5. Recording primary relationships between work,
expression, manifestation, and item
Section 6. Recording relationships to persons, families, and
corporate bodies associated with a resource
Section 7. Recording subject relationships [placeholder]
Section 8. Recording relationships between works, expressions,
manifestations, and items
Section 9. Recording relationships between persons, families,
and corporate bodies
Section 10. Recording relationships between concepts, objects,
events, and places [placeholder]
26

27. User tasks from FRBR + FRAD
Bibliographic data
• find
• identify
• select
• obtain
Authority data
• find
• identify
• clarify (contextualize)
• understand (justify)
27

28. Attributes
• how to record the attributes of entities (characteristics)
for example, entity = a manifestation
attributes we record: title proper
statement of responsibility
edition statement
place of publication
etc.
28

29. Relationships: links between entities
work created by person
item owned by family
manifestation produced by corporate body
work based on work
manifestation electronic reproduction manifestation
person member of family
family founded corporate body
29

30. Relationships in RDA
1. record relationship
2. specify exact nature of the relationship
for example
AACR2 name of a person ------- title of book
• type of relationship may be embedded in text of description
• bibliographic record contains name of person and title
RDA name of a person --- type of relationship --- work
• make the relationship explicit and clear
• relationship designators = controlled vocabulary
30

31. Relationship designators
• specify roles
for example cartographer
performer
broadcaster
former owner
issuing body
• specify the nature of the relationship
for example adaptation of
paraphrased as
electronic reproduction of
31

32. Relationships in RDA
examples with MARC 21 coding:
245 10 $a British Atlantic, American frontier : $b spaces of power in
early modern British America / $c Stephen J. Hornsby ; with
cartography by Michael J. Hermann.
700 1# $a Herman, Michael J., $e cartographer
245 00 $a Alice in Wonderland, or, What's a nice kid like you doing in a
place like this? /$c Hanna-Barbera Productions.
700 1# $i Parody of (work) $a Carroll, Lewis, $d 1832-1898. $t Alice's
adventures in Wonderland.
authority record
500 3# $w r $i Descendant family: $a Adams (Family)
32

33. Theoretical framework
• alignment with the FRBR and FRAD conceptual models
• bibliographic and authority data
>>> in terms of entities, attributes + relationships
• identify what is important --- how is data used
• systematic and coherent framework
>>> conceptual clarity
>>> logical consistency
>>> reference point for further development
33

34. Why are the models important?
broad international support for the explanatory
power of the models
common international language and conceptual
understanding of the bibliographic universe
as the foundation for a standard:
• easier for others to understand our data
• easier to apply in international context
• easier for our data to interoperate

35. 2. Key concepts in RDA
b) objectives and principles
35

36. RDA Objectives & Principles
• important part of RDA
• shaped many of the instructions that are different from AACR2
• concur with the International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)
36

37. RDA Objectives & Principles
Objectives RDA 0.4.2
• responsiveness to user
needs
• cost efficiency
• flexibility
• continuity
Principles RDA 0.4.3
• differentiation
• sufficiency
• relationships
• representation
• accuracy
• attribution
• common usage or practice
• uniformity
37

38. Principle of representation
for example RDA 0.4.3.4
principle = representation
The data describing a resource should reflect
the resource’s representation of itself.
result = simplify transcription
“Take what you see”
38

39. RDA = Take what you see
source = Kemptville, Ontario
AACR2 = Kemptville, Ont.
RDA = Kemptville, Ontario
264 1 $a Kemptville, Ontario
_____________________________________________________
source = Band LXXXVIII (series numbering)
AACR2 = Bd. 88
RDA = Band LXXXVIII
490 $a ... ; $v Band LXXXVIII
39

40. RDA = Take what you see
source = Third revised edition
AACR2 = 3rd rev. ed.
RDA = Third revised edition
_____________________________________________
source = 2nd enlarged ed., revised
AACR2 = 2nd enl. ed., rev.
RDA = 2nd enlarged ed., revised
40

41. Different instructions
AACR2 1.0F. Inaccuracies
In an area where transcription from the item is required,
transcribe an inaccuracy or a misspelled word as it appears in
the item. Follow such an inaccuracy either by [sic] or by i.e. and
the correction within square brackets. Supply a missing letter
or letters in square brackets.
RDA 1.7.9 Inaccuracies
When instructed to transcribe an element as it appears on the
source of information, transcribe an inaccuracy or a misspelled
word as it appears on the source, except where instructed
otherwise.
41

42. Inaccuracy in RDA
• make a note correcting the inaccuracy if considered important
for identification or access (see 2.20 )
• if inaccuracy in the title proper, record a corrected form of the
title as a variant title
Exception for serials or integrating resources: correct obvious
typographic errors, and make a note
42

43. RDA = Take what you see
title page = Melallization of polymers
(book)
AACR2 = Melallization [sic] of polymers
or Melallization [i.e. Metallization] of
polymers
RDA = Melallization of polymers
245 14 $a Melallization of polymers
246 1 $i Corrected title: $a Metallization
of polymers
43

44. 2. Key concepts in RDA
c) focus on the user
44

45. RDA Objectives & Principles
Objectives RDA 0.4.2
• responsiveness to user
needs
• cost efficiency
• flexibility
• continuity
Principles RDA 0.4.3
• differentiation
• sufficiency
• relationships
• representation
• accuracy
• attribution
• common usage or practice
• uniformity
45

46. Focus on the user
• record data that is important to the user
why is it important?
helps the user to find
identify
select
obtain
46

47. Resource discovery = user tasks
Bibliographic data
• find
• identify
• select
• obtain
Why record the data?
Authority data
• find
• identify
• clarify
• understand
To help user achieve these
tasks.
47

48. Consistent focus on the user
• RDA divided into 10 sections
• each section begins with general guidelines
• functional objectives and principles specific to the section
Functional objectives = relationship between data and user
tasks
the data (recorded or constructed according
to the instructions in that section)
the user tasks
48

49. Example from Section 1
Section 1= Recording attributes of manifestations & items
1.2 Functional Objectives and Principles
The data describing a manifestation or item should enable the user to:
a) find manifestations and items that correspond to the user’s stated
search criteria
b) identify the resource described …
c) select a resource that is appropriate to the user’s requirements with
respect to the physical characteristics of the carrier and the
formatting and encoding of information stored on the carrier
d) obtain a resource …
49

50. Basis for cataloguer judgment
• instructions encourage cataloguer judgment
--- based on user tasks
for example, from 3.7 Applied material
Record the applied material used in the resource if it is
considered important for identification or selection …
50

51. Easier for user to identify
• avoid abbreviations
300 $a 398 pages :$b illustrations ; $c 25 cm
AACR2: 300 $a 398 p. :$b ill. ; $c 25 cm.
• avoid square brackets
300 $a 48 unnumbered pages, 256 pages
AACR2: 300 $a [48], 256 p.
• replace Latin abbreviations
300 $a 48, that is, 96 pages
AACR2: 300 $a 48 [i.e. 96] p.
• avoid cryptic information
300 $a xiv, 179 pages (incomplete)
AACR2: 300 $a xiv, 179 + p.
51

52. Easier for user to find, identify
RDA: no more: rule of three
no more … [et al.] in description
if statement of responsibility names more
than one person >>> record all RDA 2.4.1.5
optional omission: record first named and
summarize the omission
[and six others]
access points for first named or principal core
or all
or cataloger judgment
or institutional policy
52

53. Easier for user to find, identify
RDA: record all authors; access points for all authors;
define relationships with designators
100 1 $a Berry, John W., $e author.
245 10 $a Cross-cultural psychology : $b research and applications /
$c John W. Berry, Ype H. Poortinga, Seger M. Breugelmans,
Athanasios Chasiotis, David L. Sam.
250 $a Third edition.
264 1 $a Cambridge : $b Cambridge University Press, $c 2011.
300 $a xxii, 626 pages ; $c 25 cm
700 1 $a Poortinga, Ype H., $d 1939- $e author.
700 1 $a Breugelmans, Seger M., $e author.
700 1 $a Chasiotis, Athanasios, $e author.
700 1 $a Sam, David L., $e author.
53

54. Easier for user to understand
RDA
optional omission (2.4.1.5):
more than three, omit and summarize
core relationship = access point for first-recorded
omit relationship designator
100 1 $a Berry, John W.
245 10 $a Cross-cultural psychology : $b research and
applications / $c John W. Berry [and four others].
250 $a Third edition.
264 1 $a Cambridge : $b Cambridge University Press, $c 2011.
300 $a xxii, 626 pages ; $c 25 cm
54

55. Easier for user to find
AACR2 Aesop’s fables. Polyglot.
RDA Aesop’s fables. Greek
Aesop’s fables. Latin
Aesop’s fables. English
Aesop’s fables. German
AACR2 Aesop’s fables. English & German
RDA Aesop’s fables. English
Aesop’s fables. German
55

56. 2. Key concepts in RDA
d) content standard
56

57. RDA as a content standard
AACR2: MARC encoding + ISBD display
RDA = what data should the cataloguer record?
• possible to encode using many encoding systems
• can be encoded using MARC
• does not have to be encoded using MARC encoding
• can be used with web friendly XML based encoding schema,
such as Dublin Core, MODS
• possible to display the data in many ways
57

58. RDA as a content standard
RDA= instructions on recording data
not tied to one encoding practice
RDA= record person’s date of birth = 1982
Encode?
$d 1982- MARC 21
<subfield code="d">1982- </subfield> MARCXML
<mods:namePart type="date">1982- </mods:namePart>
<dob>1982</dob>
<xs:element name="rdaDateOfBirth“>1982</xs:element>
58

59. RDA as a content standard
RDA= instructions on recording data
not tied to one display of data
for example, create displays that suit your user group
RDA says: record person’s date of birth = 1982
Display? born 1982
b. 1982
1982-
date of birth: 1982
59

60. Identifying the entity
either
eye-readable data: name
date of birth and death
Shields, Carol, 1953-2003
and/or
machine actionable data: identifier
0101A6635
http://viaf.org/viaf/4944537/#Shields,_Carol
60

61. RDA as a content standard
• not locked into library encoding practices
• not locked into library display practices
• get out of the library silo
>>> data visible on the web
>>> data interacting with the
data of other metadata
communities
61

62. 2. Key concepts in RDA
e) bibliographic information
as data
62

63. Data Elements
element = A word, character, or group of words and/or
characters representing a distinct unit of
bibliographic information.
appears similar to AACR2 definition
minus “forming part of an area”
effect is quite different from AACR2
each element is ≈ discrete
≈ precisely defined
≈ single attribute / single relationship
63

64. AACR2
for example
AACR2: information embedded in non-specific places
notes digital file characteristics
physical description file type
MARC 538 encoding format
516 file size
500 resolution
300 regional encoding
transmission speed
64

65. RDA
RDA: precise elements and element sub-types
digital file characteristics RDA 3.19
file type
encoding format
file size
resolution
regional encoding
transmission speed
65

66. 347 Digital File Characteristics
new MARC field 347
subfield codes
$a - File type (R)
$b - Encoding format (R)
$c - File size (R)
$d - Resolution (R)
$e - Regional encoding (R)
$f - Transmission speed (R)
66

67. AACR2 Information
AACR2: assume human will decipher
ok to be ambiguous
AACR2: date of publication, distribution, etc.
date of copyright
date of manufacture
MARC 21: 260 $c
260 $g
67

68. RDA Data Elements
RDA: precise elements – only one kind of data in an element
RDA: 5 different elements: RDA 2.7-2.11
date of production
date of publication
date of distribution
date of manufacture
date of copyright
MARC 21: 264 $c 5 different indicators
68

69. Controlled vocabulary
• controlled vocabulary recommended for many elements
encoding format DAISY, CD audio, MP3, Access,
XML, JPEG, TIFF, CAD, PDF,
Blu-ray, DVD video, VCD
production method blueline, blueprint, engraving,
etching, lithograph, photocopy,
photoengraving, woodcut
base material Bristol board, canvas, cardboard,
ceramic, glass, leather, paper,
parchment, vellum
69

70. RDA data = precise + usable data
RDA
• each element is distinct and precisely defined
• each element contains only one kind of data
• controlled vocabulary in many elements
 each element has the potential to be usable:
to index
to search
to build meaningful displays of data
 data in any element can be used: by humans
by computers
70

71. Many new elements
many new elements but do not have to use them all
core elements
• not a level of description
• core elements are a minimum “a floor, not a ceiling”
• must include any additional elements required to differentiate
the resource or entity from a similar one
• inclusion of other elements --- cataloguer judgment
71

72. Phase 1: RDA using MARC
Bibliographic description:
• core elements (RDA core, LC-PCC core)
• new MARC fields
• simplified instructions for transcription
• some new instructions when recording data
Authorized access points in bibliographic records:
• LC/NACO authority file
• some new instructions when identifying persons, families,
corporate bodies, works and expressions
Authority records:
• NACO guidelines
72

73. AACR2: simple book (abbreviated)
020 $a 9780230242685 (hardback)
100 1 $a Stanfield, J. Ron, $d 1945-
245 10 $a John Kenneth Galbraith / $c by James Ronald Stanfield
and Jacqueline Bloom Stanfield.
260 $a New York : $b Palgrave Macmillan, $c c2011.
300 $a xi, 251 p. ; $c 23 cm.
490 1 $a Great Thinkers in Economics Series
700 1 $a Stanfield, Jacqueline Bloom, $d 1947-
73

74. RDA: simple book (abbreviated)
020 $a 9780230242685 (hardback)
100 1 $a Stanfield, J. Ron, $d 1945- $e author.
245 10 $a John Kenneth Galbraith / $c by James Ronald Stanfield
and Jacqueline Bloom Stanfield.
264 1 $a New York : $b Palgrave Macmillan, $c [2011]
264 4 $a ©2011
300 $a xi, 251 pages ; $c 23 cm.
336 $a text $2 rdacontent
337 $a unmediated $2 rdamedia
338 $a volume $2 rdacarrier
490 1 $a Great Thinkers in Economics Series
700 1 $a Stanfield, Jacqueline Bloom, $d 1947- $e author.
74

75. AACR2: sound disc (abbreviated, for illustration)
100 1 $a Dibdin, Michael.
245 10 $a End games $h[sound recording] / $c Michael Dibdin.
260 $a Oxford, England : $b Isis Publishing Ltd., $c p2008.
300 $a 10 sound discs (11 hr., 15 min.) : $b digital ; $c 4 3/4 in.
500 $a Read by Michael Tudor Barnes.
500 $a Compact discs.
700 1 $a Barnes, Michael Tudor.
75

76. RDA: audio disc (abbreviated, for illustration)
100 1 $a Dibdin, Michael, $e author.
240 10 $a End games. $h Spoken word
245 10 $a End games / $c Michael Dibdin.
264 1 $a Oxford, England : $b Isis Publishing Limited, $c [2008]
264 4 $c ℗2008
300 $a 10 audio discs (11 hr., 15 min.) : $b CD audio, digital ; $c 4 3/4 in.
336 $a spoken word $2 rdacontent
337 $a audio $2 rdamedia
338 $a audio disc $2 rdacarrier
344 $a digital
347 $b CD audio
700 1 $a Barnes, Michael Tudor, $e narrator.
775 08 $i Adaptation of (expression): $a Dibdin, Michael. $t End games. ...
76

77. AACR2: compilation (abbreviated for illustration)
100 1 $a Williams, Tennessee.
240 10 $a Selections. $f 2009
245 10 $a Favorite plays and a short story / $c Tennessee Williams.
260 0 $a Boston : $b University Press, $c 2009.
300 $a 325 p. : $b ill. ; $c 28 cm
505 0 $a The Glass Menagerie -- A Streetcar Named Desire -- Cat
on a Hot Tin Roof -- The Night of the Iguana.
77

78. RDA: compilation (abbreviated, for illustration)
100 1 $a Williams, Tennessee.
240 10 $a Works. $k Selections. $f 2009 optional
245 10 $a Favorite plays and a short story / $c Tennessee
Williams.
264 1 $a Boston : $b University Press, $c 2009.
300 $a 325 pages : $b illustrations ; $c 28 cm
336 $a text $2 rdacontent
337 $a unmediated $2 rdamedia
338 $a volume $2 rdacarrier
700 12 $a Williams, Tennessee. $t Glass menagerie.
700 12 $a Williams, Tennessee. $t Streetcar named Desire.
700 12 $a Williams, Tennessee. $t Cat on a hot tin roof.
700 12 $a Williams, Tennessee. $t Night of the Iguana.
78

79. Key concepts
Key concepts shape RDA:
• theoretical framework
• objectives and principles
• focus on the user
• content standard
• bibliographic information as data
>>> visible impact on RDA and the content of instructions
>>> many changes in RDA trace back to concepts
79

80. Familiarity with key RDA concepts
• a useful way to grab hold of RDA
80

81. Flickr credits: creative commons attribution
Cross track – iPhone wall paper by CJ Schmit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjschmit/4623783487/
Rock climbing is fun by mariachily
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariachily/3382799213/
Oregon silo by TooFarNorth
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toofarnorth/4597980984/
81

82. Questions …
?
chris.oliver@mcgill.ca
82