1. Resource Description and Access (RDA): a new standard for the digital world Ann Huthwaite Library Resource Services Manager, QUT

2. RDA: history and background  RDA is evolving from AACR  AACR a merger of the British and American cataloguing codes  AACR2 first published in 1978 (revisions issued in 1988, 1998, and 2002)  Based on “Paris Principles” (1961)  Incorporated ISBD (International Standard Bibliographic Description)  Currently packaged in MARC format

3. RDA: governance  Three groups responsible for the development and management of AACR: Committee of Principals AACR co-publishers JSC (Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR)  Countries represented on JSC: Australia, Canada, US, and the UK

4. JSC members, JSC Editor, RDA Project Manager

5. Why change from AACR to RDA?  Environmental changes  Different user expectations  Different forms of media and methods of publishing

6. Why change from AACR to RDA? (cont.)  Need for integration of standards  Pressures to simplify the cataloguing process and reduce cataloguing costs  Inherent problems with the rules

7. Strengths of AACR  International success  Integrated approach to resource description  Tight control over development  Shared expertise  Precision  Content standard

8. Progress so far  International Conference on the Principles & Future Development of AACR (Toronto, 1997)  Strategic plan for AACR developed in 2002  Editor appointed in 2004  Draft of part 1 of AACR3 issued in late 2004  RDA conceived in 2005  RDA due to be published in mid-2008

9. What changes will RDA bring?  Simplification  Generalisation  Removal of emphasis on print  More emphasis on digital resources  Compatibility with other metadata standards

10. What changes will RDA bring? (cont.)  Improved collocation in displays  Online product for use in the Web environment  Incorporation of principles derived from FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) and FRAR (Functional Requirements for Authority Records)  Inclusion of more principle-based guidelines

11. What changes will RDA bring? (cont.)  Support of the objectives of resource discovery: to find, identify, select, and obtain relevant resources  Independence from communication format (MARC)  Separation of guidelines for content from guidelines for display

12. What changes will RDA bring? (cont.)  Renaming of concepts (e.g. “main entry” to “primary access point”)  Clarification of definition of “notes”  New elements to replace GMD and SMD

13. What changes will RDA bring? (cont.)  Process of transcription simplified  Mandatory (required) elements indicated  All examples to be reviewed  Mapping to MARC 21 and Dublin Core

14. FRBR Work Expression Manifestation Item

15. Structure of RDA  Part A (Bibliographic record elements) Resource Description Relationships  Part B (Authority record elements) Access Point Control  Appendices  Glossary  Index

16. Part A: Resource Description and Relationships  Introduction to part A  General guidelines  Identification of the resource (Identify)  Technical (or carrier) description (Select)  Content description (Select)  Information on accessing the resource (Obtain)

17. Part A (cont.)  Related resources  Persons, families, and corporate bodies associated with a resource  Special instructions for particular types of content

18. Part B: Access Point Control  Introduction to part B  General guidelines  Access points for persons  Access points for families  Access points for corporate bodies  Access points for places  Controlled access points for works, etc.  Other information used in access point control

19. Appendices, etc.  Appendix A. Capitalization  Appendix B. Abbreviations  Appendix C. Initial articles  Appendix D. Presentation of data  Glossary  Index

20. Ongoing work  Mode of issuance  Internationalisation  Persistent identifiers and URLs  Appendices  Access points for families  Examples  Glossary

21. Implementation of RDA  Compatibility with existing records  Training  Documentation

22. Future timeline  May – September 2006: Completion of draft of second part of Part A, and constituency review  October 2006 – April 2007: Completion of Part B, and constituency review  May 2007 – September 2007: Completion of General Introduction, Appendices, and Glossary  2008: Publication  2008?: Implementation

23. JSC Outreach  Stakeholder consultation  Outreach Group  Specific initiatives ONIX MARC System vendors

24. Transition to RDA  Consult the JSC Web site for: RDA drafts Instructions for subscribing to RDA-L JSC’s strategic plan for RDA Other news and announcements www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc