1. RDA: Benefits and opportunities Gordon Dunsire Centre for Digital Library Research University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Presented at the CIG Standards Forum, 26 Sep 2007, London

2. RDA  Resource Description and Access  A new standard for creating bibliographic metadata Based on the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules  In development since 1841 (Panizzi’s rules for the British Museum) And FRBR and other more modern stuff

3. User-centred features of RDA (1)  Improves the FRBRizability of catalogues  Covers all types of user Those who need to find, identify, select, obtain and use information, and manage and organize information bibliographically  Covers all media Print-based, digital; textual, visual, etc.  Equal, even treatment gives more control to the user in finding and choosing the most appropriate resources

4. FRBRisation Work Expression 1 Manifestation 1.1 Item 1.1.1 Expression 2 Manifestation 2.1Manifestation 2.2 Item 2.1.1Item 2.2.1Item 2.2.2 Is realised through Is embodied in Is exemplified by Symphony no.1 LSO recording DVD-A Copy on shelf

5. User-centred features of RDA (2)  Clearly distinguishes content from carrier E.g. Moving pictures on DVD; text on CD-ROM Helpful for users with special needs  E.g. restrict search to non-visual resources  Multinational Anglo-centricity (and cataloguer-eccentricity) removed  Abbreviations and acronyms avoided  Latinisms removed  Farewell s.n., s.l., et al.  [Still arguing about square brackets!]

6. User-centred features of RDA (3)  Independent of technical metadata formats Can be used with MARC, DC (Dublin Core)  And a whole bunch of other acronyms Gives user familiar metadata regardless of what system is used  Designed for the digital environment RDA will be published as an online product  So could be incorporated in user help facilities

7. Cataloguer-centred features of RDA (1)  Online product designed to interface and integrate with cataloguing modules Work-flow integration will give step-by-step and contextual access to content rules Possibility of adding local examples Possibility of “myRDA”, removing unwanted rules and unused options LMS vendors being kept informed Avoidance of repetitive strain injury  Looking for that rule on corporate body main entry

8. Cataloguer-centred features of RDA (2)  More emphasis on cataloguer’s judgment Guidelines rather than “rules”  Rules grouped by bibliographic element rather than format  Bibliographic elements related to FRBR entities (related to user tasks) Why am I recording this information?  Authority control included  Generally compatible with AACR

9. RDA and other standards (1)  RDA/ONIX framework for resource categorisation Improves interoperability between publisher and library metadata  ONIX codes > RDA terminology Distinguishes content from carrier (at last!) Framework ontology and attributes extendable to other metadata communities Version 1.0; further development likely to be useful http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january07/dunsire/01dunsire.html

10. RDA and other standards (2)  RDA and Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Agreement to collaborate following meeting in London in May 2007 Declare some or all of the RDA controlled vocabularies as namespaces  Content and carrier types Declare the RDA metadata element set as a namespace vocabulary Develop a Dublin Core Application Profile for RDA DCMI RDA Task Group implemented  Special session at DC-2007

11. RDA and other standards (3)  Vocabularies will be made available in Simple Knowledge Organisation System and Resource Description Framework markup Semantic web  Some (minor) changes to MARC21 proposed

12. http://www.slainte.org.uk/aacr/index.htm