RDA: Cataloging Code for the 21st Century?

1. RDA: Cataloging Code for the 21st Century? Rick J. Block Columbia University

2. Rick Block On RDA: “I think it is a disaster. I'm hoping it is never implemented.” Library Journal Nov. 15, 2008

3. Rick Block On MARC: Unlike some of his colleagues, he believes the MARC record has a future. He points out the example that Columbia has invested a great deal in it, even in its electronic displays. “We have millions of records in MARC,” says Block, “so I don't think it will go away.” Library Journal Nov. 15, 2008

4. Rick Block on ?: “When I was in library school in the early ’80s, the students weren’t as interesting” New York Times July 8, 2007 A Hipper Crowd of Shushers

5. Rhode Island: its neither a road nor an island … discuss

15. “Still I can not help thinking that the golden age of cataloging is over, and that the difficulties and discussions which have furnished an innocent pleasure to so many will interest them no more. Another lost art.” Charles A. Cutter Preface, 4th ed. Rules for a Dictionary Catalog (1904)

16. “Several principles direct the construction of cataloguing codes. The highest is the convenience of the user.” Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (IFLA, 2009)

17. RDA: Wikipedia Disambiguation • Radioactive Dentin Abrasion • Redland Railway Station • Recommended Daily Allowance • Remote Database Access • Reader's Digest Association • Retirement Date Announced

19. Naming the Code • RDA – an international standard • Took “Anglo-American” out of title • Even AACR2 used internationally • Translated into 25 different languages • Used in 45 countries outside the U.S. • Took “Cataloguing” out of title • “Resource description” better understood by metadata communities • Will still include basic principles of bibliographic description

20. Why New Cataloging Rules? • Feeling that continued revision of AACR2 not sufficient to address issues • Evolving formats, including items that belong to more than one class of material • Limitations with existing GMDs and SMDs • Integrating resources • Separation of “content” and “carrier” concepts • Integrate FRBR principles

21. RDA Big Picture Concepts • Designed for the digital world • Founded on AACR • Informed by FRBR and FRAR • Consistent, flexible and extensible framework • Compatible with international principles, models and standards • Useable outside the library community

22. Why Not AACR3? AACR3

23. Why Not AACR3? • Reviewers of AACR3 Part I (2004-05) identified areas for improvement: • Proposed structure of rules – too awkward • More metadata-friendly; less library jargon • More connection to FRBR • Modify the connection of the rules to ISBD • Changes need to be significant enough to merit a new cataloging code, but records still need to be compatible with AACR2

24. RDA is … • “RDA is a content standard, not a display standard and not a metadata schema. RDA is a set of guidelines that indicates how to describe a resource, focusing on the pieces of information (or attributes) that a user is most likely to need to know. It also encourages the description of relationships between related resources and between resources and persons or bodies that contributed to creation of that resource.” (Oliver, 2007, Changing to RDA)

25. RDA will be … • A new standard for resource description and access • Designed for the digitalworld • Optimized for use as an online product • Description and access of all resources • All types of content and media • Resulting records usable in the digital environment (Internet, Web OPACs, etc.)

26. A two-slide history of AACR (1) • 1967 – AACR 1st ed. • 1978 – AACR2 • 1988 • 1998 • 2002 • 2005 (last update)

27. A two-slide history of AACR (2) Logical structure of AACR2 AACR2 & catalogue production Beyond MARC • International Conference on the Principles & Future Development of AACR (1997) • International Conference on the Principles & Future Development of AACR (1997) Issues related to seriality What is a work? Content versus carrier Access points for works Bibliographic relationships

28. AACR2 Part 1 1. General 2. Books, Pamphlets, and Printed Sheets 3. Cartographic Materials 4. Manuscripts 5. Printed Music 6. Sound Recordings 7. Motion Pictures and Video recordings 8. Graphic Materials 9. Electronic Resources 10. Three-Dimensional Artefacts and Realia 11. Microforms 12. Continuing Resources 13. Analysis

29. AACR2 Part 1 1. General 2. Books, Pamphlets, and Printed Sheets 3. Cartographic Materials 4. Manuscripts 5. Printed Music 6. Sound Recordings 7. Motion Pictures and Video recordings 8. Graphic Materials 9. Electronic Resources 10. Three-Dimensional Artefacts and Realia 11. Microforms 12. Continuing Resources 13. Analysis 14. Podcats

30. RDA … • A FRBR-based approach to structuring bibliographic data • More explicitly machine-friendly linkages (preferably with URIs) • More emphasis on relationships and roles • Less reliance on cataloger-created notes and text strings (particularly for identification)

31. Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) • User tasks • Find • Identify • Select • Obtain • Entity-relationship model • Entities: Group 1, 2, 3 • Relationships • Attributes • National level record elements (mandatory & optional data)

32. What’s a conceptual model? • Abstract depiction of the universe of things being described • The things in that universe (entities) • Identifying characteristics of those entities (attributes/elements) • The relationships among the entities

33. FRBR’s Entity-Relationship Model Person Work created was created by Shakespeare Hamlet

34. FRBR Entities Group 1:Products of intellectual & artistic endeavor = bibliographic resources • Work • Expression • Manifestation • Item

35. Vocabulary • “Book” • Door prop (item) • “publication” • at bookstore • any copy • (manifestation)

36. Vocabulary • “Book” • Who translated? • (expression) • Who wrote? • (work)

37. Group 1 Work is realized through Expression is embodied in Manifestation recursive is exemplified by one Item many

38. Examples Leatherbound autographed copy in Rare Books Collection? Digitized version of the Oxford University Press text published in 2008? French translation? London Symphony Orchestra 2005 performance? Three Musketeers? Item Manifestation Expression Expression Work 38

39. Family of Works Equivalent Descriptive Derivative Free Translation Review Edition Casebook Microform Reproduction Summary Abstract Dramatization Simultaneous “Publication” Abridged Edition Criticism Digest Novelization Screenplay Copy Libretto Evaluation Illustrated Edition Revision Change of Genre Exact Reproduction Parody Annotated Edition Translation Expurgated Edition Imitation Same Style or Thematic Content Variations or Versions Facsimile Arrangement Commentary Slight Modification Reprint Adaptation Original Work -Same Expression Same Work – New Expression New Work Cataloging Rules Cut-Off Point

40. Relationships Inherent among the Group 1 entities Content relationships among works/expressions Work Expression Manifestation Item Whole-Part Sequential Derivative Accompanying

41. FRBR Entities Group 1:Bibliographic resources Work Expression Manifestation Item 41

42. FRBR Entities Group 2: Those responsible for the intellectual & artistic content = Parties • Person • Corporate body • Family

43. Group 2 Person Family Corporate Body Work Expression Manifestation Item is owned by is produced by is realized by is created by many

44. Subject Relationship Created by Work Person Creates has subject is subject of Concept/Topic

45. FRBR Entities Group 3:Subjects of works • Groups1&2plus • Concept • Object • Event • Place • Subject relationship

46. Work Work Expression has as subject Manifestation Item Person Family has as subject Corporate Body Concept Group 3 Object has as subject Event Place many

47. FRBR Benefits • Collocation • Better organization to catalog • More options to display • Identifying elements • Pathways ☑ Simplify cataloging enabling links and re-use of identifying elements

48. Collocation Shakespeare • Objectives of a catalog: display • All the works associated with aperson, etc. • All the expressions of the same work • All the manifestations of the same expression • All items/copies of the same manifestation Hamlet Romeo and Juliet English French German Swedish Stockholm 2008 Columbia University Copy 1 Green leather binding

49. Pathways to Related Works Shakespeare Stoppard Hamlet Derivative works Romeo and Juliet Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead English French Text Movies … German Subject Swedish Stockholm 2008 Columbia University Copy 1 Green leather binding

50. Collocation by Works • Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. • All’s well that ends well • As you like it • Hamlet • Macbeth • Midsummer night’s dream • …