RDA – Resource Description and Access

I attended a session on "Getting Ready for RDA and FRBR" given by Barbara Tillett from the Library of Congress, Glen Patton from OCLC, and a member from RDA Implementation Task Force at the ALA Annual Conference.

Libraries, archives, and museums, among others, need to prepare for the release of Resource Description and Access in 2009. This new standard differs from AACR2, and incorporates concepts from the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and Functional Requirements for Authority Data (FRAD), as well as implementation strategies, issues (e.g., necessary infrastructure, re-thinking cataloging workflows, timelines), and education (e.g., web-based training) and the impact of RAD across stakeholders' communities.

Update on RDA Implementation:

In October 2007, the British Library, Library and Archives Canada, the Library of Congress and the National Library of Australia agreed to support RDA by coordinating training materials and implementation plans. The Committee of Principals and the JSC (Joint Steering Committee) are examining the best methods for doing this so there will be sufficient time for resting, training, and a smooth transition in adopting RDA. Although RDA will be released during the first quarter of 2009, its implementation will follow a phased approach so that libraries will have sufficient time to plan for RDA.

For more information, see RAD.