Resource Description Access (RDA) will finally arrive in March of 2013. The Manitoba Library Conference has a preconference session devoted to it, and now Library of Congress, with the permission of the producers of their materials, released various PowerPoint, documents, and quizzes to help understand the concepts and their application. Thanks to my colleague L for pointing it out as she, like many of us, get familiar with FRBR and RDA before next year.
I found the PowerPoint from the first module entitled Introduction to RDA: Identifying Manifestations and Items particularly helpful in visualizing terms like ‘manifestation’ and ‘expression’ for a given work. I attended a RDA session at the last Manitoba Libraries Conference in 2010. After hearing rumblings, I came away with a little bit of information about RDA.
Unfortunately, I also came out a little confused.
The plan this summer is to go through the PowerPoint and quizzes on the website. Why would a self-confessed reference person working in Media Services want to learn about RDA.? It’s simple: Whatever helps a user find their materials deserves study by everyone. The self-study doesn’t replace what I would really like, namely a full-on workshop. I think the closer to implementation the more likely this will happen starting with people already working as cataloguers. In the meantime have a click and a look, perhaps share in the comments other places for information on RDA.
Unpaused Life 