Resource Description & Access (RDA)

Contents: Alternatives Options and Exceptions in RDA : What Every Cataloger Needs to Know What are RDA Alternatives? Example of RDA Alternatives What are RDA Options? Example of RDA Optional Additions Example of RDA Optional Omissions What are RDA Exceptions?  Example of RDA Exceptions How to decide whether to apply the alternatives, options, or exceptions? Note on the use of screen images from RDA Toolkit (Following RDA and RDA Toolkit Copyright Statement and guidelines) Alternatives Options and Exceptions in RDA : What Every Cataloger Needs to Know RDA contains a number of guidelines and instructions that are marked as alternatives, options (optional additions, optional omissions), and exceptions. Each of these is clearly identified by an italicized label, which in the RDA Toolkit appears in green color in the instruction (alternative, optional addition, optional omission, exception). A green vertical bar also appears in the left margin next of an alternati...

Definition of RDA Core Elements Types RDA Core Elements Examples of RDA Core Elements RDA Core Elements as described in  Glossary of Library and Information Science  of  Librarianship Studies & Information Technology , a partner blog of  Resource Description & Access (RDA)  Blog by  Salman Haider .  Glossary of Library and Information Science  will also be the glossary for  Resource Description & Access (RDA)  terms.  Core Elements   ➨   Core elements in  Resource Description & Access (RDA)  are minimum elements required for describing resources. Core elements are a new feature of RDA which allowed for certain metadata elements to be identified as “required” in the cataloging process. The assignment of core status is based on attributes mandatory for a national level record, as documented in the FRBR/FRAD modules. At a minimum, a bibliographic description should include all the...

RDA provides a set of guidelines and instructions on recording data to support resource discovery. The data created using RDA to describe a resource are designed to assist users performing the following tasks:(1) find —i.e., to find resources that correspond to the user’s stated search criteria identify —i.e., to confirm that the resource described corresponds to the resource sought, or to distinguish between two or more resources with similar characteristics select —i.e., to select a resource that is appropriate to the user’s needs obtain —i.e., to acquire or access the resource described. The data created using RDA to describe an entity associated with a resource (a person, family, corporate body, concept, etc.) are designed to assist users performing the following tasks:(2) find —i.e., to find information on that entity and on resources associated with the entity identify —i.e., to confirm that the entity described corresponds ...

RDA is divided into ten sections: sections 1–4 cover elements corresponding to the entity attributes defined in FRBR and FRAD; sections 5–10 cover elements corresponding to the relationships defined in FRBR and FRAD. The initial chapter in each section sets out the functional objectives and principles underlying the guidelines and instructions in that section, and specifies core elements to support those functional objectives. Subsequent chapters within each section cover attributes or relationships that support a specific user task as follows: Attributes Section 1  covers the attributes of manifestations and items that are most commonly used to identify a resource (chapter 2), to select a resource appropriate to the user’s requirements with respect to format and encoding (chapter 3), and to obtain a resource (chapter 4).  Section 2  covers the attributes of works and expressions that are most commonly used to identi...