1. RDA:
RESOURCE
DESCRIPTION
AND ACCESS
Presenter: Rieta Drinkwine, MLS
www.rietadrinkwine.com

2. WHAT
IS RDA?
• A content standard
– Does not dictate how to
display information
• Built off of AACR2 and
FRBR (+ FRAD)
– FRBR = Functional
Requirements for
Bibliographic Records
– FRAD = Functional
Requirements for Authority
Data (essentially establishes the
controlled vocab for authority data)

3. WHY
RDA?
• Internationally
standardized/Usable
– IFLA (International Federation
of Library Associations and
Institutions) created FRBR &
FRAD
• Not just books
– Accommodates all resources
– RDA incorporates the
language of cataloging
(AACR2) with the broader
“semantic” web

4. FRBR
(BACKGROUND)
• IFLA initiated an international
re-examination of cataloguing
theory in 1961
– Main reason for change –
automated systems
• 1990 – Stockholm Seminar on
Bibliographic Records
– Realized need to:
• Reduce cost of cataloging
• “minimal level” cataloging
occurring – required closer
assessment of user needs
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 1

5. FRBR
(BACKGROUND)
• Stockholm Seminar
– 9 Resolutions
• 1 led to study to define the
functional requirements of
bibliographic records
• Primary objectives of study:
– Framework to relate the data
recorded in bibliographic records
to needs of users accessing those
records
– Recommend basic level of
functionality for records created
by national bibliographic agencies
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 2 & p. 7

6. FRBR
(THE STUDY)
• What are those functional
requirements for users?
–
–
–
–
Find materials
Identify an entity
Select an appropriate entity
Obtain/acquire described entity
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 7

7. FRBR
• Entity = Key objects of interest
to users of bibliographic data
(ENTITIES)
3 Groups of Entities
Products of
intellectual/artistic
endeavors
Entities responsible
for intellectual/artistic
content
Subjects of
intellectual/artistic
endeavors
Work
Person
Concept
Expression
Corporate Body
Object
Manifestation
Event
Item
Place
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 13

8. FRBR
(ENTITIES)
• The entities defined as work (a distinct
intellectual or artistic creation) and expression
(the intellectual or artistic realization of a work)
reflect intellectual or artistic content.
• The entities defined as manifestation (the
physical embodiment of an expression of a work)
and item (a single exemplar of a manifestation),
on the other hand, reflect physical form.
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 14

9. FRBR
• A work may be realized through one or more than one
expression (hence the double arrow on the line that links
work to expression).
(ENTITIES) • An expression, on the other hand, is the realization of one
and only one work (hence the single arrow on the reverse
direction of that line linking expression to work).
• An expression may be
embodied in one or
more than one
manifestation; likewise a
manifestation may
embody one or more
than one expression.
• A manifestation, in turn,
may be exemplified by
one or more than one
item; but an item may
exemplify one and only
one manifestation.
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 14

10. FRBR
(EXAMPLES)
□ w1 The Wall Street Journal
□ e1 the Eastern edition
□ m1 the print format of the Eastern edition
□ m2 the microfilm of the Eastern edition
□ e2 the Western edition
□ m1 the print format of the Western edition
□ m2 the microfilm of the Western edition
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 23

11. FRBR
(EXAMPLES)
□ w1 J. S. Bach’s Six suites for unaccompanied cello
□ e1 performances by Janos Starker recorded partly in 1963 and
completed in 1965
□ m1 recordings released on 33 1/3 rpm sound discs in
1966 by Mercury
□ m2 recordings re-released on compact disc in 1991 by
Mercury
□ e2 performances by Yo-Yo Ma recorded in
1983
□ m1 recordings released on 33 1/3 rpm sound discs in
1983 by CBS Records
□ m2 recordings re-released on compact disc in 1992 by
CBS Records
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 23

12. FRBR
(ATTRIBUTES)
• Attributes of a Work:
Entities have attributes,
which are “the means by
which users formulate
queries and interpret
responses when seeking
information about a
particular entity”
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 31 & p. 33
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
title of the work
form of work
date of the work
other distinguishing characteristic
intended termination
intended audience
context for the work
medium of performance (musical
work)
numeric designation (musical work)
key (musical work)
coordinates (cartographic work)
equinox (cartographic work)

13. FRBR
• Many terms signal the type of
relationship between entities
(RELATIONSHIPS) that should be indicated by the
cataloguer
– i.e., edition, version, based on,
translated from, etc.
• Wide range of relationship
types
– In a Work-to-work
relationship: sequel =
successor, Teacher’s guide = a
supplement, etc.
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr_2008.pdf p. 55

14. FRBR &
RDA
• FRBR + FRAD shape how we view
bibliographic records
– Especially the controlled vocabulary
• RDA provides a “Stronger
emphasis on helping users find,
identify, select and obtain” and
“supports clustering of
bibliographic records to show
relationships between works
and their creators.” (according to
official RDA brochure)
http://www.rda-jsc.org/docs/rdabrochureJanuary2010.pdf

15. FRBR &
RDA
• RDA is: Entity  Element  attribute
http://www.rda-jsc.org/docs/5rda-elementanalysisrev3.pdf
– The relationship is represented by
the “Element”
(“attributes and relationships
associated with a resource or
other entity are formally
represented in RDA as
elements”)
– An RDA element usually corresponds
to an attribute or relationship as
defined in FRBR and FRAD
• Example: RDA Title element =
FRBR attribute title of
manifestation

16. RDA
(KEY TERMS)
• Resource – identifiable information
object (either tangible or intangible)
• Resource Discovery – Find, Identify,
Select, Obtain
• Descriptive Data – reflects attributes
and relationships associated with the
Entities work, expression, manifestation,
and item (as defined by FRBR)
• Access Point Control Data – reflects
attributes and relationships associated
with the entities person, family,
corporate body place, work and
expression as defined by FRAD
– Access points are referred to as “main”
or “added” entries in AACR2
http://www.rda-jsc.org/docs/5rda-scoperev4.pdf

17. BRIEF TANGENT:
MARC
0XX = Control information, numbers, codes
1XX = Main entry
2XX = Titles, edition, imprint
3XX = Physical description, etc.
4XX = Series statements
5XX = Notes
6XX = Subject access fields
7XX = Name, etc. added entries or series; linking
8XX = Series added entries; holdings and
locations
9XX = Reserved for local implementation
100 - Main Entry - Personal Name
110 - Main Entry - Corporate Name
245 - Title Statement
250 - Edition Statement
257 - Country of Producing Entity
264 - Production, Publication,
Distribution, Manufacture, and
Copyright Notice
http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/

18. BRIEF TANGENT:
MARC
New MARC Authority fields for name
attributes:
046 - Special Coded Dates (R)
368 - Other Attributes of Person or
Corporate Body (R)
370 - Associated Place (R)
371 - Address (R)
372 - Field of Activity (R)
373 - Associated Group (R)
374 - Occupation (R)
375 - Gender (R)
376 - Family Information (R)
378 - Fuller Form of Personal Name (NR)
New MARC Authority and Bibliographic fields
for work and expression attributes:
046 - Special Coded Dates (new subfields
only)
336 - Content Type (R)
377 - Associated Language (R)
380 - Form of Work (R)
381 - Other Distinguishing Characteristics
of Work or Expression (R)
382 - Medium of Performance (R)
383 - Numeric Designation of Musical
Work (R)
384 - Key (NR)
http://www.loc.gov/marc/RDAinMARC.html

19. RDA
• March 31, 2013
• Emphasis on “what you see”
(IMPLEMENTATION)
– Attempt to save cataloguers
time by minimizing editing
– Avoids abbreviations used by
AACR2
http://www.rda-jsc.org/docs/rdabrochureJanuary2010.pdf
Examples:
AACR2
RDA
2nd ed.
Second edition.
Denver, CO
Denver, Colorado
ill.
illustrations

20. SUMMARY!
• RDA (Resource Description and
Access) is based on FRBR & FRAD, as
defined by IFLA.
• Goals
– make cataloging easier by taking what you
see
– Accommodate a wide range of resources
– Create more user friendly catalogs
– Expand outside of realm of libraries
• Follows concepts of Semantic web and
RDF (resource description framework),
which follows the same principle of
triples
http://cheminfov.informatics.indiana.edu:8
080/yuysun/hychembiospace.html

21. QUESTIONS?
Thank you for your time!