Fall 2011 Update on RDA

The new cataloging rules to replace AACR2 have been out since the summer of 2010, but have not been implemented yet. They are called Resource Description & Access, or RDA. These new rules were made so one set of standards could be used in libraries, museums, and archives nationally and internationally for the sake of cataloging all kinds of materials whether they are print, electronic, or some other form.

RDA is also designed to make access to information in integrated library systems easier over the internet and to make that information easier to understand for patrons. After 25 organizations (mainly libraries) did their testing of RDA, the three national libraries — the Library of Congress (LC), the National Agricultural Library, and the National Library of Medicine — announced in June 2011 that they will implement RDA in January 2013.

This will allow time for RDA to be improved and for libraries to contact their library systems vendors about updating their integrated library systems. Until then, libraries are not expected to switch over to RDA and can still use AACR2. However, libraries can choose to start creating MARC records based on RDA before January 2013 at the local level if they wish. It is anticipated that RDA-based MARC records and records using AACR2 will coexist in library systems for a few years so Bound To Stay Bound Books has both types of records available. If you are interested in using RDA-based MARC records, they can be requested from us now.

Here is an example of how RDA will change MARC records (Note: these two records are shortened to show only MARC tags that are affected and the 245 only appears to identify the title):

Record using current rules

008	081012s2007 nyua c 000 0 eng d
004	IlJaBTS
040		a|DLC c|IlJaBTS d|IlJaBTS
245	1	a|Artemis Fowl : b|the graphic novel / c|adapted by Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin ; art by Giovanni Rigano ; color by Paolo Lamanna.
250		a|1st ed.
260		a|New York: b|Hyperion Books for Children, c|c2007.
300		a|[112] p : b|col. ill. ; c|23 cm.
700	1	a|Donkin, Andrew.
700	1	a|Rigano, Giovanni, e|ill.
700	1	a|Lamanna, Paolo, e|ill.

Record using RDA

008	081012s2007 nyua c 6 000 0 eng d (the 6 on this line means “graphic novel”)
004	IlJaBTS
040		a|DLC c|IlJaBTS d|IlJaBTS e|rda (Note: the subfield e tells if RDA is used)
245	1	a|Artemis Fowl : b|the graphic novel / c|adapted by Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin ; art by Giovanni Rigano ; color by Paolo Lamanna.
250		a|First edition. (Note: Abbreviations are not allowed)
260		a|New York: b|Hyperion Books for Children, c|�2007.
300		a|112 unnumbered pages : b|color illustrations ; c|23 cm.
336		a|text 2|rdacontent (Note: Fields 336, 337, & 338 are new)
336		a|still image 2|rdacontent
337		a|unmediated 2|rdamedia (Note: This means it doesn’t require a machine)
338		a|volume 2|rdacarrier
380		a|Comic or graphic novel 2|marcgt (Note: New field)
546		a|In English.
700	1	a|Donkin, Andrew, e|author.
700	1	a|Rigano, Giovanni, e|illustrator.
700	1	a|Lamanna, Paolo, e|illustrator.