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Introducing RDA: A Guide To The Basics After 3R
Since Oliver’s guide was first published in 2010, thousands of LIS students, records managers, and catalogers and other library professionals have relied on its clear, plainspoken explanation of Resource Description and Access as their first step towards becoming acquainted with the cataloging standard. Now, reflecting the changes to RDA after the completion of the 3R Project, Oliver brings her Special Report up to date. This essential primer
216 pages, Paperback
Published March 8, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 12, 2025
Read for eye breaks at work. A student in one of my online cataloging courses recommended this book when I was complaining about how I don't understand the organization of the modern version of RDA Toolkit. (I learned RDA from the big white binder.) So, in terms of solving that problem, Oliver's book is at least four stars. I just can't bring myself to click "really liked it" for something so dry.
The first four chapters flew by because they're explaining how RDA now aligns with the IFLA conceptual models. AACR2 was biased towards western European monograph publishing, and not well designed for handling non-textual formats. In contrast, RDA is really open-ended with lots of suggestions and best practices but very few actual requirements. Again, this makes sense as RDA's end product is no longer a record, like AACR2's was, but encoded atomic data to be used by machines in a variety of ways. I digress.
The fifth and sixth chapters are the meat of the work, and what tasty meat it is. For example, I learned that I had been misinterpreting the difference between work and expression when it comes to video adaptations of literary works. (A screenplay is a new work.) I also learned how to handle aggregate and serial works. Then there's the advice on using Toolkit, which has helped me be less of a flail when I demonstrate it in class.
The first four chapters flew by because they're explaining how RDA now aligns with the IFLA conceptual models. AACR2 was biased towards western European monograph publishing, and not well designed for handling non-textual formats. In contrast, RDA is really open-ended with lots of suggestions and best practices but very few actual requirements. Again, this makes sense as RDA's end product is no longer a record, like AACR2's was, but encoded atomic data to be used by machines in a variety of ways. I digress.
The fifth and sixth chapters are the meat of the work, and what tasty meat it is. For example, I learned that I had been misinterpreting the difference between work and expression when it comes to video adaptations of literary works. (A screenplay is a new work.) I also learned how to handle aggregate and serial works. Then there's the advice on using Toolkit, which has helped me be less of a flail when I demonstrate it in class.
October 5, 2021
I have been reading this on and off for work. I still think RDA is not explained in an easy way and that people should provide more training, not to mention that the RDA toolkit should be free of access and organized in a different way.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews