RDA : The Next Level of Cataloguing (Part 2)

There are a number of critical differences mentioned between RDA and AACR2 mentioned in the lecture. These are the levels of description, structure, physical format, punctuation, and terminology.

In terms of levels of description, whereas AACR2 aims for a comprehensive description RDA goes multilevel, a combination of comprehensive and analytical description.

AACR2 has specific chapters for a particular item for cataloguing while RDA has none. Policies for description are about entities and elements.

In AACR2 the GMD is presented in terms of format, e.g. sound recording, videorecording, etc., while in RDA, material description would include the carrier and type of media. For example a video CD will be displayed as [moving image: video CD], etc. We were continually assured that current records in our databases need not be edited because it will be the library system's vendor who will be responsible for making global changes in this field.

For those who take issue with the punctuation that is so strict in AACR2 will breathe will relief as punctuations are no longer integral in RDA but there will be no need to recatalogue existing records as the changes will not be significant.

In terms of terminology, headings become access points, authority control becomes access point control, and uniform title becomes preferred title.

Fewer abbreviations will be used in RDA so we'll be saying goodbye to et al and the likes. Also the hierarchy with which we describe the Bible will be changed, too.

Do remember that we won't be doing much editing to our existing records because, again, it falls upon our vendors to come up with the global changes to our databases.