RDA is a new metadata standard that replaces AACR2 and provides guidelines for recording bibliographic data to support resource discovery. It is designed to work in current catalogues and databases, as well as take advantage of new technologies through a flexible framework aligned with FRBR and FRAD models. RDA defines discrete data elements that provide precise, machine-actionable data to describe resources and their relationships.

1. RDA
Designed for current
and
future environments
Chris Oliver
McGill University
chris.oliver@mcgill.ca

2. Plan for the webinar
1. What is RDA?
2. RDA data
 questions, comments
3. Bibliographic and authority data in
new environments
4. Point of transition
 questions, comments

3. One of the key features:
from RDA 0.1
RDA is designed to take advantage of the
efficiencies and flexibility in data capture, storage,
retrieval, and display made possible with new
database technologies, but to be compatible as well
with the legacy technologies still used in many
resource discovery applications.
 resource discovery in traditional catalogues
and in new technological environments

4. Designed for now and the future
Now
 designed to work in
the current
environment
 compatible with
AACR2 records
 co-exist with AACR2
records in the same
database
Future
 positioned to take
advantage of new
database structures
 function in the semantic
web
 visible in the web
alongside other types of
metadata

5. What is RDA?
• relationship to AACR2
• new underlying framework

6.  new metadata standard that replaces AACR2
 data to support resource discovery
 set of practical instructions built on the foundation
of a theoretical framework
 flexible and extensible framework to describe all
types of resources
 designed for now and the future

7. Broader scope
RDA 0.0 Purpose and scope
RDA provides a set of guidelines and instructions on
formulating data to support resource discovery.
versus AACR2 0.1
These rules are designed for use in the construction
of catalogues and other lists in general libraries of
all sizes.

8. Relationship to AACR2
RDA 0.2
“instructions derived from AACR have been
reworked”
 instructions that originate from AACR2
 instructions are reworded and organized differently
 within a new theoretical framework
every word
has changed many instructions
show visible
continuity with
AACR2

9. AACR2 to RDA
AACR2 deconstructed
new concepts
new structure
new vocabulary
some new instructions
some changed
instructions

10. IFLA conceptual models
FRBR Functional Requirements for
Bibliographic Records
1998
FRAD Functional Requirements for Authority
Data
2009
FRSAD Functional Requirements for Subject
Authority Data
approved 2010
 FRAD and FRSAD are extensions of the FRBR

11. FRBR + FRAD
 based on the analysis of
bibliographic and authority
records
 entity-relationship models
 IFLA task forces
 world-wide consultation
 international consensus

12. Why are the models important?
1. The models shape RDA:
RDA 0.3.1
The FRBR and FRAD models provide RDA with an
underlying framework that has the scope needed to
support comprehensive coverage of all types of
content and media, the flexibility and extensibility
needed to accommodate newly emerging resource
characteristics, and the adaptability needed for the
data produced to function within a wide range of
technological environments.
 alignment with FRBR/FRAD enables RDA to
achieve the objectives of comprehensiveness,
extensibility and adaptability

13. Why are the models important?
2. internationally shared conceptual model
• broad international support for the explanatory
power of the models
• common international language and conceptual
understanding of the bibliographic universe
3. entity-relationship model
widely used data modeling technique
understood by other metadata and data modeling
communities
e.g. software engineers, information systems and database
designers

14. Why are the models important?
as the foundation for a standard:
 provides a logically consistent underlying
framework
 makes it easier for other metadata communities
to understand the structure of our data
 makes it easier to apply in an international
context
 makes it easier for our data to interoperate with
data modeled similarly
• other data that aligns with a FRBR/FRAD model
• other data that conforms to a similar entity-

15. Explicit RDA data model
 aligned with FRBR/FRAD models
 ERD = entity relationship diagram
in RDA Toolkit
or available at: http://www.rdatoolkit.org/background

17. Entities - attributes - relationships
 new vocabulary
 entity = the object of a user’s interest
 entities that are of interest to someone who
uses bibliographic and authority data
RDA focuses on:
bibliographic entities
entities specific to authority control

18. Bibliographic entities
(FRBR/FRAD)
work
expression
manifestation
item
person
family
corporate body
concept
object
event
place
FRBR Group 1
products of intellectual or
artistic endeavor
FRBR Group 2
responsible for group 1
entities
FRBR Group 3
subjects
(includes group 1 & 2)

19. Authority entities (FRAD)
bibliographic entities
name
identifier
controlled access
point
rules
agency
entities on which
authority data is focused
entities for authority
control
entities that determine
the content and form of
access points

20. Authority entities (FRAD)
bibliographic entities
name
identifier
controlled access
point
rules
agency
entities on which
authority data is focused
entities for authority
control
entities that determine
the content and form of
access points

21. Attributes
 characteristics of the entity
 data to be recorded about the entity
examples of attributes:
work: form of the work (genre), medium of
performance, coordinates (map) …
expression: language of the expression, scale, type of
score …
manifestation: publisher, date of publication, extent of
the carrier …
item: inscriptions, ownership, condition …

22. Attributes
examples of attributes:
person: dates, titles of rank, office, gender, …
family: type, dates, history, …
corporate body: place, dates, address, …
concept
object
event term
place

23. Relationships
 link between one entity and another
 basis for navigation and support collocation
primary relationships:
between work, expression, manifestation and
item
3 other major types of relationships:
1. between a person, family or corporate body and
a resource
2. between one resource and another resource
3. between a person, family or corporate body and
another person, family or corporate body

24. Examples of relationships
expression translation of work
manifestation embodiment of expression
work created by person
expression performed by person
manifestation produced by corporate
body
work based on work
manifestation electronic reprod.
manifestation
person member of family

25. Organization and Structure of
RDA
 2 main parts
Recording attributes sections 1-4
Recording relationships
sections 5-10
 Divided into 10 sections
sections are organized according to the
bibliographic entities

26. Organization and Structure of
RDA
Section 1-4 = Recording attributes
Section 1. Recording attributes of manifestation and
item
Section 2. Recording attributes of work and
expression
Section 3. Recording attributes of person, family,
and corporate body
Section 4. Recording attributes of concept, object,
event, and place
[placeholder]

27. Organization and Structure of
RDA
Sections 5-10 = Recording Relationships
Section 5. Recording primary relationships between
work, expression, manifestation, and item
Section 6. Recording relationships to persons, families,
and corporate bodies associated with a
resource
Section 7. Recording the subject of a work
[placeholder]
Section 8. Recording relationships between works,
expressions, manifestations, and items
Section 9. Recording relationships between persons,
families, and corporate bodies
Section 10. Recording relationships between concepts,
objects, events, and places
[placeholder]

28. Entities - attributes -
relationships
 not just a new vocabulary
 new way of thinking about bibliographic and
authority information
data that a human can read and interpret
that is machine actionable

29. RDA data
• RDA as a content standard
• RDA data elements

30. RDA = content standard
RDA not an encoding standard
not a presentation standard
RDA what data do I record?
RDA 0.4.2 Objectives
0.4.2.3 Flexibility
The data should function independently of the format,
medium, or system used to store or communicate the
data. They should be amenable to use in a variety of
environments.

31. RDA = content standard
RDA data can be encoded using:
• MARC 21
• encoding schema such as Dublin Core,
MODS, and others
• web friendly encoding schema based on
XML
RDA data can be presented using :
• ISBD conventions
• labelled display
• newly developed display conventions
• display conventions used in other
metadata communities

32. Examples in RDA
examples show what the data should be:
RDA 2.4.1.4 Recording Statements of
Responsibility
Transcribe a statement of responsibility in the form
in which it appears on the source of information.
Apply the general guidelines on transcription given
under 1.7 .
EXAMPLE
by Walter de la Mare
Fats Waller
by Dr. Johnson
by Sir Richard Acland
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
by a Lady of Quality
par Charles M. Schultz

33. Examples in RDA
RDA examples show what the data should be
not how it should be
displayed
not how it should be
encoded
AACR2 2.1F1. Transcribe statements of
responsibility relating to persons or bodies as
instructed in 1.1F
Shut up in Paris / by Nathan Sheppard
Great Britain : handbook for travellers / by Karl Baedecker
Vas-y, Charlie Brown / par Charles M. Schulz
MARC 21 manual 245 $c statement of responsibility
…

34. Elements in RDA and AACR2
RDA element = A word, character, or group of words
and/or characters
representing a distinct unit of
bibliographic
information.
AACR2 element = similar definition
plus
… and forming part of an area of the
description.
 AACR2 elements are organized and embedded into
areas

35. Elements in AACR2
AACR2:
• data embedded in areas and long character strings
• data in ambiguous elements
 assumption is that a human will read and interpret
information in record
 cannot be used reliably to search or to limit a search
 cannot be used for automated processing
 cannot be used to generate a meaningful display

36. RDA data elements
 move away from:
• paragraph style (ISBD areas)
• data embedded in long character strings
• data stored in ambiguous elements
 move towards:
• independent, separate units of data
• precisely defined or “parsed”
• each element contains data about
a single attribute
or a single relationship
• increased use of controlled vocabulary

37. RDA data elements
 only one kind of data in an element
AACR2: date of publication, distribution, etc.
MARC 21: 260 $c
RDA: 4 different elements:
date of production
date of publication
date of distribution
date of copyright
day 1 implementation in MARC 21 environment – data will still
be ambiguous

38. RDA data elements
 remove ambiguity
AACR2: 1.7B13. Dissertations
• information embedded in a note
• note about academic degree, granting institution
or faculty and year degree granted
RDA: 7.9.1 Recording Dissertation or
Thesis Information
• separate elements for: academic degree
granting institution or faculty
year degree granted
• information that can be used by human or machine
day 1 implementation in MARC 21 environment – subfields for 502
already implemented

39. RDA data elements
 distinct and defined elements for each kind
of data
illustrative content
encoding format
different element production method
for each type of sound content
data applied material
base material
reduction ratio

40. Elements in AACR2
AACR2: information embedded in “other
physical details” (or a non-specific
note)
illustrative content
encoding format
other physical production method
details sound content
applied material
MARC 300 $b base material
reduction ratio

41. RDA data elements
 separated according to whether it is data
about
content or carrier
illustrative content encoding
format
sound content production method
applied material
base material …
 controlled vocabulary recommended for
many elements
aspect ratio: full screen, wide screen, mixed

42. RDA data elements
 distinct and defined elements for each kind
of data = groundwork for the future
illustrative content
encoding format
currently map to production method
MARC 300 $b sound content
applied material
base material
reduction ratio
day 1 implementation in MARC 21 environment – data
will still be ambiguous

43. Relationship designators
 specify nature of relationships
 specify roles
e.g. cartographer
performer
broadcaster
former owner
 specify the nature of the relationship between
resources
e.g. adaptation of
musical setting of
paraphrased as

44. Relationship designators
 controlled vocabulary
4 appendices of relationship designators
(3 in use, 1 is placeholder)
Appendix I Relationship designators: relationships
between a resource and persons, families, and
corporate bodies associated with the
resource
Appendix J Relationship designators: relationships
between works, expressions, manifestations
and items
Appendix K Relationship designators: relationships
between persons, families, and corporate
bodies

45. RDA data elements
 still recording the same kind of information
title edition date of publication
 record in distinct data elements
 record with more precision
 data that a human can use
 data that is machine actionable
 each element has the potential to be used:
- to search
- to navigate
- to retrieve
- to build meaningful displays of
data

46. Identifiers
from FRAD:
entities are known by their names
and/or are assigned identifiers
RDA for example, to identify a person (core elements):
title of the person
date associated with the person
other designation associated with the person
identifier for the person
(profession, occupation, field of activity can also be core when the
name does not convey the idea of a person)

47. Identifiers
Identifier for the Person
A character string uniquely associated with a person
… that serves to differentiate that person from other
persons.
 name = more suitable for humans to read and
interpret
 identifier = more suitable for machines to make links
 scope to use a URI as an identifier
 URI = key component for linked data in the semantic
web
Tim Berners-Lee: principles for linked data

48. Role of identifiers
 recording attributes of entities
RDA has element defined for recording the identifier
of each bibliographic entity:
item
manifestation
expression
work
person
family
corporate body

49. Role of identifiers
 use identifiers to reference relationships
1) to a related work, expression, manifestation or
item
e.g. 24.4 use one or more:
an identifier
an authorized access point
a description (structured or unstructured)
2) to a related person, family or corporate body
e.g. 25.4 use one or more:
an identifier
an authorized access point

50. Questions, comments
? ? ?

51. Bibliographic and authority
data in new environments
• RDA as “well-formed”
metadata
• RDA in new database
structures
• RDA data on the web

52. Data elements
 RDA elements in line with metadata
conventions
RDA Scope and Structure 5JSC/RDA/Scope/Rev/4
RDA Element Analysis 5JSC/RDA/Element
analysis/Rev/3
in cover letter for RDA Scope and Structure:
“The JSC is committed to ensuring that the metadata produced
using RDA will be well-formed, i.e., instructions are provided on
how to record the values of elements, controlled vocabularies
are used where appropriate, and the overall structure is
governed by a formal model.”

53. RDA = “well-formed” metadata
 instructions on how to record data for each element
 controlled vocabulary is used as the value recorded
in many elements
 underlying model for the data = FRBR/FRAD model
RDA uses the term “elements”
Metadata models often use the term “properties”
elements = properties

54. RDA as metadata
 elements can be defined in the way that the
metadata community expects
in RDA Element Analysis, analysis of the relationship
between RDA elements and two metadata models:
<indecs> Metadata Framework and DCMI Abstract
Model
e.g.classification of elements as:
elements
sub-elements
element subtypes
domains
value surrogate

55. RDA as metadata
 explicit data model + elements that conform to
metadata standards:
• can be understood by other metadata and data
modeling communities
• can interoperate with data modeled similarly
 lays the groundwork for use of RDA data in linked
data systems of the future
 work underway to define and declare RDA
vocabularies for the semantic web (next session with
Diane Hillman)

56. Flexible and adaptable
RDA as a content standard:
RDA 0.4.2 Objectives
0.4.2.3 Flexibility
The data should function independently of the
format, medium, or system used to store or
communicate the data. They should be amenable
to use in a variety of environments.

57. Flexible and adaptable
RDA not confined to one environment:
RDA 0.4.2 Objectives
0.4.2.3 Flexibility
The data should function independently of the
format, medium, or system used to store or
communicate the data. They should be amenable
to use in a variety of environments.

58. Flexible and adaptable
RDA 0.3.1 Conceptual Models
The FRBR and FRAD models provide RDA with an
underlying framework that has the scope needed to
support comprehensive coverage of all types of
content and media, the flexibility and extensibility
needed to accommodate newly emerging resource
characteristics, and the adaptability needed for the
data produced to function within a wide range of
technological environments.

59. RDA = content standard
not locked into MARC 21 encoding
not locked into MARC 21 record structure
can be used with web-friendly encoding schema,
based on XML
can be used in new types of database structures

60. RDA in XML
 not an abstract goal for the future
 US test will include testing RDA for descriptions
encoded using Dublin Core and MODS
 RDA Toolkit includes a section on schemas
• download RDA element sets as XML schema
core
enhanced
specialized
universal

61. RDA in XML

62. RDA in XML

63. RDA Core elements in XML

64. RDA data
• in existing database structures
bibliographic records = description + access points
+ authority records – linked to access points
+ holdings records – linked to bib records
diagram by Tom Delsey from his presentation to the Deutsche
Nationalbibliothek, Frankfurt, Germany, June 2nd, 2009: http://www.rda-
jsc.org/docs/td20090602.pdf
Bibliograph
ic
Authority
Authority
Holdings

65. RDA data
• newly emerging database structures
e.g. object oriented database
database mirroring FRBR/FRAD model
cluster of data pertaining to each entity
manifestation record
+ item record
+ work record
+ expression record
+ record for person, family, corporate body
+ relationships = links between the above entities

66. illustration: from Tom Delsey’s presentation to the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek,
Frankfurt, Germany, June 2nd, 2009: http://www.rda-jsc.org/docs/td20090602.pdf

67. AACR2 + MARC 21
for example
name of a person ------- title of book
AACR2 + MARC 21
 type of relationship embedded in text of
bibliographic description
 bibliographic record contains name of person and
title
 may have an authority record that also ties together
name of person and title of work

68. AACR2 + MARC 21
bibliographic record for the animated film
245 00 $a Alice in Wonderland, or, What's a nice kid like
you doing in a place like this? /$cHanna-Barbera
Productions.
700 1# $a Carroll, Lewis, $d 1832-1898. $t Alice's
adventures in Wonderland.
 record may or may not include text in a note that
explains the relationship

69. RDA
 identify attributes of the resource
 identify relationships
• relationship between the resource and
persons, families, corporate bodies
• relationships to related works, expressions …
• use relationship designators
 relationship designators are not currently core
elements, but RDA provides a way to specify the
nature of the relationship

70. RDA + MARC 21
for example
name of a person ------- title of book
RDA + MARC 21
 type of relationship embedded in text of bibliographic
description
 bibliographic record contains name of person and title
 may have an authority record that also ties together
name of person and title of work
 relationship designators in bibliographic records
($e, 4, i)

71. RDA + MARC 21
bibliographic record
245 00 $a Alice in Wonderland, or, What's a nice kid like you
doing in a place like this? /$cHanna-Barbera Productions.
700 1# $i parody of (work) $a Carroll, Lewis, $d 1832-1898. $t
Alice's adventures in Wonderland.
suggested display of data :
(MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic data)
Alice in Wonderland, or, What's a nice kid like you doing
in a place like this? / Hanna-Barbera Productions.
Parody of Carroll, Lewis, 1832-1898. Alice's
adventures in Wonderland.

72. RDA + MARC 21
bibliographic record
100 1# $a Verdi, Giuseppe, $d1813-1901.
245 10 $a Otello :$b in full score / $c Giuseppe Verdi.
700 1# $i Libretto based on (work) $a Shakespeare, William,
$d 1564-1616. $t Othello.
787 08 $i reproduction of (manifestation) $a Verdi, Giuseppe,
$d 1813-1901. $t Otello. $d Milan: Ricordi, c1913
day 1 implementation in MARC 21 environment – can
record data about the type of the relationship

73. RDA + MARC 21
authority record for a work:
100 1# $a Stoppard, Tom. $t Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
are dead
500 1# $w r $i based on (work) $a Shakespeare, William, $d
1564-1616. $t Hamlet
authority record for a person:
100 1# $a Clemens, Samuel, $d 1835-1910
500 ## $w r $i alternate identity $a Twain, Mark, $d 1835-
1910

74. RDA + post MARC 21
for example
name of a person ------- title of book
RDA + post MARC 21 record environment
 data about entities: “record” for person, work,
expression (as needed), manifestation, item …
 explicitly defined relationships between entities
 explicitly defined relationships means that MARC
record structure is no longer required

75. Making library data visible
User does not expect information silos:
 users expect that all metadata is on the web
 library data needs to be visible on the web
 users do not ask whether the data they need comes
from a library or a digital repository or an archive
 library data should interact and co-exist with
metadata of other cultural memory communities
e.g. museums, archives, digital repositories, …

76. Hidden data
 online catalog = closed database
◦ abundance of metadata
◦ invisible to web search engines “dark data”
 MARC 21 = library specific record format
◦ used in closed databases
◦ web cannot access and use MARC data
◦ many ILS cannot fully use MARC data
◦ not used in other cultural heritage communities

77. Making library data visible
 release library data from MARC 21 record
structure
 make library data available on the web
◦ use XML schema
◦ support use in semantic web with declared
name spaces and registered vocabularies
 library data that can be discovered by web
search engines

78. Making library data visible
 release from MARC 21 record format also
helps build connections to other communities
• connecting with other cultural heritage
communities
• data that can function alongside data
from other metadata communities

79. Point of transition

80. Us and our legacy data

81. Where is the future?
 data that enables machine-actionable
processing of data
 data that enables resource discovery on the
web
 data that can be stored and used in new
database structures
 data that can connect us with
other communities

82. Changing direction
 make the point of
transition as
smooth as possible
 emphasize
continuity
 begin to travel
along a new track

83. RDA moves us forward
RDA …
takes us from where
we are
moves us to a new
track
opens up possibilities
for the future

84. Images from Flickr
Creative Commons attribution license
Dinner train by Slideshow Bruce
http://www.flickr.com/photos/springfieldhomer/956146
22/
Cross track – iPhone wall paper by CJ Schmit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjschmit/4623783487/
Tracks by eirikref
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eirikref/432088535/

85. Thank you
Questions, comments
? ? ?
contact info: chris.oliver@mcgill.ca