What are the Benefits of RDA?

WHY IS RDA NEEDED? / WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF RDA: RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ACCESS?

RDA builds on the strengths of AACR2 but has some new features that make it more useful for description as a cataloging code for the digital environment in which libraries now operate.

• RDA is better at catering for digital resources and for resources with multiple characteristics and will provide more guidance on the creation of authority headings.
• RDA has been developed with the end-user in mind.
• RDA provides a consistent, flexible and extensible framework for the description of all types of resources, including digital resources and those with multiple characteristics.
• RDA is compatible with internationally established principles, models, and standards.
• RDA is compatible with a range of encoding schemas, such as MODS, Dublin Core, ONIX and MARC.  It will allow library bibliographic records to be integrated with those produced by other metadata communities, and to move into the digital environment beyond library catalogs.
• RDA will enable, with systems support, the grouping together of bibliographic records for different editions, translations or formats of a work, to achieve a more meaningful display of data for users.
• RDA is a Web-based product, which enables catalogers to move between related instructions using hyperlinks and to integrate their own institutional policies.  
• RDA is a transitional stepping stone that requires only small changes to catalog records but moves the metadata in catalogs much closer to full utilization of FRBR models.

REFERENCES

1. RDA Toolkit, http://rdatoolkit.org/ (accessed July 25, 2017).
2. RSC RDA Steering Committee, http://www.rda-rsc.org/ (accessed July 25, 2017).

SEE ALSO

• Resource Description and Access (RDA)

ARTICLE HISTORY

• Written 2017-07-25

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