RDA – The SLQ experience

Karen Stone12 May 2014

Description at SLQ

Practice• Mandate to provide lead role for libraries in

Queensland• Guiding principle to share records as widely as

possible records we create must meet highest standards

• Follow example from Library Congress & National Library of Australia

Description at SLQ

Resources• John Oxley Library – Queensland memory

• Published• Unpublished• Legal deposit• Maps• Posters

• Australian Library of Art

Description at SLQ

Resources• Information Collection

• General reference & non-fiction• Print & eBooks

Description at SLQ

Resources• Public Libraries Division

• Fiction• Non-fiction• Adults Picture books

Description at SLQ

Data• 3 databases

• South Bank collections – John Oxley, ALA, Information• Over 1.1M records

• Original Materials – John Oxley• 10,000 records

• Public Libraries Division• Over 200,000 records

Why?

• Ensure consistency with the national and international description standards

• Minimal level of record description for Libraries Australia and Trove set to the new RDA standard

Implemented to –

Why?

• Keep pace with major national bodies• Library of Congress• National Library of Australia• British Library• Library & Archives Canada• Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

Implemented to –

Planning

• Project plan developed November 2012• Components –

• Training• SLQ RDA Policies• Managing current descriptive records• System compatibility• Authority records

Training

• New ‘philosophy’• New cataloguing rules• New terminology• New relationships

Understand & apply –

Training

• New fields for new data• New fields for existing data• New subfields & codes within subfields• Different use of existing fields

Understand RDA & MARC –

Training

• “Rule of 3” no longer applies• Inaccuracies• Abbreviations no longer used

Unlearn old rules –

SLQ RDA Policy

• Required definitive ‘policy’ to ensure consistency• Guided by Library of Congress Policy Statements• Covers every decision point• Reviewed quarterly

SLQ RDA Policy

Result = 50+ page dynamic documentDesigned to be used as a ‘reference’ tool

MARC Coding Practice

• Applying RDA to MARC in 3 databases• Managing levels of description across collections• Level of editing on copy cataloguing

RDA @ SLQ

• Crossed over – 8 July 2013• All new records created in RDA• Preference for RDA records for copy cataloguing

Changes to current records Descriptive Records –

• No necessity to upgrade current descriptive records• Considered in the following contexts -

• Impact to clients• Number of records involved• Simplicity of applying change – programmatic or

manual• Extent that change can be applied - full or partial• Decisions of major libraries – LC, OCLC

Changes to current records

Authority record changes –

• Decision to change based on need for use with new RDA descriptive records• Dept. to Department• Bible Testaments & Books• Music notations

Post implementation

• Short term – display 264 data in place of 260 data• Record in MARC record but not display

• Copyright date• Content, Media, Carrier• Relator terms

OPAC display

Post implementation

• Medium term – No other essential changes until number of ‘RDA’ records warrants new display

• Long term – consider how to use new ‘physical type’ information

OPAC display

Full bleed vertical image and caption like this. 20 pt arial Image bleed off left hand side, with caption at right