Resource Description And Access Research Articles

Authority Data in the COBISS System and Why is its Importance Increasing

With the introduction of the IFLA Library Reference Model (IFLA LRM), authority control is becoming increasingly important, as authority data will play a key role in the network of linked data. Therefore, the preparation of authority data will help to facilitate the implementation of IFLA LRM and will be useful in the transition to RDA (Resource Description and Access).
 The paper presents an overview of authority data in the COBISS system, with a focus on the Slovenian COBISS.SI system, and suggests possibilities for the future development of authority records. It presents the status of the authority databases CONOR.SI and SGC, the submission of authority records to the VIAF service, and the acquisition and use of identifiers for personal and corporate body names. It also outlines IZUM’s plans for the transition to a new catalogue that will be in line with the IFLA LRM conceptual model. The basis for the development of the new COBISS catalogue is the selection of as large a set of entities as possible to be realised in authority records and the establishment of relationships between them.

Resource Description and Access (RDA)-Based Cataloguing in Ghanaian Public University Libraries: State of Play and Potential Strategies for Implementation

This study sets out to determine the extent of adoption and implementation of RDA as the cataloguing standard in Ghanaian public university libraries and explore potential strategies for its successful implementation. Surveys and case study designs were mixed under the tenets of mixed methods approach to address the research problem from the perspective of 80 cataloguing practitioners. The study determined that the RDA standard has not been adopted as the cataloguing benchmark for Ghanaian public university libraries save for one out of the nine libraries studied owing to a variety of reasons. It was also concluded that the phasal mode of implementation was adopted by the sole implementing library and strategically appealed to present RDA non-implementing libraries in lieu of a future implementation alongside collaboraion and partnerships. The study recommends among others, collaboration and partnerships with RDA implementing libraries as well as leadership by Ghana’s academic library consortium as potential strategic initiatives toward the entrenchment of the standard in Ghana.

“Our Metadata, Ourselves”: The Trans Metadata Collective

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the history, internal processes, and finalized report of the Trans Metadata Collective (TMDC), founded to address the lack of attention paid to trans and gender diverse issues in galleries, archives, libraries, museums, and special collections (GLAMS). The TMDC, an ad‐hoc group of nearly a hundred information professionals, developed best practices for the description and classification of trans and gender diverse information resources. These guidelines prioritize transparency, cultural sensitivity, correct identification, explicit descriptions of transphobia, and regular assessment of trans‐related content. It examines the effects of commonly used standards and controlled vocabularies such as Resource Description and Access (RDA) and Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) on trans and gender diverse people and critiques the inadequacy of these standards' representation of those communities. The TMDC provides guidance for using existing LCSHs, recommends alternative subject vocabularies, and proposes revisions to improve representation. The paper advocates individual agency in naming and gender identification, with recommendations on contacting creators and documenting their preferences. The TMDC emphasizes the importance of minimizing potential harm and protecting privacy in metadata creation. Overall, the report aims to enhance the representation and inclusion of trans and gender diverse communities in GLAMS institutions.

Problems and Possibilities for NACO Armed Forces Access Points: The Cases of Serbia and Yugoslavia

Creating NACO name authority records for Serbian and Yugoslav armed forces at the national level (Resource Description and Access (RDA) 11.2.2.22.1) exposes how cataloging codes often embody assumptions of particular cultural and national traditions. Catalogers may spend as much effort in authority work parsing the rules as simply identifying corporate bodies. Solutions depend upon cataloger judgment sometimes based upon research. In some cases identity management approaches might offer advantages over an authority control approach to organizing information resources about the armed forces in question. Even so, information organizers would likely still have to account for the particular historical circumstances of the corporate bodies involved.

Transforming metadata content guidelines and instructions to linked data

Among metadata-related standards, data content standards like metadata guidelines and instructions for creating metadata still remain in legacy forms. This study investigates a way to transform data content standards to linked data (LD) through conversion from other formats, while referring to the proposed layered framework. Under the basic policies for making LD on which this study is based, several principal matters were examined: (a) defining units to be assigned with Universal Resource Identifiers (URIs), (b) defining relationships among the instructions with URIs and (c) expressing instructed content in instructions properly with certain Resource Description Framework (RDF) properties. With the proper choice(s) for each matter, some actual standards were converted to LD: Resource Description and Access (RDA) and Dublin Core User Guide. The results showed that the adopted way of transforming data content standards to LD is valid and proper, and the resultant LD would be expected to be utilised in various manners.

Data Provenance and Administrative Information in Library Linked Data: Reviewing RDA in RDF, BIBFRAME, and Wikidata

We examined how data provenance and additional information of element values including nomens, and administrative information on the metadata should be modeled and represented in the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for linked data of library catalogs. First, we classified such information types into categories and organized the combination with recording-units, i.e., a description statement or description set. Next, we listed the appropriate RDF representation patterns for each recording-unit. Then, we reviewed the methods to examine such information in Resource Description and Access (RDA) in RDF, BIBFRAME, and Wikidata, and pointed out the issues involved in them.

Resource Description and Access (RDA): the before and after the 3R Project

Resumo: A Resource Description and Access foi desenvolvida pelo Resource Description Steering Committee, como um conjunto de elementos de dados para a criação de metadados de recursos de biblioteca e patrimônio cultural. Em 2017 foi publicado o modelo conceitual Library Reference Model, consolidando uma estrutura única como modelo de referência para bibliotecas. Há uma intensificação do uso das tecnologias da Web Semântica, como o Linked data, que apresentou uma nova perspectiva para descrição e ligação de dados. Com estas alterações, o grupo Steering Committee verificou a necessidade de uma nova estrutura da Resource Description and Access, o Projeto 3R, que reformulou a estrutura do site Resource Description and Access Toolkit alinhado ao Library Reference Model. Isto posto, a questão norteadora desta pesquisa foi: quais as principais alterações da Resource Description and Access com o Projeto 3R? O objetivo geral desta pesquisa foi apresentar as mudanças nas diretrizes considerando as alterações desenvolvidas no Projeto 3R. Foi empregado o método comparativo para análise das estruturas das duas versões do Resource Description and Access Toolkit. Como resultados observou-se que as principais mudanças no Projeto 3R podem ser divididas em três aspectos: (1) mudanças no site Resource Description and Access Toolkit; (2) mudanças estruturais nas diretrizes; e (3) mudanças relacionadas à aproximação com o cenário de publicação de dados na Web e o Linked data. Conclui-se que o Projeto 3R causou mudanças no uso do site, na estrutura das diretrizes, além de promover aproximações com o Library Reference Model e com o Linked data. São necessários esforços para compreender os meios mais eficientes de aplicar as diretrizes Resource Description and Access Projeto 3R na catalogação e nas áreas de pesquisa e ensino em catalogação.

Revisiting Instructional Approaches in Response to Emerging Cataloging Standards

The ever-shifting landscape of cataloging standards over the last decade has kept library and information science (LIS) educators on their toes, and continuing developments only promise to maintain this trend. Examples include the publication of the International Federation of Library Association & Institution’s (IFLA’s) conceptual model Library Reference Model (LRM) in 2017, the release of the new and heavily revised version of the cataloging content standard Resource Description and Access (RDA) in 2020, and Library of Congress’ upcoming Bibliographic Framework (BIBFRAME) standard for encoding and publishing library data. These new standards have altered the way in which cataloging work is conceived and discussed, radically changed the interfaces used for accessing cataloging documentation, and are now spurring the creation of new software and tools for cataloging work, including Library of Congress’ new Marva metadata editor. At the same time, the increasing inclusion of linked data projects in libraries, archives, and other cultural heritage institutions are requiring new skills, practices, and workflows that cataloging and metadata librarians must be prepared for. With many of these standards and initiatives not fully implemented in the majority of libraries, cataloging educators face a dilemma in deciding how best to prepare their students to successfully navigate this time of change, where old and new standards and practices intersect.
 The Technical Services Education SIG session will include a panel of three educators (two of whom are current cataloging practitioners) with unique perspectives on strategies for teaching toward emerging cataloging standards. After brief presentations by each of the panelists, audience members will be encouraged to ask questions and offer their own experiences and ideas concerning this area of LIS education.
 This conversation aligns well with the ALISE conference theme of “Go Back and Get It: From One Narrative to Many” as cataloging practice and education must be in constant dialogue about the preparation of LIS students for the lifespan of their careers. How can LIS educators prepare students for an environment in which different institutions are facing drastically different plans and timelines for the implementation of new standards? How can teaching practices be adjusted to best leverage current best practices alongside new strategies? And how can study of past, present, and emerging cataloging standards and practices provide a solid foundation on which LIS students can build throughout their careers? This panel will offer opportunities for LIS educators to reach back to knowledge and experiences concerning previous standards transitions, share best practices for addressing the current, dynamic environment, and look toward the future of cataloging and metadata education and preparation.

Open Rules for Cataloging

The Open Rules for Cataloging (ORC) project is proposed to be a freely available alternative to Resource Description and Access (RDA) for those who desire a simpler, less abstract cataloging code. The premise of the ORC project is that it is possible to identify universal cataloging concepts in preexisting cataloging rule sets which can be used as the base of a modern cataloging code. The ORC Project has three goals in mind: to reduce needless expense, to promote inclusion, and to facilitate data interoperability. ORC complies with ethical principles and best practices. It will be compatible with a variety of metadata environments. This compatibility will enable data exchange and reuse as well as adaptation. The Open Rules for Cataloging have the potential to revolutionize cataloging practice by simplifying it and making it accessible to all.

“He Lied to the People, Saying ‘I Am Nebuchadnezzar’”: Issues in Authority Control for Rebels, Usurpers, Eccentric Nobility, and Dissenting Royalty

Current cataloging guidelines for creating name authority records (NARs) for royalty and nobility assume that an individual’s claim to a royal title is clear and unambiguous. In the case of historical rebels, usurpers, and eccentrics who claim royal titles for themselves, however, the guidelines are not so clear. When we attempt to describe people and places from a disputed past, we actively enter into their struggles for power, but rules documents like Resource Description and Access (RDA) do not address the question of the legitimacy of a claimed title. Fortunately, recent scholarship on self-determination in NARs for living creators and subject terminology for contested political jurisdictions can help us to develop more ethical practices for historical names of ambiguous legitimacy. This paper uses the Nidintu-Bēl/Nebuchadnezzar III, a rebel against the Achaemenid emperor Darius I named in the Behistun Inscription (6th century BCE), as a case study to establish best practices for the identity management of historical representatives of dissenting royalty.

Book Review: Introducing RDA: A Guide to the Basics After 3R

Introducing RDA: A Guide to the Basics After 3R is an updated version of the earlier edition, which covered Resource Description and Access (RDA) before the RDA Restructure Redesign (3R) project. Like the earlier edition, it does not provide detailed instructions for how to create bibliographic descriptions with the standard, and it also does not provide an in-depth analysis or critique of the standards. Instead, Introducing RDA is something like a guidebook for RDA and the Toolkit. It aims to provide context for the standard and presents the vocabulary and basic concepts that will make it possible users to take advantage of the new official RDA Toolkit. It focuses on presenting the views of the RDA governing bodies and provides many useful citations. The new edition was necessary as the 3R project fundamentally changed how users interact with and navigate RDA and the Toolkit. It also redefined which types of information and instructions are found within the standard, and which are adjacent to the standard, but still available in the Toolkit.

Exploration of Subject Representation and Support of Linked Data in Recently Created Library Metadata: Examination of Most Widely Held WorldCat Bibliographic Records

This paper presents results of the examination of subject representation in the most recently created library metadata records. The bibliographic records were collected from the WorldCat global database. The records were created in 2020 according to the latest version of Resource Description and Access (RDA) and MARC 21Format for Bibliographic Data. A purposive sample of the records with the widest reach—as expressed in the highest number of holdings and the highest level of editing made by multiple institutions—was selected for in-depth content analysis. The level and patterns of application were analyzed for all subject representation data elements (record fields and subfields), specifically for those that were Linked-Data-enabling. The study examined the level and patterns of application of subject controlled vocabularies. Co-occurrences between various subject representation data elements and between subject controlled vocabularies within the records were explored.

Patterns of Subject Metadata Change in MARC 21 Bibliographic Records for Video Recordings

AbstractStudy reported in this paper analyzed over twenty thousand machine‐readable library metadata records in MARC 21 bibliographic format that are based on Resource Description and Access (RDA) standard. The focus of this analysis is on change in subject metadata—data elements designed for representing the aboutness of information objects—over a 6‐year period between 2014 and 2020. The analyzed dataset is the entire population of the records representing English‐language video recordings in DVD format in WorldCat database as of one year after official transition to RDA data content standard in library metadata creation. Analysis of metadata representing audiovisual materials is needed as audiovisual metadata practices tend to differ from those for other materials due to high occurrence of unique resources. The study includes quantitative and qualitative analyses into the change in the application of data elements (fields and subfields) over time and categorizes the observed change.

Cataloging Psychological Tests in an Academic Library

Often relegated to a side note in conversations about curriculum materials collections, psychological tests deserve their own consideration in library cataloging. Libraries that are dedicated to psychology (or psychology and a related field, such as education) lend psychological tests either for reference or for usage in clinical training programs. These libraries, largely academic, have a need for guidelines regarding the cataloging of psychological tests, as those developed under the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, second edition (AACR2) are no longer satisfactory for Resource Description and Access (RDA) cataloging. This paper provides an overview of AACR2 cataloging guidelines and proposes new RDA best practices when cataloging psychological assessments, including kits.

Cataloging Virtual Reality Artworks: Challenges and Future Prospects

In 2019, Pepperdine Libraries acquired two virtual reality artworks by filmmaker and artist Paisley Smith: Homestay and Unceded Territories. To bring awareness to these pieces, Pepperdine Libraries added these works to the library catalog, creating bibliographic records for both films. There were many challenges and considerations in cataloging virtual reality art, including factors such as the nature of the work, the limits found in Resource Description and Access (RDA) and MARC, and providing access to these works. This paper discusses these topics, as well as provides recommendations for potential future standards for cataloging virtual works.

Usare RDA per gli authority record nel catalogo dell’Associazione IRIS

The essay intends to examine the approach to the use of RDA (Resource Description and Access) on a selection of authority record from the catalogue of IRIS - Associazione di biblioteche storico-artistiche e umanistiche dell’area fiorentina. From this application, we highlight the enrichment, the enhancement and the enlargement of the data of the authority record. The RDA-MARC 21 Authority mapping and the example will explain the process that determined the particular application choices.

Practical Approaches to Linked Data

ABSTRACT In this article, Jeannie Hartley presents research regarding linked data and its founder, and discusses how linked data can be used. Some benefits and challenges discovered in the research are discussed, as well as some requirements for the process. Focus is given to Research Description Framework (RDF) and Resource Description and Access (RDA) for use in linked data records. Hartley also offers an examination of some linked data projects. The article then transitions to Heidy Berthoud’s discussion of various linked data projects in process at the Smithsonian Libraries (SIL). She addresses the development of the linked data macro, SIL’s participation in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging’s (PCC) Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) in Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC) Pilot Project, and early explorations into Wikidata.

Cataloging Principles and Objectives: History and Development

Cataloging principles and objectives guide the formation of cataloging rules governing the organization of information within the library catalog, as well as the function of the catalog itself. Changes in technologies wrought by the internet and the web have been the driving forces behind shifting cataloging practice and reconfigurations of cataloging rules. Modern cataloging principles and objectives started in 1841 with the creation of Panizzi’s 91 Rules for the British Museum and gained momentum with Charles Cutter’s Rules for Descriptive Cataloging (1904). The first Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP) was adopted in 1961, holding their place through such codifications as AACR and AACR2 in the 1970s and 1980s. Revisions accelerated starting in 2003 with the three original FR models. The Library Reference Model (LRM) in 2017 acted as a catalyst for the evolution of principles and objectives culminating in the creation of Resource Description and Access (RDA) in 2013.

Translating RDA Reference in Greek: Reflections on the Project

This paper presents and reports on the ongoing project of the Greek translation of the Resource Description and Access (RDA) Reference as pursued by its author. It discusses the first outcomes of the effort during the four-year period from 2016-2020. It focuses on the steps followed; the procedures and various technical issues; as well as the knowledge, expertise, and skills gained by the liaison-translator as the project evolved. It aims to contribute to RDA-related documentation as implemented in the case of the Greek translation of the RDA vocabularies and to encourage greater involvement by and within the Greek library and information science sector.

Descriptive Cataloging: The History and Practice of Describing Library Resources

Descriptive cataloging is the process of representing resources by recording their identifying traits and selecting specific names and titles to serve as access points. It is a key component of the larger cataloging process alongside subject cataloging, authority work, and encoding. Descriptive cataloging practices have existed for centuries and, over time, have become standardized through the use of cataloging codes. These documents guide this process by prescribing a consistent set of elements, providing directions on how to record these elements, and offering instructions on how to select and format access points. The goal of descriptive cataloging is not to create perfect representations but to provide data to serve users. The international cataloging standard Resource Description and Access (RDA) is now bringing more institutions under the same set of descriptive practices than ever before. This, along with recent technological developments, promises increased sharing and reuse of descriptive cataloging data.