ALA Preconference Report: A Practical Introduction to the New RDA Toolkit

On Friday June 22, I attended an ALA preconference dedicated to the structure, functionality, and future of the new RDA Toolkit, currently in beta testing. I've assembled some of the main points, as well as my takeaways, below. If you have a subscription to the current RDA Toolkit, you are more than welcome to explore the beta Toolkit yourself. 

The day began with an overview of the 3R Project (RDA Restructure and Redesign) by Gordon Dunsire. He discussed the major changes for the new version, which include:

-addition of entities such as Agent, Collective Agent, Nomen, Place, and Timespan

-greater emphasis on internationalization

-a focus on elements as the primary unit of the Toolkit (as opposed to the focus on chapters in the current/original Toolkit)

-and application profiles. This is an important concept for the new/beta Toolkit. Application profiles are what will ask the questions;

• What elements must be recorded?
• What elements should be recorded?
• What elements may be repeated?
• What vocabularies are used?
• What recording methods are used?

Whereas the previous iteration was organized in such a way that it could function like an instruction manual, that is not true of the new version. These application profiles (based on format, local practice, etc.) will now govern the actual how-to of constructing descriptions (records). 

Another important change is that Attributes have now become Relationship elements or Attribute elements. This is complicated and confusing, but the main point is that RDA is moving towards trying to describe everything in terms of relationships between things. 

One major change (still ongoing) is the treatment of aggregate works and diachronic works - that is, serials and integrating resources. It has been decided that each version of a serial must have its own Expression and its own Work. For instance, if the New York Times is issued in print, on CD-ROM, and online, there will be three separate Works with the name New York Times. Then the three works are clustered using a common linking identifier - for instance, an ISSN-L. While confusing, this will keep things clear when the CD-ROM version stops publication but the other two formats continue: the New York Times has not ceased, just that format of it. 

The day closed with mention of the next steps for the beta site, which include further editing for clarity & consistency, more work with diachronic and aggregating works, investigation of specific topics by RDA communities (e.g. authority control), and liaison with related standards such as ISSN, ISBD, and UNIMARC. 

My major takeaways are:

1. RDA Toolkit is not an instruction manual - it can be thought of more like a "data dictionary" than a "how to catalog" reference. The how-tos and workflows are out of scope for this project but can be easily linked to the Toolkit. 
2. The new version is less like a book marked up with html and more like an actual modern website. This can be seen in the organization and the navigation options. 

Overall I came away from the preconference feeling positive about the direction of RDA. It is by no means finished or perfect, and there is a lot of work yet to be done, but things are moving in the right direction. During the final question-and-answer period, Gordon Dunsire summarized RDA's approach, saying it is “not one size fits all, but one roof covers everything.”

You can explore the beta Toolkit on your own, and I'm happy to continue the conversation through email or offline.