RDA: Resource Description and Access

RDA: Resource Description and Access is the new standard for resource description and access designed for the digital world. Built on the foundations established by AACR2, RDA provides a comprehensive set of guidelines and instructions on resource description and access covering all types of content and media.

Entity Relationship Diagram

Nannette Naught of IMT, who serves as document manager and ALA Publishing's technical lead on the project, has created the Entity Relationship (ER) diagram. Tom Delsey, editor of RDA, worked closely with Naught in the project.

An ER diagram is used in software or database development to produce a conceptual data model. An input for development of the functional specification, the ER diagram checks RDA Element Analysis against the FRBR model.

Formatted for printing in 8.5 x 11 inch sheets, the ER diagram is a visual representation of the RDA data model. Below are links to PDF files.

FRBR Group #1

FRBR Group #2

FRBR Group #3

FRAD

Name

Relationships

Relationships Overview
Though not strictly part of the ER diagram set, the Relationships Overview may help put the individual Relationship ER diagrams in context.

RDA Content

The Joint Steering Committee revisions have been input into XML files and undergone a light proofread. In late November, the JSC will start a final review of content in the site. The JSC has prepared a draft mapping of RDA to MARC, which is undergoing review.

RDA Full Draft

The full draft of RDA was made available in November 2008. The comment period has closed; see the responses. The table of contents with links for downloading PDF files is here.

RDA Software Development

Software for RDA is in beta testing. The platform will present RDA content with customary browse and search functionality. The RDA Toolkit features functionality for customizing content and applying it to library workflows. A sampling is shown here.