We received our very own paper copy of RDA in the mail last week. Along with it came the FRBR guide for the perplexed, and Introducing RDA: a guide to the basics. One of my library friends was very amused by the latter ("only librarians would make a guide to the guide about making guides"). I finally sliced into the packaging this morning, as I prepared RDA to go into its own "little" binder (3-inch D ring). RDA is BIG, y'all. I know that anyone reading this probably knew that already.
What got me is that there are whole chapters that just have one page saying "to be developed after the initial release". I'm not sure how many of them there are, but they are depressing to look at. You mean that this binder will at some point need to be EVEN LARGER?
This is all just my way of saying that RDA scares me. I know that fear isn't a reason to not learn something, but seriously, it's daunting. Can you imagine the poor little library students, getting their first glimpse of RDA? No one will ever go into cataloging again. :)
6 comments:
I printed off the draft on double-sided paper and had it bound, which looks like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orangeaurochs/5550740899/
Makes me wary of buying the paper version...
At some point, I'm going to have to buy the printed version as I doubt my library will subscribe. Maybe putting it in a unicorn themed 3-ring binder will make it seem less intimidating:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=446792292083&set=o.161813927168408
I like Orangeaurochs's snazzy binding style, but 3 ring binder might be easier if there will be updates. Are we meant to interfile the chapters/changes that are "to be developed after the initial release"?
I didn't see anything that said there would be interfiling, but it seems like it's implied, given that it's three-hole punched like the legal continuing resources are.
We only printed it off to avoid having to read the huge PDFs of the draft online. To be honest, I don't think we'll buy a paper copy although it might be useful for initial training and familiarisation. We have cataloguers on several aites and inter-filing sounds to me like a nightmare (although I understand some people actually enjoy it). If we can't afford the electronic copy (and we are quite a big institution) then we are in trouble with RDA.
Having been a part of the RDA test, I can assure you that RDA isn't really that big of a change, as far as the day-to-day operations in cataloging.
I would guess that there will be some quick guides to RDA, that will make things easier - but I also expect that it will be quite a while before the majority of medium to small libraries make the switch.
At this point, RDA changes a few things, but it doesn't have to be that scary, based on what I've seen.
RDA was not meant to be a printed manual. It's structure is meant for online interface. The only reason it was released in print was to appease those who can't let go of a print manual. Sorry, but that is the truth.
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