Tag: Metadata

First published online in 2010, Resource Description and Access (RDA) succeeded the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) as the modern cataloging standard for libraries. The structure of the RDA represents a fundamental shift toward the digital environment, basing its framework on a relational entity-relationship model to describe resources more flexibly and comprehensively for online users.

In the UK, regulatory bodies like Ofcom mandate that EPG providers implement specific features, such as text-to-speech and high-contrast displays, to make television schedules accessible for disabled users. These requirements form the basis of the EPG guideline, a framework designed to standardize the presentation and functionality of digital TV listings.

In 2010, the library world saw the introduction of Resource Description and Access (RDA) as the successor to the long-standing Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (AACR2). The transition to this new standard brings numerous advantages of RDA for information professionals and users alike, especially in the context of the ever-expanding digital information landscape. This shift is designed to create more flexible, robust, and web-friendly metadata that better serves a modern audience.

As of March 31, 2013, the Library of Congress and other major libraries officially adopted Resource Description and Access (RDA) as their primary cataloging standard. The central concept that defines RDA is its role as a flexible, user-centered framework for describing library and cultural heritage resources in the digital environment. It provides guidelines for creating structured metadata that reflects the relationships between entities, moving beyond the limitations of its predecessor, AACR2.

The acronym RDA refers to three distinct concepts in vastly different fields, with applications ranging from nutritional planning to library cataloging and statistical analysis. Unpacking these varied definitions is essential to understand the specific practical uses of RDA across different industries.

According to the New Mexico State Library, Resource Description and Access (RDA) is a content standard, not a data value standard. This distinction is crucial for understanding its role in descriptive cataloging within the modern digital environment.

RDA, or Resource Description and Access, is a major international cataloguing standard and the preferred descriptive standard for contributions to numerous library databases worldwide. The official RDA is the current iteration of this standard, designed for the digital world and incorporating a modernized framework for resource description. It replaces the earlier Original RDA standard to better align with 21st-century technology and linked data principles.