Planning for RDA: An Early Adopter’s View on Training and Management

Christee PascaleAssociate Head, Metadata & CatalogingNorth Carolina State University Librarieschristee_pascale@ncsu.edu

Mississippi Library AssociationTechnical Services Round TableOctober 20, 2011Jackson, MS

Presentation Overview

1. About the NCSU Metadata & Cataloging Department

2. U.S. RDA Test and NCSU’s experience as an Institutional Test Participant

3. How NCSU prepared to implement RDA4. Where RDA is now and what you need to

be thinking about

CATALOGING AT NCSU LIBRARIES

Resource Description and Access (RDA):An Implementation Game Plan

Metadata & Cataloging @ NCSU

• 18 Metadata & Cataloging staff:– 5 in Monographs– 6 in Serials & Continuing Resources– 3 in Metadata & Data Quality– 1 Technology Support for Technical Services

• Highly centralized• 2009-2010 cataloging output

– 60,568 physical & electronic titles (MARC)– 50,504 physical volumes (MARC)– 12,909 digital image assets (non-MARC)– 779 digital text assets (non-MARC)– 669.75 linear feet of manuscript materials (non-MARC)– 2,943 faculty citations (non-MARC)

Metadata & Cataloging @ NCSU

• ~5% of NCSU MARC cataloging is original– Much of that is new editions and/or electronic

derived from print• NCSU is not a PCC participant• MLS holding librarians are doing (next to)

no cataloging• Support staff are doing all copy AND

original cataloging and both MARC and non-MARC cataloging

U.S. RDA TEST

Resource Description and Access (RDA):An Implementation Game Plan

Why did NCSU choose to participate in the U.S. RDA Test?

• To force ourselves to learn• Copy-heavy institution• Support staff-heavy institution• Trying to re-invigorate our training program• To answer question: how do records of

various types co-exist happily?• Assessment/usability & cost/value

U.S. RDA Test

Timeline• U.S. RDA Test

Participant Preparation

Jul-Sep 2010

• U.S. RDA Test

Oct-Dec 2010

• Data analysis

Jan-Mar 2011

• Final report to LC, NAL, NLM senior management

• US National Library RDA decisionMay – Jun 2011

Requirements• Common Original &

Copy Set• Extra Set• Surveys:

– Record by Record– Record Creator Profile– Record Use– Institutional

NCSU U.S. RDA Test Statistics

• Common set original: 25• Common set copy:

– met NCSU criteria for upgrade: 4– did not meet NCSU criteria for upgrade: 1

• Extra set with surveys: 462– MARC Original: 390 (includes 201 ETDs)– MARC Copy: 62– MODS: 10

• NCSU was the 5th highest record creator

U.S. RDA Test Record Creation FindingsReport & Recommendations of the U.S. RDA Test Coordinating Committee

26 minutes Average original record creation time for professionals and paraprofessionals

53 minutes Average time to create an original RDA records for records 1-10

28 minutes Average copy cataloging record time for professionals and paraprofessionals

NCSU RDA Test Record Creation Findings

Record creation times at the end of the test period:15-40 minutes for original book cataloging5-20 minutes for copy book cataloging

These times match NCSU’s existing local data for AACR2 book record creation time.

75% of NCSU catalogers showed increased rapidity in record creation over the course of the test.

Average time per record decreased 40% by the end of the test.

For books, ebooks and ejournals we noted a steady decrease in record creation time

The majority of print serials were cataloged by 3 individuals and despite repeat cataloging, time to catalog did not decrease much over time. We have no idea why.

NCSU’S RDA IMPLEMENTATION AND TRAINING

Resource Description and Access (RDA):An Implementation Game Plan

RDA Implementation

NCSU’s Action Plan1. Brainstorm master task list

a. Categorized tasks into functional areasb. Assigned tasks and deadlines

2. RDA training and RDA practice record creation3. U.S. RDA Test training4. RDA continuing education and ongoing

discussion

NCSU Master List Functional Categories

• Tasks related to overall implementation

Coordination

• Tasks related to policy, procedure, documentation and RDA Toolkit setup

Data Management

• Tasks related to how materials flow through Technical Services

Workflow Management

• Tasks related to coordinating staffing resources, training

Staff Management

• ILS and OPAC system-related tasks

System Management

NCSU’s RDA Training Program

• Involved all Metadata & Cataloging staff• Established an RDA Training Team• Was not a debate about the merits of RDA• Did not cover everything• Focused on what staff needed to know for

the test• Had to succeed!

Training the Trainers

1. Library of Congress Train the Tester session (for testing participants) at ALA Midwinter, January 2010

2. Cataloging Management Team watched LC’s RDA Training Modules and other webinars as a group

3. The RDA Training Team assembled other available resources, then learned and muddled through as a group, developing content while simultaneously learning the material

4. Developed local policies, procedures and documentation

NCSU’s RDA Training Curriculum

1. LC webinar: RDA Changes from AACR2 for Texts (B. Tillett)

2. FRBR training3. RDA core training4. Breakout groups5. ALCTS webinars & ongoing discussion

FRBR Training

• Hour-long session before the official start of RDA training

• Deliberately tailored the content to focus on the concepts needed to carry over into RDA training and then attempted to make those concepts more concrete

FRBR Training

• What worked well?

– Tailoring the content to need-to-know for RDA – Concrete examples & props– Focus on user tasks– Group discussion

FRBR Training

• What worked less well?

– FRBR is hard and needs to be reinforced throughout:• FRBR terminology/language• Connection between FRBR and RDA organization• Connection between RDA organization and

descriptive record elements• Relationships

NCSU’s RDA Core Training Curriculum

Day One• Introducing RDA• Access Points• Relationship Designators• Preferred Title for the Work

Day Three• Dates for Multipart Monographs,

Serials and Integrating Resources• Series Statement• Numbering of Serials & Series• Notes• MARC Encoding for the US RDA

Test• Wrap-Up

Day Two• Sources of Information• Identifier for the Manifestation• Title Proper and Statement of Responsibility• Content, Media and Carrier Types• Designation of the Edition• Publication Statement and Copyright Date• Extent, Illustrative Content (etc.) and Dimensions

RDA Core Training

• 12 hours of training over a 3 day period• Differed from LC’s training in two ways:

– More intentionally taught RDA in terms of MARC21 and AACR2

– Softened the presentation of RDA in its FRBR/FRAD-based conceptual framework

• Did not cover– Materials we do not heavily collect: parts of the

Bible, rare books, treaties, music• Did not train in-depth on the new MARC

Authority Record fields … just enough to be able to read an RDA authority record

RDA Core Training

• What worked well?– Half-day sessions– Involving support staff in the content creation– Having more than one presenter– Starting with the harder stuff and leaving on a “high”– Having professional-looking PowerPoint presentation &

handouts– Having and sticking to an agenda– Investing in the planning– Discussion that ended in decision-making & follow-up – Snacks!

Breakout Groups

• Split our staff of 15 into small groups • Created practice records together for resources

we were likely to catalog during the U.S. RDA Test:– Single part monograph (print and electronic)– Multipart monograph (print and electronic)– Upgraded monographic copy (from AACR2 to RDA)– DVD– Children's resources– Streaming media– Theses & dissertations– Serials (print and electronic)– Integrating resources (print and electronic)

LESSONS LEARNED

Resource Description and Access (RDA):An Implementation Game Plan

We learned …

• FRBR matters• It is kind of cool to reset the training

baseline• It is easy to get bogged down by edge

cases• Unlearning and changing focus are hard• Balance emphasis on cataloger’s judgment

v. emphasis on efficiency is challenging• Energy is a good thing in and of itself

We were reminded that …

Cataloger’s judgment needs to be grounded in FRBR user tasks.

Copy catalogers may never have engaged in these issues before.

People like examples.

Catalogers like rules.

Catalogers like when expectations are clear and documentation is up to date.

Support staff like when their bosses know the answers to their questions.

Managers like when LC figures things out first.

RDA: WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Resource Description and Access (RDA):An Implementation Game Plan

Report and Recommendations of the U.S. RDA Test Coordinating Committee• Final report issued to public on May 9,

2011:1. US National Libraries RDA implementation no

sooner than January 20132. Contingent on satisfactory process/completion

of report tasks & action items

Final Report Task and Action Item Highlights

1. Reword RDA instructions in clear, unambiguous, plain English

2. Define process for updating RDA in the online environment

3. Demonstrate credible progress towards a replacement for MARC

4. Lead and coordinate RDA Training

RDA Rewording

• RDA should be reworded as necessary to improve clarity and ease of reading, without altering the intent of the instructions

• Coordinating Committee recommendation:– 6, Identifying Works and Expressions– 9, Identifying Persons– 10, Identifying Families – 11, Identifying Corporate Bodies– 17, General Guidelines on Recording Primary

Relationships• JSC recommendation:

– 2, Recording Attributes of Manifestation and Item

Rewording Time Frame

• ALA will select and contract with a copy editor as soon as possible

• A minimum of 5 chapters (those recommended by Coordinating Committee) will be completed and accepted no later than June 2012

RDA Toolkit Update Recommendations• Anticipated updates to RDA:

– Major: not more than twice annually– Minor: not more than monthly

• JSC and ALA Co-Publishing are working on a process for updating RDA in the online environment

• Time frame: within 3 months

Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative• May 23, 2011: Announcement by Deanna

Marcum: “Transforming our Bibliographic Framework”

• Fall 2011: Stakeholders being identified• Current status:

– Tasks and timeframe to follow• Report timeframe: 18-24 months

National RDA Training Efforts

• LC to lead training efforts• PCC, ALCTS and other bodies to be

engaged• Status:

– LC updating test training and documentation– Coordinating with PCC– Creating a training/implementation timetable

Other National Library Adoption Plans

RDA Committee of Principals (14 August 2011):

“The British Library, Library and Archives Canada, the Library of Congress and the

National Library of Australia confirmed their agreement (22 October 2007) to coordinate

implementation of RDA, not sooner than early 2013.”

http://www.rda-jsc.org/rdacop.html

THE IMPLEMENTATION GAME PLAN

Resource Description and Access (RDA):An Implementation Game Plan

Getting Your RDA House in Order

• Determine who is responsible for coordinating overall RDA implementation at your institution

• Determine who the stakeholders are in your RDA implementation

• Brainstorm a master list of tasks– Set an implementation date– Set and hold staff to task deadlines

Policy and Procedure Considerations• Review your current policy and procedure

against LC’s RDA documentation:– RDA Alternatives and Options: LC’s Policy

Decisions– LCPS

• Decide how you plan to communicate local policy and procedure to staff– Staff manual, internal website/wiki, RDA Toolkit

• Create a plan for updating existing AACR2 documentation and writing RDA documentation

Workflow Considerations

• How might RDA cataloging impact all your existing cataloging processes:– Will RDA cataloged materials be able to flow

through your system the same as AACR2?– Do you have non-cataloging staff performing

copy cataloging?– Do you outsource copy cataloging (e.g. shelf

ready)?

Determine System Impact

• Does the absence of GMDs effect your library?

• Will library staff update ILS to include new RDA MARC fields?– Waiting for your vendor may impact

implementation date• Are you going to make use of 33X fields in

your OPAC?– If so, determine stakeholders and define labels/use

• Stay tuned for RDA authority control decisions

Training

• In-house or outsource?• Provide all staff with basic training; train

only the trainers, then have them train staff as needed

• Scale– Do all staff need the same training? Different

levels or content?– Do you want to begin cataloging all formats in

RDA on implementation date or do a phased format implementation?

Additional thoughts on training …

• FRBR• Define a group to begin learning and

working with RDA as soon as possible• Build in time for practice• Examples, examples, examples• Determine how staff will get answers to

policy, procedure and RDA instruction questions

Documentation & Resources• North Carolina State University

– http://go.ncsu.edu/rda• Library of Congress

– http://www.loc.gov/aba/rda/• LC’s RDA website

– http://www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/rda/• Report and Recommendations of the U.S. RDA Test Coordinating

Committee and Executive Summary– http://www.loc.gov/marc/transition/

• Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative website

• Joint Steering Committee for the Development of RDA– http://www.rda-jsc.org/news.html

• OCLC Technical Bulletin 258– http://www.oclc.org/us/en/support/documentation/worldcat/tb/

258/default.htm• RDA-L

– http://www.rda-jsc.org/rdadiscuss.html