So…I definitely feel like I did all of this backwards, but you live and you learn.
Now that I can grasp the basics of MARC, LCSH, and MeSH, I decided to dive deep into RDA, Resource Description and Access. RDA replaced AACR2 as the standard for cataloging description. RDA uses terminology like “access point” instead of “heading,” and other changes that allow for cataloging digital objects and non-book objects in general.
I started by locating some YouTube videos that went over the important things to know about RDA, like this one:
I also was trying to figure out how to learn how to use RDA Toolkit without actually having access to it. I found this resource (https://www.loc.gov/aba/rda/pdf/ToolkitCourse.pdf) from the Library of Congress:
It’s super lengthy but it walks through the basics of RDA Toolkit (although this is pretty outdated) and includes screenshots of its features.
The underlying concept of RDA is the entity-relationship model. The differences between a Work (idea), Expression (specific text of idea), Manifestation (specific publication), Item (single copy of a manifestation), and how these relate to each other forms the backbone of RDA. WEMI is also how the RDA Toolkit sections are organized.
My biggest struggle trying to learn RDA was that most of the resources I found focused on the differences between AACR2 and RDA, assuming that its audience already had knowledge and a solid understanding of AACR2. I’m not a cataloger, so these types of resources don’t really help me.
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