• 2013-06-17

Resource Description and Access (RDA) is currently the most popular data organization method throughout the world. It is an international cataloging system adaptable to various media and resources common in the digital age, and capable of enabling global resource sharing, improving data navigation and searches, and meeting users’ diverse needs. The U.S. Library of Congress began implementing RDA throughout its facilities on March 31, 2013 as a replacement for their previous cataloging system. It is likely that it will become the international standard in the future.

Because of this, on May 21-23, 2013 National Central Library held an RDA Workshop in the Library’s international conference hall. Courses were presented by honorary executive director of the Chinese American Librarians Association Sally Tseng, Chinese cataloger in Columbia University’s Starr East Asian Library Charlene Chou, Continuing Resources Catalog Librarian at University of Colorado at Boulder library Lu Wen-ying, based on their actual experience in using RDA for cataloging. President of the Chinese American Librarians Association Esther Lee and Vice President Carol Gee, as well as Ms. Janey Chao also participated. In all 141 people attended the workshop, including library staff from the Macao Central Library, professors in library and information science departments, college librarians, personnel from public libraries, system development companies, and publishers.

The courses held in the workshop discussed RDA regulations regarding books, serials, non-book materials, and authority records. Actual examples were used to illustrate RDA standards for records, allowing the attendees to gain a better understanding of how RDA organizes information for various resources. Issues and problems encountered in individual organizations regarding RDA implementation were also discussed. Workshop attendees took a lot away from the courses, not only in an increased understanding of RDA, but also in a desire to have more training courses available in Taiwan to help facilitate the transition to RDA cataloging.