Since Oliver’s guide was first published in 2010, thousands of LIS students, records managers, and catalogers and other library professionals have relied on its clear, plainspoken explanation of RDA: Resource Description and Access as their first step towards becoming acquainted with the cataloging standard. Now, reflecting the changes to RDA after the completion of the 3R Project, Oliver brings her Special Report up to date. This essential primer

• concisely explains what RDA is, its basic features, and the main factors in its development;


• describes RDA’s relationship to the international standards and models that continue to influence its evolution;


• provides an overview of the latest developments, focusing on the impact of the 3R Project, the results of aligning RDA with IFLA’s Library Reference Model (LRM), and the outcomes of internationalization;


• illustrates how information is organized in the post 3R Toolkit and explains how to navigate through this new structure; and


• discusses how RDA continues to enable improved resource discovery both in traditional and new applications, including the linked data environment.

Preface
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations

1    What Is RDA?
1.1    The 3R Project
1.2    Based on a Theoretical Framework
1.3    Designed for the Digital Environment
1.4    A Global Standard Appropriate for Use in Many Contexts
1.5    Impact

2    RDA: An International Standard
2.1    Alignment with International Principles, Models, and Standards 
2.2    Capacity for Use in an International Context
2.3    Integration of Translations and the Translation Workflow 
2.4    Shared Governance

3    The IFLA Bibliographic Conceptual Models
3.1    Overview of FRBR, FRAD, and FRSAD
3.2    IFLA Library Reference Model
3.3    The Role of the Models

4    RDA’s Background: Evolution from AACR2 into RDA
4.1    Building on the Foundations of AACR
4.2    Deconstruction of AACR2
4.3    Continuity with AACR2
4.4    Moving away from AACR2

5    RDA: Some Key Aspects
5.1    Focus on the User
5.2    Structure of RDA
5.3    Content and Carrier
5.4    RDA Elements
5.5    Aggregates
5.6    Shortcuts
5.7    Nomen
5.8    New Ways of Thinking about Resource Description
5.9    Summary

6    Using RDA
6.1    Navigation in the RDA Toolkit
6.2    Recording Methods
6.3    Element Reference
6.4    Condition/Option
6.5    Encoding Schemes: Vocabulary Encoding Schemes and String Encoding Schemes 
6.6    Policy Statements and Application Profiles
6.7    Data Provenance
6.8    Examples
6.9    Glossary