procesos -guion- tecnicos

The MRIs: an inexpensive antidote to RDA                July 1 2011

The Rules for description and access (RDA) have been constructed over
many years and at considerable expense.  We believe that large
expenditure of money (derived from the large profits made by AACR2
that could have been used to beneficial ends), time, and effort has
produced few good results, a considerable amount of controversy (much
still unresolved), and a text that might, kindly, be described as
incoherent, ill-written and presented and in no way worth the
disruption that will occur if it were implemented.

The relatively few good results of RDA could have been achieved in far
less time, far more cheaply, and with minimum disruption, by revising
the relevant parts of AACR2.  To demonstrate this point, we have
developed these MRIs that, if used in conjunction with the existing
text of AACR2, will yield the few good results of RDA while retaining
the structures and strengths of AACR2 and ISBD and the integrity of
current catalogues and current cataloguing practice. The MRIs are
freely available for use by any cataloguer or cataloguing agency. 
They are, obviously, not official.  Given the dubiousness with which
the official RDA and the RDA process have been received by all levels
of the world of cataloguing, this may not be a bad thing. All and any
suggestions to improve the MRIs will be gratefully received.

Even though RDA implementation has been delayed until after January
1st 2013, we feel a long lead time and familiarity with new provisions
is needed before implementation.

Michael Gorman
J. McRee (Mac) Elrod

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To view the MRIs visit:

http://special-cataloguing.com/mris

You will see an access denied message, with directions to create an
account in order to log in. 

On the site you wull find a link to download a free RDA MARC record
for the MRIs.  There is a link at the top of each chapter to print
an entire chapter, and links at the side to print individual rule
interpretations, depending on whether you wish to file them in your
AACR2 binder by chapter or by rule.

   __       __   J. McRee (Mac) Elrod (mac@slc.bc.ca)
  {__  |   /     Special Libraries Cataloguing   HTTP://www.slc.bc.ca/
  ___} |__ \__________________________________________________________