Cataloging: RDA Checklist for URSUS

Purpose: As of Feb 10, 2014, records that are imported into the URSUS catalog from an outside source must be carefully reviewed to see if they meet RDA requirements. If a record does not include RDA specific fields, or if it is a “hybrid” (contains both AACR2 and RDA elements), you will need to edit the record and add missing fields and expand content of existing metadata.

The essential steps are:

  1. Via Connexion, derive a new record from the AACR2 or hybrid record [Note: If the AACR2 record can be upgraded and replaced rather than derived, OCLC recommends replacing.]
  2. Apply the appropriate constant data file in Connexion.(referring to RDA Toolkit sources as needed)
    • Edit –> Constant Data –>  Online –> Apply from list (choose CD appropriate to format)
  3. Follow the checklist* below for RDA elements.
  • Is the material type in the fixed fields correct?
    • Expand the MARC Leader. Is the “cat form” coded “i”?
  • If a 040 field is present, does it include subfield “|e rda”?
  • Does the 1XX include the relationship designator (subfield e)? For a list of relationship designations between a resource and persons or corporate bodies refer to Appendices I in RDA Toolkit or the LC Code List for Relators.
  • Title field – The guidelines for English-language capitalization basically follow those of The Chicago Manual of Style. When instructed to capitalize a name or term, capitalize each separate word or initial except articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. Apply this guideline to the name of a person, corporate body, or place, or to a title of nobility, term of honour, appellation, epithet, etc. However, for a place name, capitalize an article that forms an accepted part of the name according to gazetteers.
    Capitalize a plural generic term when it is used with distinctive nouns as part of two or more proper names. Do not capitalize a generic term that is not part of a proper name. (RDA A.10)
  • If the record has a GMD in the 245 field, have you removed it?
  • Is the publication area described in a 264 field instead of a 260?
    • If no publisher location, in $a use [Place of publication not indicated]
    • If no publisher, in $b use [Publisher not indicated]
    • If a copyright date is the only date given, then list date in square brackets in $c. Add a second 264, second indicator 4, $c ©XXXX.
  • Do outdated abbreviations appear in th record, especially in the 300?
  • Did you add the 546 for “Text in…” ;
  • Do the required 336 content, 337 media, and 338 carrier fields exist in the record?
  • Do the 7xx fields for corporate bodies have any abbreviations to spell out? (Note: Commonly found in government documents eg. Dept. and U.S.)
  • Do the 7xx added entries include a relationship designator (subfield e)? For a list of relationship designations between a resource and persons or corporate bodies refer to Appendices I in RDA Toolkit or the LC Code List for Relators.

Examples of RDA records added to URSUS (PDF 475KB)

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Contact: um.library.technical.services@maine.edu