Following the guidelines of resource description and access "RDA," the Arabic Union Catalog has committed to adopting modern cataloging rules. Based on its initial announcement during its ninth meeting in Tunisia, the Arabic Union Catalog is pleased to announce that its bibliographic database will be upgraded to support the "RDA" rules on May 8, 2019. Additionally, the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules "AACR2" will continue to be used.

Why are the "RDA" rules adopted for a modern AUC in the Arabic Union Catalog?

The Arabic Union Catalog has been committed to developing standards and practices that meet the needs of Arab libraries, align with the latest international standards, and stay on top of advancements in this field since its beginning in 2007 and even before that in 2003 when it established information organization policies and standards.

RDA stands for Resource Description and Access, new rules for bibliographic description and access. Because the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR2) are no longer published and updated, they cannot keep up with significant developments in the field, such as diverse publication formats and resource access methods. Therefore, the new rules are necessary.

 The Arabic Union Catalog has aligned its bibliographic database with RDA standards. Arab libraries have been supported in their transition to RDA rules. Through practical guides and direct training courses, it has provided modern cataloging principles based on the description and access rules. We will continue to offer these initiatives globally. In addition, RDA rules are supported by the catalog for libraries that wish to upgrade.

In this context, the Arab Union Catalog has been a key player in accelerating the transition of Arab libraries to RDA. The AUC will upgrade a bibliographic database that supports modern cataloging rules in 2019.Top of Form

Is the transition to "RDA" rules mandatory?

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Yes, libraries worldwide must transition from the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR2) to the Resource Description and Access (RDA) rules. The AACR2 rules have not been updated since 2005, and they no longer meet the needs of libraries, especially given the changes in the Arab world. In general, cataloging methods need to be reevaluated due to the growing demand from users and different search methods. In addition, the ever-expanding variety of information sources and publishing methods cannot be handled by diverse forms of publication, especially online. As a result, AACR2 rules be inevitably replaced by RDA rules to accommodate the wide range of information resources and their handling in an evolving electronic environment.

What if my library wants to continue using AACR2 rules on the Arabic Union Catalog portal for downloading or uploading bibliographic records?

The Arabic Union Catalog portal will support two cataloging models. Libraries can continue to use AACR2 rules for downloading and uploading bibliographic records if they do not wish to transition to RDA rules.

The AUC portal user guide for RDA rules

According to the RDA rules, the Arabic Union Catalog provides a guide to using the database. This guide is available at the following link: https://bit.ly/2PEAKPc

Guidance courses for RDA rules.

Live online lectures are held by the AUC for member libraries. Those who were unable to attend the first day will be able to participate in the following lectures the following day:

• The first lecture, one hour in length, was on Monday, May 6, 2019, at 12:00 PM Mecca Time (11:00 AM Cairo Time).
• The second lecture will occur on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at 12:00 PM Mecca Time (11:00 AM Cairo Time).

Course registration is available at the following link: http://cutt.us.com/HQqaAU2

Contacting technical support and member services

Members of libraries seeking technical support regarding the use of the Arabic Union Catalog database according to RDA rules, or libraries who require assistance from the Arabic Union Catalog in converting their databases to RDA rules, may contact the technical support team by using the following channels:

Email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 00201099704066 or 00201099705338

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the "RDA" rules? What are the reasons behind their development?

The RDA replaces the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules "AACR2." It takes an entirely different approach to describing resources than AACR2. This is the goal of the updated standard. The primary focus is on users and the information they need. Additionally, it facilitates the process of describing sources logically. User-friendly rules encourage access to the information and sources users need, which is their primary concern.

Can the library system accommodate the newly added RDA fields?

Yes, the newly added fields can be accommodated according to the MARC 21 standard by changing indicators or adding subfields or complete fields, such as:

• Added fields 336-337-338 to replace the general material designation.
• Added field 264 as an alternative to field 260.
• Added field 344 to record sound characteristics.
• Added field 345 to record motion picture projection characteristics.
• Added field 346 to record video characteristics.
• Added field 347 to record digital file characteristics.
• Updated subfields in field 502.

How do the new rules benefit heritage and religious books?

RDA has relatively adapted to heritage works in some previously missing elements from AACR2. However, it has also overlooked many unique features that distinguish Arabic heritage books and manuscripts. However, what distinguishes the "RDA" rules is that they provide guidance and instructions, and it is the cataloging agency's responsibility to establish its policy on standardizing terminology and calendars. This ensures a suitable environment for cataloging Arabic heritage books. Regarding adaptation and compatibility with Arabic works:

• The inclusion of calendar dates.
• Consider ancient dates, especially in Arabic manuscripts, using the Hijri calendar.
• RDA allows freedom to record the place of production and the producer for unpublished works. This corresponds to the scribe and the place of copying in Arabic manuscripts, allowing flexibility in recording the scribe. While the scribe is a crucial component of determining the value of an Arabic manuscript, it needed to be given full consideration in cataloging rules because they represented a secondary function.
• The use of annotations: "RDA" mentions a system for arrangement in archival documents and collections, which can also be employed in manuscripts and heritage books that were arranged using the annotations system. A hierarchical and sequential structure can be displayed in field 351 of MARC 21 in field 351.

Will MARC 21 be discontinued when using "RDA"?

"RDA" rules are content standards, not display or encoding standards. According to the RDA, standard communication templates such as MARC 21 define the following elements:

• Identifying the types of information sources to catalog.
• Determine the required data elements for cataloging all of these sources.
• Identify the origins of this data.
• How to formulate data for these elements?
• How to arrange them?
• Specifying the language and/or script in which the data for these elements are written.
• Determine the description levels.
• Determine the bibliographic level.
• Identifying how to record data related to the relationships between these sources.

In contrast, MARC 21 provides a template or structure for implementing RDA rules and instructions.

Does the "AACR2" cataloging standard end, and only the "RDA" standard will remain?

Since 2005, there have been no updates or changes to the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, AACR2. As a result, they will cease to be used over time. Contrary to this, the "RDA" rules are continuously updated and reviewed. Major libraries around the world are also implementing the new practices.