I assumed it was not continuously updated, but I don't see that as a deal breaker for a small collection. I suspect many small collections did not attempt to purchase every update of AACR2, nor did they feel guilty about it; perfection can be the enemy of good enough, as the saying goes.
Steven Arakawa Catalog Librarian for Training & Documentation Catalog & Metada Services Sterling Memorial Library. Yale University P.O. Box 208240 New Haven, CT 06520-8240 (203) 432-8286 steven.arak...@yale.edu -----Original Message----- From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access [mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of Breeding, Zora Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 5:13 PM To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Access to the knowledge of cataloging Is this Kindle version updated? That may be what is meant by less than "full range of content" as the subscription product. If so, it would be equivalent in content to the print version -- which, interestingly enough is listed on ALA Editions as costing $150. So, you pay less for a version with searching and links. That is a good deal. Of course, like the print, the product will become outdated quite soon and a new purchase would need to be made every year or so. Still, spending $120 per year is cheaper than $195 per year for the subscription. Zora Breeding Vanderbilt -----Original Message----- From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access [mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of Arakawa, Steven Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 3:42 PM To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Access to the knowledge of cataloging I notice that Amazon is selling RDA for Kindle @$120, which seems to be within the range of college textbooks these days. To quote: " This e-book contains the 2013 Revision of RDA: Resource Description and Access, and includes the July 2013 Update. This e-book offers links within the RDA text and the capability of running rudimentary searches of RDA, but please note that this e-book does not have the full range of content or functionality provided by the subscription product RDA Toolkit." (I suppose this means there are no external links to AACR2 and the LC PCC Policy Statements; quoting again: "This e-book offers links within the RDA text and the capability of running rudimentary searches of RDA ..." This, coupled with free access to the LC PCC Policy Statements and PCC documentation, should be enough to suit the needs of a small collection. Steven Arakawa Catalog Librarian for Training & Documentation Catalog & Metada Services Sterling Memorial Library. Yale University P.O. Box 208240 New Haven, CT 06520-8240 (203) 432-8286 steven.arak...@yale.edu -----Original Message----- From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access [mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of Kevin M Randall Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 2:54 PM To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Access to the knowledge of cataloging John Hostage wrote: > I think what he meant was, what use is it to have access to the PSs if > you can't see the rules they annotate without paying an arm and a leg. The way Bernhard stated it gave the implication that there was something new in regard to accessing LC policy. But nothing has really changed: access to LC policy was free before (under AACR2), and it is still free now (under RDA). In both cases, there is also the need for separate access (not free) to the rules themselves. To be sure, the difference in cost between AACR2 and RDA is quite substantial, and I do think it's a very regrettable situation that the ALA budget seems to be so dependent upon the revenue from the cataloging rules. Hopefully more affordable ancillary products will crop up eventually. (And hopefully the economics of RDA will change--maybe what must have been horrific costs for the initial development of the RDA text and especially the Toolkit will be paid off, and substantially lower subscription prices will be able to support ongoing maintenance???) Kevin M. Randall Principal Serials Cataloger Northwestern University Library k...@northwestern.edu (847) 491-2939 Proudly wearing the sensible shoes since 1978!
