Book Review: RDA and Cartographic Resources

RDA and Cartographic Resources. By Paige G. Andrew, Susan M. Moore, and Mary Larsgaard. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2015. 152 p. $62.00 softcover (ISBN: 978-0-8389-1131-0).

The implementation of Resource Description and Access (RDA) has inspired much recent cataloging literature, which has been largely focused on understanding and employing RDA in general.1 Now that the initial shock has worn off, and catalogers have become more or less familiar with the basics of RDA, the need for more specific how-to manuals such as this one can begin to be met. Devoted entirely to cartographic resources, this book offers a focused look at how RDA will affect the cataloging of cartographic resources, complete with useful examples and explanations. All three authors are experienced and distinguished catalogers of cartographic resources, and as a result, this book is practical in nature, using theory only to explain the reasoning behind the changes introduced by RDA.

The book focuses on examining the similarities and differences between cataloging cartographic resources using the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, Second Edition (AACR2) and using RDA.2 It is not written for complete beginners, as it assumes knowledge of AACR2 and some experience cataloging cartographic resources. The authors also recommend familiarity with previously published manuals such as Cartographic Materials: A Manual of Interpretation for AACR2 and the Library of Congress’s Map Cataloging Manual.3

The book is short and to the point, and chapter 1 sets the tone with a brief introduction to RDA and an even briefer history of cartographic resources cataloging. Chapter 2 provides the requisite discussion of Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) work, expression, manifestation, and item (WEMI) entities, which one would expect to find in a book about RDA. Fortunately, the authors forgo a general overview and concentrate on how the WEMI model applies to cartographic resources. To help catalogers determine where to draw the line between work and expression, a list of attributes unique to cartographic resources are provided, such as coordinates and equinox (which are attributes of a work) and scale and projection (which are attributes of an expression). Furthermore, specific examples are given to illustrate which attributes of a cartographic resource can differentiate expressions and manifestations of the work.

Chapters 3 and 4 are the heart of the manual and are where catalogers would turn with specific questions about how to apply RDA rather than AACR2. Chapter 3 is an overview of similarities and differences between cataloging cartographic resources in AACR2 and RDA. It begins with a field-by-field outline of what remains the same in RDA, a reassuring strategy for those who may be feeling overwhelmed. While continuing to emphasize that the difference in applying AACR2 rules and RDA instructions is minimal, it then offers an overview of concept-level differences between the two standards, such as sources of information, the “take what you see” principle, and core elements, some points of which are clarified using cartographic cataloging examples. Changes in the use of abbreviations and square brackets in RDA are described as “continuing but different practices” (37) and are addressed in this chapter.

Chapter 4 goes into detail about how to apply RDA instructions when providing descriptive information about cartographic resources. This section is organized by MARC field, making it easy for a cataloger with a specific question to consult this guide for advice. The depth of explanation for each field depends on the complexity of the field and the complexity of the RDA instructions applicable to it. For each MARC field covered in this chapter, the corresponding RDA instructions are cited, which is useful for those who are still learning to navigate the layout of RDA. The extensive examples and occasional illustrations, all of which are specific to cartographic resources, are also useful for identifying and addressing common issues in the application of RDA instructions. New instructions for familiar MARC fields, such as 245 and 300, are explained, and new fields, such as 264 and 336, 337, and 338, are thoroughly introduced. The strength of this chapter and of this book is its specificity; not only are all examples directly applicable to cartographic resources cataloging, but also a significant portion of the chapter is devoted to MARC field 255, cartographic mathematical data, which is not likely to be addressed in more general RDA manuals.

Chapter 5 is a brief conclusion to the book, letting the contents of the middle chapters speak for themselves. The seven appendixes, however, are more noteworthy than the final chapter, offering yet more samples, examples, and checklists to aid the practical cataloger.

Written by cartographic resources catalogers for cartographic resources catalogers, this book is most useful and effective for those who are ready to catalog a resource using RDA. As a practical manual, it is a valuable addition to the RDA canon because of its focused and thoughtful coverage of cartographic resource–specific concerns. Because RDA is a new standard that is continuing to evolve, it is impossible to capture within one publication all of the changes that have been made from AACR2 or the changes that have occurred within RDA since its implementation, even when focusing on one type of resource. This book makes a good start, however, and cartographic resources catalogers will find it addresses most of their questions about cataloging with RDA.—Laura Evans (evans@binghamton.edu), Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York

References

1. RDA: Resource Description & Access (Chicago: ALA; Ottawa: Canadian Library Association; London: Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, 2010).
2. Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd ed., 2002 rev., 2005 update (Chicago: American Library Association; Ottawa: Canadian Library Association; London: Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, 2002).
3. Cartographic Materials: A Manual of Interpretation for AACR2, 2002 rev., 2nd ed. (Chicago: ALA Editions, 2003); Map Cataloging Manual (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 1991).