EURIG - 8 August 2010 EURIG – 8 August 2010 Françoise Leresche & Françoise Bourdon Bibliothèque nationale de France & chairs of AFNOR Working Groups on Cataloguing

EURIG - 8 August 2010 French context Framework for developing national cataloguing rules = AFNOR (a generic standards body)  French library associations hardly engaged in bibliographic standardization work  The “AFNOR label” = a common ground for professionals who work in a compartmentalized world  Consistency is achieved through the use of ISO standards

EURIG - 8 August 2010 French rules Do not refer to AACR2 Are based on international recommendations  IFLA ISBD Names of persons Anonymous classics etc.  ISO French cataloguers are sensitive to these international references  Respect for multiculturalism

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Moving to RDA in France Issues under consideration  Technical issues  Strategic issues

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Technical Issues – Alluring aspects of RDA New catalogue structures are required 1. Switching from an enclosed catalogue to a catalogue open to the semantic web By FRBRising catalogues By creating a network of relationships between data reflecting FRBR/FRAD entities

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Work Person Expression Person Expression Person Corporate Body Person Corporate Body Manifestation Corporate Body Item Corporate Body Person Concept Authority File Bibliographic File Holdings Data Current catalogue structure Future catalogue structure

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Technical Issues – Alluring aspects of RDA New catalogue structures are required 2. RDA means applying FRBR and FRAD models to the cataloguing process French interest is focused on scenario 1

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Authority record for a Work (identified author) heading = title of Work Link to bibliographic records Link to the Person authority record for the author of the Work

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Technical Issues Deterring aspects of RDA RDA hardly makes reference to international recommendations and standards  ALA tables and lists of codes but not ISO standards  Loose, limited reference to ISBD RDA permits ISBD display (order of the elements, prescribed punctuation) but RDA and ISBD differ on crucial points:  Sources of information  Criteria for choosing and recording repeated data elements: typography (ISBD) vs order on the preferred source (RDA)

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Technical Issues Deterring aspects of RDA Rules remain Anglo-American centred  Places  Performers  Legal works  Etc. Moving towards RDA should not entail a backward move in French cataloguing practice  Define a “French profile” in order to cope with the instructions we deem unacceptable?

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Strategic Issues What is to be the role of AFNOR if RDA is adopted in France ?  No more income from selling cataloguing standards a minor issue because French libraries claim free access for standards they have helped to develop  Unifying role of AFNOR remains essential Leading role of BnF and ABES  AFNOR committees chaired by BnF staff members  dissemination of standardized practices via bibliographic services Meeting place for various libraries and institutions  Define and release a French RDA profile?

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Moving to RDA ? Paving the way for decision Within the framework of AFNOR 2 working groups have been set up  Technical working group Focusing on operational aspects  Strategic working group Focusing on strategic aspects

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Technical Working Group AFNOR Working Group CG46/CN357/GE6 “Evolution of bibliographic description” chaired by BnF 5 directions of work :  In-depth examination of the rules Definition of a French profile of RDA? Implementation: options and recommendations  Translation of RDA into French, in collaboration with Canada et al.  Impacts of RDA on library systems, on catalogue consistency, on bibliographic records exchange  cost planning for French libraries  Information and training  Schedule of possible implementation Starting from September 2010

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Strategic Working Group Chaired by ABES Members : AFNOR, ministries responsible for libraries, bibliographic agencies, major libraries, library schools, library associations, and consultants Goals :  reaching the decision whether to adopt RDA in France  looking into technical and economic impacts (feasibility, cost implications)  ensuring that the French approach is taken into account in the future evolution of RDA  defining a schedule for the implementation enabling the migration of legacy records

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Timeline December 2010: first review of RDA rules by the Technical WG sent to the Strategic WG  Points of agreement  Points of disagreement: Issues on which France is willing to compromise in order to join the RDA community Issues on which France is determined to keep its rules Throughout 2011: global impact evaluation by both WGs By the end of 2011: decision whether to move towards RDA Alternative: leave the question pending … and wait until:  Evolution of debatable RDA rules (e.g. places)  Implementation of “scenario 1”  Technical issues (evolution of library systems)  Experimentation with RDA in other countries  Financial issues

EURIG - 8 August 2010 Conclusion No decision made so far  French librarians remain to be convinced: adopting RDA right now would be a “French Revolution”  Feasibility of scenario 1 has to be confirmed at BnF in library systems especially SUDOC If decision to move towards RDA is made  Definition of a French RDA Profile in order to cope with transition wait until RDA rules change for the better according to the French perspective and become truly international  French RDA Profile plus RDA: Rules that are acceptable  RDA Toolkit to be used Rules for which the French approach is kept  French RDA Profile maintained by AFNOR  The French RDA Profile would be available online free of charge

EURIG - 8 August 2010 francoise.leresche at bnf.fr francoise.bourdon at bnf.fr