Includes bibliographical references (pages 83-86) and index.

"Resource Description and Access (RDA) is the first major revision of cataloging rules since Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (AACR2) was introduced in 1978. What might this change mean? RDA could enable library specialists to help users more easily identify, find, and access the information they want ... This book traces the development of RDA, explaining why it was needed and how it was developed. The basics of the conceptual models for RDA are covered, showcasing the origins of the structure and vocabulary of RDA. It then compares AACR2 to RDA and looks at specific changes in the cataloging code. The author also addresses how this development may enable library data to be housed on the Semantic Web and provides practical advice that librarians and catalogers can act upon now to prepare for RDA"--P. [4] of cover.