Chapter 2 Keeping Libraries Relevant in the Semantic Web with RDA: Resource Description and Access

Purpose To raise consciousness among librarians and library directors about the need to structure our descriptive data for library resources in a way that is machine-actionable in the Semantic Web, not just the library silos of MARC-based systems. Design/methodology/approach Narrative overview. Social implications By assuring library metadata is in a well-formed structure, libraries can place access to their collections on the Web where their users are. Findings The new cataloging code, Resource Description and Access (RDA), is one step in the direction toward more interoperability in the Semantic Web. Originality/value New perspective on this issue is to urge librarians to work with systems people and vendors for next generation systems that build on the relationships and identifying characteristics of well-formed metadata arising from use of the RDA.