Yesterday's RDA Toolkit Essentials webinar generated quite a few questions and there were several that we were not able to address within the allotted time. So we are using the blog post to both share the questions and our answers.

Question: Are examples provided in the Element Set within the Tools Tab? [Sally]
Answer: Yes, full record examples of RDA cataloging in MARC can be found on our site at http://rdatoolkit.org/examples/MARC.

Question: Can you hide globally shared workflows? [Leslie]
Answer: No, you cannot hide globally shared workflows. We will take this idea under consideration for future development.

Question: What can I call RDA , rules or standards or IT development to AACR2? How can I get rules of non-print materials from RDA? How much does it cost to subscribe to RDA per year for individuals? [taha]
Answer: RDA is a new standard for bibliographic description and access. While it is clearly different from AACR2, RDA does build upon traditional cataloging practices. RDA is not structured around format in the way that AACR2 is, there are some instructions that are format specific. These can be accessed through filters found in the Advanced Search menu. The Pricing page contains a complete breakdown of the pricing options for RDA Toolkit subscriptions. A Solo-User subscription costs $195.

Question: How are the two terms combined in the search? Or or And? [Leslie]
Answer: RDA Toolkit search does support the use of Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT. Simply type an operator into your advance search phrase.

Question: SirsiDynix says they will be putting RDA toolkit on our toolbar, right now we don't have it on Sirsi Dynix [Heidi]
Answer: SirsiDynix is one of our linking partners, and their ILS product Symphony does include support for RDA cataloging.

Question: How can we adjust the automatic logout to less than an hour? [Marie]
Answer: The logout can be adjusted through the admin site, located at http://admin.rdatoolkit.org. You would go to the Session Timeout field, and enter the the timeout length you would like. The current default is 60 minutes. You can set to any time between 5 and 60 minutes, however we would recommend that you not set it too short and risk frequent unwanted timeouts in the middle of your work.

Question: Which library can I go to see an example? [Lucy]
Answer: Again, we have RDA cataloging examples on our site. If you would like to find RDA cataloging records at actual libraries, the Library of Congress, the University of Chicago, North Carolina State University, Brigham Young University, and many others are currently cataloging in RDA.

Question: There are so many color-coded icons with acronyms - is there a "KEY" or "Legend"? [peter]
Answer: The icons found in our AACR2 display are described AACR2 in RDA Toolkit. Other icons that appear on the site are defined in the Help Guide.

Question: Where do we find the training classes you mentioned? [Laura]
Answer: We list training events on our calendar, and our Teaching and Training page includes links to vendors that organize RDA workshops and webinars.

Question: How will RDA impact "copy cataloging"? [Gloria]
Answer: There is no simple answer to this question. The impact will largely be determined by the copy cataloging policies at your library. What is certain is that copy catalogers will be encountering more and more RDA records, and your library will need to determine how they want to deal with these new type of records.

Question: What's the difference between a consortia subscription and the institutional one? Is there a difference in the subscription? [Reva]
Answer: Consortia may negotiate price based on their size and needs. In regard to the user experience in RDA Toolkit, there is no difference between the two subscriptions.

Question: How do we link up with the virtual user group?[Evelyn]
Answer: The RDA Toolkit Virtual User Group meetings review recent updates to RDA Toolkit and discuss future development to the site. THe meetings are free and open to all. You can register for the next meeting here.

Question: Under who's authority are the updates authorized? [Erica]
Answer: The content of RDA is maintained and revised by the Joint Steering Committee for the Development of RDA, also known as the JSC. The JSC website has detailed information about past development of RDA and proposals for future changes. There is also explanation about the composition and mission of the JSC.