Recordings Online Now: Webinars for African Cataloguers -- An Introduction to RDA
On 13-14 July, RSC Wider Community Engagement Officer Getaneh Alemu was delighted to welcome librarians from across sub-Saharan Africa to webinars on RDA delivered by RSC Education and Orientation Officer Elisa Sze (pictured).
Around 200 cataloguers took part live, and the recordings are now available on the RDA YouTube channel:
Part 1 (13 July) | Part 2 (14 July)
Although optimised for the African Region, with examples by African writers, these recordings may be of interest to anyone looking for an introduction to RDA.
Following the sessions, well-known Ethiopian librarian Mulugeta Woldetsadik shared a summary of his experience on the INFOLIBNET blog.
At yesterday's RSC Executive Group meeting, Elisa and Getaneh shared initial feedback from participants. RSC Chair Renate Behrens said, "It is wonderful that so many colleagues in sub-Saharan Africa made the time to attend these webinars, and, having welcomed ALyC to the RSC following the adoption of RDA by libraries in Latin America and the organisation of interest groups in that region, we must hope that colleagues in Africa will be in a position to subscribe to the Toolkit and begin regional organisation." Getaneh and Elisa confirmed that in the next training for the Region (details to be announced soon), they will include a section on regional organization, with examples from the existing RSC Regions. It has long been the wish of the RSC to fill its vacant slot for a Representative for Africa. (The RDA Board has a National Institution Representative for Africa, currently Rania Osman from the Bibliotecha Alexandrina).
Director of ALA Digital Reference James Hennelly, who provided the webinar infrastructure, said he is always happy to hear from colleagues in sub-Saharan Africa interested in exploring RDA implementation. His contact details, as well as Getaneh's and Elisa's are available on our RSC members roster here.
Everyone on the RSC and the RDA Board is hoping that these webinars will be just the start for RDA in sub-Saharan Africa.