GLC Information Organization & Cataloging 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the abbreviation 'RDA' stand for in library cataloging?
- Resource Description and Access (Correct answer)
- Reference Data Architecture
- Record Data Alignment
- Retrieval and Description Authority
Correct answer: Resource Description and Access
RDA stands for Resource Description and Access, the cataloging standard that replaced AACR2 for describing and providing access to library resources.
Question 2: Which principle states that a catalog should enable a user to find all works by a particular author?
- The principle of user convenience
- The collocating function (Correct answer)
- The principle of representation
- The finding function
Correct answer: The collocating function
The collocating function (also called the gathering function) of a catalog brings together all works by the same author or on the same subject.
Question 3: In a MARC record, what does a second indicator of '0' in the 245 field signify?
- The title begins with a nonfiling character
- No nonfiling characters; the title is indexed from the first character (Correct answer)
- The title is in a foreign language
- The title is a variant title
Correct answer: No nonfiling characters; the title is indexed from the first character
A second indicator of '0' in MARC 245 means there are no nonfiling characters, so the title is filed and indexed beginning with the first character.
Question 4: Which archival description standard uses XML encoding to create finding aids?
- MARC 21
- Dublin Core
- Encoded Archival Description (EAD) (Correct answer)
- MODS
Correct answer: Encoded Archival Description (EAD)
EAD (Encoded Archival Description) is an XML-based standard used to create machine-readable finding aids for archival collections.
Question 5: A library is converting records from AACR2 to RDA. Which change is required for physical description notes in MARC 300?
- Replace 'ill.' with 'illustrations' (Correct answer)
- Remove the 300 field entirely
- Change 'p.' to 'pages'—both are still acceptable
- Move physical description to the 500 field
Correct answer: Replace 'ill.' with 'illustrations'
RDA requires spelled-out terms like 'illustrations' and 'pages' instead of AACR2 abbreviations like 'ill.' and 'p.'
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of authority control in library cataloging?
- To ensure physical books are shelved correctly
- To enforce consistent forms of names, subjects, and titles across catalog records (Correct answer)
- To restrict access to certain materials
- To manage circulation due dates
Correct answer: To enforce consistent forms of names, subjects, and titles across catalog records
Authority control ensures that names, subjects, and uniform titles are recorded consistently, enabling reliable retrieval of all related materials.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes a 'faceted classification' system?
- A system where every subject has one fixed location in a hierarchy
- A system that breaks subjects into component attributes (facets) combinable in any order (Correct answer)
- A system that uses only alphabetical arrangement
- A system derived exclusively from natural language terms
Correct answer: A system that breaks subjects into component attributes (facets) combinable in any order
Faceted classification (e.g., Ranganathan's Colon Classification) decomposes subjects into fundamental categories (facets) that can be freely combined to represent complex topics.
GLC Information Organization & Cataloging 5
What does the abbreviation 'RDA' stand for in library cataloging?