From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access [mailto:rd...@listserv.lac-bac.gc.ca] On Behalf Of Gene Fieg Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 12:52 PM To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA Subject: Re: [RDA-L] RDA and granularity
I have always been bemused by the jargon we use. By granularity, I assume one means "detailed access points." Well, Gene, no. But thanks for asking. "Granularity" means, roughly, the answer to the question "What size should the chunks of our data be?" The decision, in MARC, to separate subfields for surnames from those for given names in a heading is an example of a decision about granularity. Separating the names into their different sections makes it easier to search, and perhaps to control, values entered into the database. Greater granularity may afford greater precision; but that precision comes at a price. I'm still contemplating the best answer to the original question so I'll say no more here. na...@uflib.ufl.edu
