rda-l  

Re: [RDA-L] Time and effort

Weinheimer Jim
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:55:20 -0700

Laurence S. Creider wrote:
<snip>
I agree that the testing process is being conducted with careful deliberation, 
and I have much respect for the way the Library of Congress
is handling the process.  Still, publishing, charging, and testing an 
incomplete product with a decision on implementation to come after the
testing is finished sounds like rushing to me.
</snip>

Although I don't think we can fault RDA for being rushed (many very good people 
have been spending a lot of valuable time on it for quite a number of years), I 
don't think being rushed or not is all that pertinent. It is still all based on 
the business case for RDA: if an adequate business case can be made (i.e. we 
will be able to provide x number of services that we cannot currently, or that 
our productivity will rise y number of times, etc.), then we could perhaps 
consider rushing into it and pick up the pieces later. But if a convincing 
business case cannot be made, then it doesn't matter to me if the 
implementation date is only after 10 or 20 years--it shouldn't be implemented 
if no practical advantages will be gained. 

James L. Weinheimer  j.weinhei...@aur.edu
Director of Library and Information Services
The American University of Rome
Rome, Italy
http://catalogingmatters.blogspot.com/