So, when AACR2 makes an arbitrary determination that "a single author is good enough" when there are more than three, it is OK.
However, when RDA affords catalogers the option to follow that historical arbitrary determination to its logical end (by extending its application to numbers of authors less than three) or to break with the pattern of arbitrary determinations (by allowing all authors regardless of number), that is now a problem? On a local basis, I routinely disregarded the Rule of Three in order to incorporate descriptive elements and access points for college faculty. In the future, regardless of whether the "restrictive" option allowed in RDA is initially employed, the agencies where such access is important will improve the record to meet their constituents' needs and expectations. Those agencies that use the record "as is", in its pre-improved state, will do so because it meets the needs of their own constituents and hence needn't worry about the subsequent changes. John F. Myers, Catalog Librarian Schaffer Library, Union College 807 Union St. Schenectady NY 12308 518-388-6623 mye...@union.edu -----Original Message----- James Weinheimer wrote: RDA has determined that a single author is good enough. I wonder what the faculty would say about the single author rule where that co-authors can legitimately be left out, along with authors and other contributors?
