Electronic Cataloging and RDA Technology

Abstract

This article examines the development of electronic cataloging in the context of the shift from traditional information carriers to digital and networked resources. It emphasizes the importance of bibliographic control as a fundamental tool for organizing, providing access to, and retrieving information resources efficiently. The article explains that catalogs are no longer limited to descriptive cards, but have become automated systems and databases that support rapid searching, record exchange, and user access to resources through information networks. It discusses the impact of modern technologies on cataloging, including online public access catalogs, databases, cooperative networks, and MARC formats, especially MARC 21. The article then analyzes the transition from the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, AACR2, to RDA as a newer standard for Resource Description and Access, based on conceptual models such as FRBR and focused on user needs, resource identification, selection, and acquisition. It concludes that the successful application of RDA in Arab libraries requires professional training, updated automated systems, and continuous engagement with international standards to ensure catalog quality and efficient access to information.