Develop your cataloguing skills with our range of short practical courses on bibliographic standards. Please contact us for prices and scheduling.

RDA in a Day: a practical introduction to cataloguing with Resource Description and Access

RDA in a Day introduces the Library Reference Model (LRM) and RDA terminology.  This is an interactive, hands-on course, in which trainees will learn by using RIMMF and the RDA Toolkit to create RDA records. The day also covers creation of RDA records in MARC 21. Prior cataloguing experience and knowledge of AACR2 and MARC 21 will be an advantage.

The British Library is working with the UK Committee on RDA (UKCOR) to deliver orientation sessions in advance of RDA 3R implementation. RDA in a Day is currently suspended and will resume after the programme is completed during 2023. 

Subject Analysis in a Day (using FAST): a practical introduction to subject analysis

Subject Analysis in a Day is a practical introduction to assigning controlled terms to describe what a resource is about. This course will teach general skills in subject analysis that can apply to any field or type of material and mixes theory with practical exercises, emphasizing FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) as one specific vocabulary available for use. Prior cataloguing experience will be an advantage.

Understanding Dewey in a Day: a practical introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification

Understanding Dewey in a Day provides an introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification for those who have no prior experience. The day includes an overview of key principles of the classification scheme, the structure of DDC schedules, and how to find and assign numbers from the schedules.

This course is designed to be used alongside DDC Number Building in a Day.

Understanding DDC Number Building in a Day: a practical introduction to number building with Dewey Decimal Classification

Understanding DDC Number Building in a Day provides instruction for number building as part of Dewey Decimal Classification. The day includes a reminder of key DDC principles, an introduction to the four methods of number building, and an overview of the use of the WebDewey number Building tool. 

This course is designed to build on an existing knowledge of DDC and is designed for people who have a basic understanding of Dewey, and some familiarity with WebDewey, ideally gained through attending Understanding DDC in a Day, and WebDewey in a Day.

Web Dewey in a Day: a course for practitioners who wish to make the transition from print to WebDewey

Web Dewey in a Day is suitable for those who are already able to use Dewey Decimal Classification and would like to make the transition from the print edition to WebDewey. It includes a demonstration of the main features of WebDewey including searching and browsing followed by hands-on practical exercises.

British Library RDA NACO training programme notes

You can re-use or adapt these presentations and trainer’s notes under a Creative Commons CC-BY licence.

• Part 1 - Principles of Authority Control (PDF, 1.68 MB)
• Part 2 - Personal Names (PDF, 805 KB)
• Part 3 - Corporate Names (PDF, 571 KB)
• Part 4 - Conference Names (PDF, 648 KB)
• Part 5 - Place Names (PDF, 407 KB)
• Part 6 - Relationships (PDF, 317 KB)
• Part 7 - Changing and Reviewing NARs (PDF, 650 KB)
• Part 8 - BL Guide to RDA Name Authority Records (PDF, 551 KB)

To develop this training material, we had help from the Library of Congress and partner institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland.