What You Should Know about the December Switchover

What You Should Know about the December Switchover

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3R Project
On/Off Switches

This 3R Project will come to a close with the elevation of the beta RDA Toolkit to official RDA status in December. This "Switchover" (that's what we are calling the move) may be causing some anxiety among Toolkit users, or at least raising some questions in regard to what exactly will happen. The following statements attempt to address some questions users might have and hopefully ease any anxieties there might be. Reading the RDA Steering Committee statement on the Switchover will also help to clarify just what will happen in December.

What’s going to happen

  • The switchover will happen on December 15th, around 8 pm CST (UTC -6).
  • Beta.rdatoolkit.org will be no longer be an active website.
  • The beta site will become the official site, accessible at access.rdatoolkit.org.
  • The original RDA Toolkit will move to original.rdatoolkit.org (you might want to bookmark the URL).
  • You will able to access the original Toolkit through a link in the Resources tab and through a link in the top banner of the Toolkit.

What’s not going to happen 

  • Your links will not break, or at least that is our hope. This means links to both the original Toolkit and the current beta site will still resolve to the RDA version you expect. While we would like to hold true to this promise, it is unlikely that we will have a 100% success rate.
  • The countdown clock on the removal of the original Toolkit will not start with the Switchover. The decision on when to remove the Toolkit will be made at a later, yet-to-be-determined date. When that decision is made, an announcement will go out and the year-long countdown clock will begin shortly after.
  • You will not go into a panic because you are not ready to catalog using the revised RDA and RDA Toolkit.

What you should do to prepare for the Switchover 

  • Nothing really. There is no expectation that libraries will begin cataloging with the revised RDA right away.
  • But we strongly recommend that you start taking a close look at the revised RDA and the new features and structure of the redesigned Toolkit. You may be surprised by what you find.
  • Consider 2021 as the time to begin preparing for the revised RDA and developing your own schedule for a “switchover”.
  • Begin by reading the RDA Steering Committee statement on the Switchover.

Here are some useful resources to help with your preparations

  • RDA Lab Series -- This extensive collection of webinar modules includes practical exercises on key RDA concepts. The current RDA Lab series is winding down but the series is expected to return in 2021.
  • Introducing RDA: A Guide to the Basics after 3R by Chris Oliver -- This new volume from Chris Oliver will serve as an excellent entry point to exploring the changes associated with the 3R Project.
  • RDA Toolkit YouTube -- Our YouTube channel includes a range of short videos that provide an introduction to key concepts and tips on using the redesigned RDA Toolkit.
  • Toolkit Tour -- Look for regular online tours of RDA Toolkit beginning in 2021.
December switchover.jpg