RDA Sandbox Continues Adding Participants, 2nd Extension Announced

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Blacksburg, VA - With the announcement of the RDA Sandbox last fall, VTLS made it possible for librarians everywhere to acquire hands-on experience creating and modifying RDA Implementation Scenario One MARC records in a shared database with over 250,000 FRBRized linked records. The program has already been extended once and participation to date includes 76 registered users, 1,429 records added and 1,551 records modified. Participants range from library school students, faculty and staff from institutions ranging from state and national libraries, consortiums, research, corporate and academic libraries worldwide.

"As an active member of the RDA/MARC Working Group, I'm excited to be involved in providing this hands-on learning environment for catalogers around the world," noted John Espley, Principal Librarian at VTLS. "I am particularly gratified that library science programs are beginning to use the sandbox as a teaching tool, using Virtua's RDA support to educate and inform the next generation of librarians."

RDA will be implemented by the US National Libraries no earlier than January 2013. VTLS is continuing support of and participation in the RDA Sandbox until that date. Two informational sessions about the Sandbox were well attended at the recent ALA conference in New Orleans. The sessions will be repeated at the Midwinter conference in Dallas and will include new developments and ongoing results of the Sandbox program.

The RDA Sandbox is an excellent opportunity to practice and play with a system that is consistent with the RDA Implementation Scenario One. Participating in the Sandbox allows you to create linked FRBR entity one records of Work, Expression, and Manifestation. With the Sandbox you have a complete cataloging system: authority control, original and copying cataloging, item record functionality, and serials control using MARC Holdings records. You not only have the ability to work with traditional FRBR Work, Expression, and Manifestation records, but you also can work with all of the VTLS extensions to FRBR, such as linking recursive Works together using a "Super Work" or "Derivative Work" technique, and the ability to handle aggregates with the "reverse tree" functionality.

How the RDA Sandbox works:

Participants in the program are given access to a Virtua™ database and a specially customized Virtua™ cataloging client. Documentation will help you get started. Email support is also provided to lend assistance along the way and an RDA Sandbox Forum has been set up for all participants to share questions, answers and comments about their experiences. All of these services are available for a one-time charge of $60.00 (US) to cover administrative costs.

Please note that all software and documentation is provided as a service to participating institutions. The information provided is, however, proprietary. All software and documentation is copyrighted and remains the property of VTLS Inc. The program is open to any library or librarian, but not to companies that are competitors of VTLS Inc. Information is also posted on our website, www.vtls.com, or contact us at info@vtls.com. Specific questions about the RDA Sandbox program may also be directed to John Espley, Principal Librarian at VTLS Inc. at espleyj@vtls.com.

About VTLS Inc.

VTLS Inc. www.vtls.com, a leading library software solutions company in business for over 30 years, provides visionary technology in library solutions to a diverse customer base of more than 1800 libraries in over 32 countries. Virtua is the premier ILS solution, Chamo is the Web 2.0 based social OPAC, Chivas is the facet-based discovery tool, and Fastrac is RFID technology for libraries. VTLS also provides cutting edge software and services for Digital Libraries. VITAL, based on Fedora, is an institutional repository with a complete Digital Asset Management solution. VITAL Media is a cloud based multi-channel streaming solution for education, training and learning. VTLS is one of the few ISO 9001:2008 quality certified companies in the library industry.

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