How to prepare a base r-ball
RDA supports de-duplication of bibliographic and cultural heritage metadata by using the FRBR model of Work, Expression, Manifestation, and Item entities. Data from a single instance of a work is linked to multiple expressions, and data from a single expression is linked to multiple manifestations; the data is not duplicated in every manifestation "record".
This benefit can be demonstrated during an X-athon if you provide data for Works and Expressions in advance, as a base r-ball.
The usual focus for a base r-ball is a Person or a Work. When you have chosen a focus, develop a base r-ball by following this procedure:
- A Work will usually have a Person as a creator, and Person name authority records are a high-quality source of data, so start by importing an authority record for the focus Person or work creator Person, using the sources LC NAF, ID NAF, or VIAF in the RIMMF Search and Retrieve (F3) list.
- Next, import authority records for one or more of the works by the Person, if records can be found. Be careful because most authority records that seem to be for works are actually for expressions and contain data for Language or some other Expression attribute. If you find a genuine work record and additional expression records, be sure to import the Work record first.
- Next, import authority records for the representative expression of the Work (in the original language, etc.) If you have previously imported a work authority record, then data for this expression should automatically link to the previously imported work data. If there is only an expression authority record and no work authority record, then RIMMF will create work data and expression data from the expression authority record.
- Then import authority records for additional expressions, if available (for example for translations). The data for these expressions should automatically link to the previously imported work data.
- Then, optionally, import a bibliographic record that is the earliest possible example of each expression you have added. RIMMF should automatically link the manifestation data from the bibliographic record to the expression data you have previously imported. Check to see whether there was any useful information in the bibliographic record that you can add to the previously created expression and work data.
- Then, optionally, import bibliographic records that have no associated work or expression authority records; RIMMF will create Work, Expression, and Manifestation data from these bibliographic records.
- The result is a Work-Expression "spine" that will automatically link to data for other expressions and manifestations when they are created manually or by RIMMF import during the X-athon.
